Ember Parrotfish-Facts and Photographs
The Ember Parrotfish (Scarus rubroviolaceus) is also known as the Redlip Parrotfish and Bicolor Parrotfish. Parrotfish obtain their name from their teeth which are fused into a beak.
Within the various ...
Blue-barred Parrotfish-Facts and Photographs
The Blue-barred Parrotfish (Scarus ghobban) is also known as the Blue trim Parrotfish, Globe-headed Parrotfish, Green blotched Parrotfish and Bluechin parrotfish. Parrotfish obtain their name from their tee...
Transparent Cave Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Transparent Cave Goby (Fusigobius pallidus) is also known as the Pale Sand Goby. They were initially described as Coryphopterus pallidus but were reclassified by Randall in 2001 as Fusigobius pallidus. ...
Sleeper Blue Dot Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Sleeper Blue Dot Goby (Valenciennea sexguttata) is also known as the Chalk Goby and the Sixspot Goby.
They lack swim bladders which given that they spend most of their time on the substrate are not n...
Bluespotted Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Bluespotted wrasse (Anampses caeruleopunctatus) is also known as the Bluespotted Tamarin, the Diamond Wrasse and the Bluefreckled Wrasse. The juveniles are known as leaf wrasse in many areas from their ...
Orange-spotted sleeper-goby – Facts and Photographs
The Orange-spotted sleeper-goby (Valenciennea puellaris) is also known as the Orange-dashed goby, Maiden goby and Diamond Watchman goby.
They lack swim bladders which given that they spend most of their ...
Regal Blue Tang-Facts and Photographs
The Regal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus) is also known as the Blue Tang, the Palette Surgeonfish, the Hepatus Tang and of course more famously as Dory from the Pixar movies "Finding Nemo" and "Finding ...
Sleek Unicornfish -Facts and Photographs
The Sleek unicornfish (Naso hexacanthus) is also known as the Blacktongue unicornfish. In terms of numbers they are probably the most numerous Unicornfish in Tanzanian waters.
Fishes within the Acanthuri...
Cigar Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Cigar wrasse (Cheilio inermis) is also known as the Sharp-nosed Rainbowfish, Pêche madame, Julia Larguirucha and Kamasubera. They are not a common wrasse on Tanzanian reefs but neither are they uncommon...
Palefin Unicornfish -Facts and Photographs
The Palefin Unicornfish (Naso brevirostris) is also known as the Shortnose Unicornfish, and the Spotted Unicornfish. They are the most common Unicornfish in Tanzania.
Fishes within the Acanthuridae fami...
Yelloweye Sweeper-Facts and Photographs
The Yelloweye Sweeper (Pempheris flavicycla) has two subspecies. One is Pempheris flavicycla flavicycla which is found across the Indian Ocean from East Africa to Sri Lanka but not in the Red Sea. The oth...
Yellowback Tubelip Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Yellowback Tubelip wrasse (Labropsis xanthonota) is also known as the Wedge-tailed wrasse, Blacklobe wrasse and V-tail wrasse. They are fairly rare on Tanzanian Reefs and tend to favor shallower areas o...
Eyebar Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Eyebar Goby (Gnatholepis cauerensis) is also known as the Shoulderspot Goby, the Bridled Goby and the Cauer Eye-bar Goby. There is some disagreement as to the validity of this species and how they shoul...
Lunar Fusilier- Facts and Photographs
The Lunar Fusilier (Caesio lunaris) is also known as the Blue Fusilier and the Moon Fusilier. They are not as common as the other Fusiliers on the East African coast and we have not seen them swimming with ...
Gorgeous Shrimp Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Gorgeous Shrimp Goby (Amblyeleotris wheeleri) is also known as the Gorgeous Prawn-goby, the Barred Shrimp goby, the Burgundy Shrimp goby and Wheeler's Shrimp-goby. They are fairly common on the Tanzania...
Graceful Lizardfish- Facts and Photographs
The Graceful Lizardfish (Saurida gracilis) also called the Blotchy Lizardfish. Close up they are easily distinguished from other Lizardfish by the shape of the mouth and the protruding teeth as seen in the ...
Tambja olivaria – Nudibranch Facts and Photographs
Tambja olivaria also known as the Olive Tambja, is a dorid nudibranch and was described in 1994 by Nathalie Yonow from a specimen in the Maldives. To date we have only seen two specimens, both in Chole Bay ...
Sand Lizardfish- Facts and Photographs
The Sand lizardfish (Synodus dermatogenys) is also known as the Clearfin Lizzardfish and the Banded Lizzardfish. They are often confused with the Variegated Lizardfish (Synodus variegatus) but are notably d...
Mozambique Ghost Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Mozambique Ghost Goby (Pleurosicya mossambica) is also known as the Common Ghost Goby, the Toothy Goby and the Many-host Goby. As can be seen in the images in the post, they are found on numerous hosts....
Swarthy Parrotfish-Facts and Photographs
The Swarthy Parrotfish (Scarus niger) is also known as the Dusky Parrotfish and the Black Parrotfish. As with all the Parrotfish which are part of the Labridae family there is considerable diverg...
Elongate Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs
The Elongate Surgeonfish (Acanthurus mata) is also known as the Yellowmask Surgeonfish, Bleeker's Surgeonfish, the Mata Surgeonfish, the Pale Surgeonfish and the Striped Surgeonfish. Members of the Acanthur...
Decorated Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Decorated Goby (Istigobius decoratus) is also known as the Decorated Sand Goby, the Decorated Sand-Goby and the Decorated Sandgoby. In 1979 Istigobius was elevated to genus status and the differentiatin...
Brown Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs
The Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) is also known as the Blackspot Surgeonfish, Dusky Surgeonfish, Lavender Tang and Spot-cheeked Surgeonfish. They are common on the Tanzanian coast.
Members ...
Rockmover Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Rockmover Wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) is also known as the Dragon Wrasse, Reindeer Wrasse,Masked Wrasse and Olive-scribbled Wrasse. The juveniles are known Leaf Wrasse in some areas. They are not...
Barred Thicklip Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Barred Thicklip Wrasse (Hemigymnus fasciatus) is also known as the Banded thicklip, Barred wrasse and Five-banded wrasse. They are not a common wrasse on Tanzanian reefs but neither are they uncommon. T...
Freckled Goatfish- Facts and Photographs
The Freckled Goatfish (Upeneus tragula) is also known as the Bar-tail goatfish, Blackband goatfish, Blackstriped goatfish, Darkband goatfish and Spotted goatfish. They are common in the shallows on sand rub...
Goniobranchus gleniei – Nudibranch Facts and Photographs
Goniobranchus gleniei is not very common in the waters around Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. They were initially described in Sri Lanka in 1858 by E.F Kelaart the Staff Surgeon for the British Army garrison in Tr...