One of my goals in moving to the Philippines was to learn the names of all of the fish commonly seen at my various locations. Back in Key Largo, FL I routinely taught a Fish Identification class and could confidently state the species of most fish in the mangrove, seagrass and reef habitats. Because the Pacific is a much older ocean than the Atlantic there is a significantly greater number of fish species. The Philippines is located in a region known as the Coral Triangle, a marine biodiversity hotspot. Currently, here in Sabang I am working on a list of the common, scientific and local names of all fish found on the local reef along with an estimate of abundance, notes on their ecological role and any distinguishing features. This list will be utilized with other materials for the future establishment of an MPA along Sabang’s coast. Thus far I have identified 104 species of fish. I continue to snorkel everyday and without fail find a new fish each time. My next goal will be coral identification!
Check out my list:
| Common Name | Scientific Name |
| Vagabond Butterflyfish | Chaetodon vagabundus |
| Threadfin Butterflyfish | Chaetodon aunga |
| Black-Backed Butterflyfish | Chaetodon melannotus |
| Raccoon Butterflyfish | Chaetodon lunula |
| Blacklip Butterflyfish | Chaetodon kleinii |
| Latticed Butterflyfish | Chaetodon rafflesi |
| Eastern Triangular Butterflyfish | Chaetodon baronessa |
| Speckled Butterflyfish | Chaetodon citrinellus |
| Ornate Butterflyfish | Chaetodon ornatissimus |
| Pennant Bannerfish | Heniochus chrysostomus |
| Humphead Bannerfish | Heniochus varius |
| Longnose Butterflyfish | Forfipiger flavissimus |
| Convict Surgeonfish | Acanthurus triostegus |
| Mimic Surgeonfish | Acanthurus pyroferus |
| Lined Bristletooth | Ctenochaetus striatus |
| Japanese Surgeonfish | Acanthurus japonicus |
| Striped Surgeonfish | Acanthurus lineatus |
| Brushtail Tang | Zebrasoma scopas |
| Moorish Idol | Zanclus cornutus |
| Barred Rabbitfish | Siganus doliatus |
| Virgate Rabbitfish | Siganus virgatus |
| Vermiculate Rabbitfish | Siganus vermiculatus |
| Black-tail Sergeant | Abudefduf lorenzi |
| Scissortail Sergeant | Abudefduf sexafasciatus |
| Indo-Pacific Sergeant | Abudefduf vaigiensis |
| Red and Black Anemonefish | Amphiprion melanopus |
| False Clown Anemonefish | Amphiprion ocellaris |
| Saddleback Anemonefish | Amphiprion polymnus |
| Black Damsel | Neoglyphidodon melas |
| Blackbar Damsel | Plectroglyphidodon dickii |
| Jewel Damsel | Plectroglyphidodon lacrymatus |
| Whiteband Damsel | Plectroglyphidodon leucozonus |
| Springer’s Demoiselle | Chrysiptera springeri |
| Onespot Demoniselle | Chrysiptera unimaculata |
| Three-spot Dascyllus | Dascyllus trimaculatus |
| Twospot Demoiselle | Chrysiptera biocellata |
| Bicolor Chromis | Chromis margaritifer |
| Humbug Dascyllus | Dascyllus aruanus |
| Neon Damsel | Pomacentrus coelestis |
| Threespot Damsel | Pomacentrus tripunctatus |
| Obsure Damsel | Pomacentrus adelus |
| Blackspot Snapper | Lutjanus ehrenbergii |
| Blacktail Snapper | Lutjanus fulvus |
| Checkered Snapper | Lutjanus decussatus |
| Bridled Monocle Bream | Scolopsis bilineatus |
| Three-lined Monocle Bream | Scolopsis trilineatus |
| Striped Monocle Bream | Scolopsis lineatus |
| Diamondfish | Monodactylus argenteus |
| Blacktip Silver Biddy | Gerres oyena |
| Silversides | spp. |
| Peacock Grouper | Cephalopholis argus |
| Honeycomb Grouper | Epinephelus merra |
| Marbled Hawkfish | Cirrhitus pinnulatus |
| Arc-Eye Hawkfish | Paracirrhites arcatus |
| Striped Sweetlips | Plectorhinchus lessonii |
| Dotted Sweetlips | Plectorhinchus picus |
| Blackeye Thicklip | Hemigymnus melapterus |
| Floral Wrasse | Cheilinus chlorourus |
| Bird Wrasse | Gomphosus varius |
| Cigar Wrasse | Cheilio inermis |
| Sixbar Wrasse | Thalassoma hardwicke |
| Argus Wrasse | Halichoeres argus |
| Nebulous Wrasse | Halichoeres nebulosus |
| Checkerboard Wrasse | Halichoeres hortulanus |
| Pinstriped Wrasse | Halichoeres melanurus |
| Dusky Wrasse | Halichoeres marginatus |
| Seagrass Wrasse | Halichoeres papilionaceus |
| Crescent Wrasse | Thalassoma lunare |
| Redshoulder Wrasse | Stethojulis bandanensis |
| Fourline Wrasse | Stethojulis trilineata |
| Sixstripe Wrasse | Pseudocheilinus hexataenia |
| Saddleback Hogfish | Bodianus mesothorax |
| Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse | Labroides dimidiatus |
| Reef-Flat Cardinalfish | Apogon taeniophorus |
| Reef Lizardfish | Synodus variegatus |
| Clearfin Lizardfish | Synodus dermatogenys |
| Ornate Goby | Istigobius ornatus |
| Filamentous Blenny | Cirripectes filamentosus |
| Fine-Spotted Blenny | Salarias guttatus |
| Jeweled Blenny | Salarias fasciatus |
| Common Lionfish | Pterois volitans |
| Zebra Lionfish | Dendrochirus zebra |
| Raggy Scorpionfish | Scorpaenopsis venosa |
| Longhorn Cowfish | Lactoria conuta |
| Spotted Boxfish | Ostracion meleagris |
| Manybar Goatfish | Parupeneus multifasciatus |
| Dash-Dot Goatfish | Parupeneus barberinus |
| Cornetfish | Fistularia commersonii |
| Razorfish | Aeoliscus strigatus |
| Striped Catfish | Plotosus lineatus |
| Vanikoro Sweeper | Pempheris oualensis |
| Starry Triggerfish | Abalistes stellatus |
| Flagtail Triggerfish | Sufflamen bursa |
| Orange-lined Triggerfish | Balistapus undulatus |
| Blackpatch Triggerfish | Rhinecanthus verrucosus |
| Picasso Triggerfish | Phinecanthus aculeatus |
| Bristle-Tailed Filefish | Acreichthys tomentosus |
| Striped Puffer | Arothron manilensis |
| Blackspotted Puffer | Arothron nigropunctatus |
| Papuan Toby | Canthigaster papua |
| Black-Saddled Toby | Canthigaster valentini |
| Messmate Pipefish | Corythoichtys intestinalis |
| Snowflake Moray | Echidna nebulosa |
I like you list but how do you recognize them?
Guess what? My last helicopter has lasted for a whole month!!!!!
Are you ever going to buy journeytothephilippines.com?
Mem
I have a field guide for Reef Fish Identification for the Tropical Pacific which I use to look up each fish I see. Look for a field guide for animals or plants in your area! It’s fun. That is awesome about your helicopter, it is so cool!!!
NERD ALERT! 🙂