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...
Bluestreak Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Bluestreak Goby (Valenciennea strigata) is also known as the Pennant Glider, Blueband Goby, Blueband Glider Goby and the Golden-head sleeper goby. They lack the sucker type pelvic fins common to many o...
Blue and Gold Fusilier- Facts and Photographs
The Blue and Gold Fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea) is also known as the Gold-striped Fusilier and the Scissor Tailed Fusilier. They are fairly common on the East African coast and are often seen swimming with ...
Eyestripe Surgeonfish-Facts and Photographs
The Eyestripe Surgeonfish (Acanthurus dussumieri) is also known as the Pencilled Surgeonfish, Dussumier's Surgeonfish, the Hawaiian Surgeonfish and the Ornate Surgeonfish. Members of the Acanthuridae family...
Pelagia noctiluca Jellyfish- Facts and Photo’s
Pelagia noctiluca is sometimes encountered off the Tanzania coast in summer. Previously there were several jellies in the Pelagia Genus but they are now considered to be monotypic. They are known by several...
Twinstripe Fusilier- Facts and Photographs
The Twinstripe Fusilier (Pterocaesio marri) is also known as Marr's Fusilier, the Big-tail Fusilier, and the Black-tipped Fusilier. They are fairly common on the East African coast and are often seen swimmi...
Ruddy Fusilier- Facts and Photographs
The Ruddy Fusilier (Pterocaesio pisang) is also known as the Bleeker's Fusilier and the Banana Fusilier. They are fairly common on the East African coast and often swim with other species of Fusiliers.
AP...
Gold Sash Fusilier- Facts and Photographs
The Gold Sash Fusilier (Caesio xanthalytos) is also known as the Yellow Sash Fusilier. The species was only described in 2013. They are fairly common on the East African coast and often swim with other spec...
Red-breasted Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Red-breasted Wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus) is also known as the Banded maori wrasse, the Red-banded wrasse and the Scarlet-breasted wrasse.
APPEARANCE
Unlike most wrasses there is no major variation b...
Redcheek Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Redcheek Wrasse (Thalassoma genivittatum) is also known as the Dolphin wrasse from the juveniles resemblance to a Dolphin. This can be seen in the image below. They tend to favor the tops of semi prote...
Pastel Ring Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Pastel Ring Wrasse (Hologymnosus doliatus) is also known as the Candy cane wrasse, Longface wrasse, Narrow-banded wrasse, Ringed rainbowfish and simply the Ringed wrasse. They are not a common wrasse on...
Nembrotha lineolata – Nudibranch Facts and Photographs
The Nembrotha lineolata is also known as the Lined Nembrotha. They are not common on the Tanzanian mainland coast where these specimens were photographed.
APPEARANCE
Nembrotha lineolata have an elonga...
Yellowhead Butterflyfish – Facts and Photographs
The Yellowhead Butterflyfish (Chaetodon xanthocephalus) is also known as the Goldheaded Butterflyfish and Goldring Butterflyfish. They are widely distributed but are not common in any part of their range.
...
Bluelined Shrimp Goby – Facts and Photographs
The Bluelined Shrimp goby (Cryptocentrus bulbiceps) may be conspecific to Cryptocentrus fasciatus as the two resemble each other. Possibly only DNA testing may confirm this. They are common in some areas of...
Lined Butterflyfish – Facts and Photographs
The Lined Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lineolatus) is also known as the Line Butterflyfish, Lined Butterfly and New-moon Coralfish . They are the largest of the Butterflyfish and are widely distributed but are...
Raccoon Butterflyfish – Facts and Photographs
The Raccoon butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunula) is also known as the Lunula butterflyfish, Halfmoon butterflyfish and the Crescent-masked Butterflyfish. They are common mainly on the shallower reefs on the co...
Queen Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Queen wrasse (Coris Formosa) is also known as the Queen Coris and the Formosa wrasse. They are not a common wrasse on Tanzanian reefs and the large adult males are quite rare. As with many wrasses the c...
Nembrotha kubaryana – Nudibranch Facts and Photographs
The Nembrotha kubaryana, also known as the Variable Neon Nudibranch or the Dusky Nembrotha is not common in the waters around Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Some of the specimens have seen have had extremely vivi...
Tubelip Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Tubelip wrasse (Labrichthys unilineatus) is also known as the Tube-mouth Wrasse and the One-lined Wrasse. They are not a common wrasse on Tanzanian reefs but neither are they that rare.
They tend to ...
Smalltail Wrasse- Facts and Photographs
The Smalltail Wrasse (Pseudojuloides cerasinus) is also known as the Smalltail Pencil Wrasse. While not a common wrasse on Tanzanian main reefs, neither are they that rare. They tend to favor mixed rubble a...