Marine life, planned like a local

87 speciesWhere · when · how to behave

AI-generated illustration

Every guide answers the three questions that matter: where can I actually see one, which months, and what should I do when it happens. Sightings are labeled resident, seasonal, occasional or rare — never implied.

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Blacktip Reef Shark

Carcharhinus melanopterus

IUCN VU

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Blue Shark

Prionace glauca

IUCN NT

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Bull Shark

Carcharhinus leucas

IUCN VU

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Caribbean Reef Shark

Carcharhinus perezi

IUCN EN

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Galápagos Shark

Carcharhinus galapagensis

IUCN LC

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Great Hammerhead

Sphyrna mokarran

IUCN CR

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Great White Shark

Carcharodon carcharias

IUCN VU

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Grey Nurse Shark

Carcharias taurus

IUCN CR

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Grey Reef Shark

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

IUCN EN

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Lemon Shark

Negaprion brevirostris

IUCN VU

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Leopard (Zebra) Shark

Stegostoma tigrinum

IUCN EN

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Nurse Shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

IUCN VU

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Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Carcharhinus longimanus

IUCN CR

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Pelagic Thresher Shark

Alopias pelagicus

IUCN EN

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Sand Tiger (Ragged-Tooth) Shark

Carcharias taurus

IUCN CR

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Scalloped Hammerhead

Sphyrna lewini

IUCN CR

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Silky Shark

Carcharhinus falciformis

IUCN VU

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Silvertip Shark

Carcharhinus albimarginatus

IUCN VU

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Tasselled Wobbegong

Eucrossorhinus dasypogon

IUCN LC

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Tiger Shark

Galeocerdo cuvier

IUCN NT

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Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

IUCN EN

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Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

IUCN VU

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Blue-Spotted Ribbontail Ray

Taeniura lymma

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Marbled Ray

Taeniurops meyeni

IUCN VU

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Mobula (Devil) Ray

Mobula spp.

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Oceanic Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

IUCN EN

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Reef Manta Ray

Mobula alfredi

IUCN VU

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Southern Stingray

Hypanus americanus

IUCN NT

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Spotted Eagle Ray

Aetobatus narinari

IUCN EN

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Green Sea Turtle

Chelonia mydas

IUCN EN

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Hawksbill Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

IUCN CR

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Leatherback Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

IUCN VU

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Loggerhead Turtle

Caretta caretta

IUCN VU

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Olive Ridley Turtle

Lepidochelys olivacea

IUCN VU

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Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

IUCN LC

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California Sea Lion

Zalophus californianus

IUCN LC

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Dugong

Dugong dugon

IUCN VU

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Galápagos Sea Lion

Zalophus wollebaeki

IUCN EN

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Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

IUCN LC

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Orca (Killer Whale)

Orcinus orca

IUCN DD

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Sperm Whale

Physeter macrocephalus

IUCN VU

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Spinner Dolphin

Stenella longirostris

IUCN LC

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West Indian Manatee

Trichechus manatus

IUCN VU

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Atlantic Goliath Grouper

Epinephelus itajara

IUCN VU

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Atlantic Tarpon

Megalops atlanticus

IUCN VU

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Bumphead Parrotfish

Bolbometopon muricatum

IUCN VU

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Dogtooth Tuna

Gymnosarda unicolor

IUCN LC

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Giant Grouper

Epinephelus lanceolatus

IUCN DD

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Giant Trevally

Caranx ignobilis

IUCN LC

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Great Barracuda

Sphyraena barracuda

IUCN LC

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Mola Mola (Ocean Sunfish)

Mola mola

IUCN VU

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Napoleon (Humphead) Wrasse

Cheilinus undulatus

IUCN EN

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Clownfish & Anemonefish

Amphiprioninae

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Frogfish

Antennariidae

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Garden Eel

Heterocongrinae

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Giant Moray Eel

Gymnothorax javanicus

IUCN LC

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Lionfish

Pterois volitans

IUCN LC

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Mandarinfish

Synchiropus splendidus

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Oriental Sweetlips

Plectorhinchus vittatus

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Pinnate Batfish

Platax pinnatus

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Porcupinefish

Diodon hystrix

IUCN LC

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Reef Stonefish

Synanceia verrucosa

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Ribbon Eel

Rhinomuraena quaesita

IUCN LC

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Seahorses

Hippocampus

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Titan Triggerfish

Balistoides viridescens

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Bigfin Reef Squid

Sepioteuthis lessoniana

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Blue-Ringed Octopus

Hapalochlaena

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Broadclub Cuttlefish

Sepia latimanus

IUCN DD

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Common Reef (Day) Octopus

Octopus cyanea

IUCN LC

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Flamboyant Cuttlefish

Metasepia pfefferi

IUCN DD

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Mimic Octopus

Thaumoctopus mimicus

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Leaf Scorpionfish

Taenianotus triacanthus

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Nudibranchs

Nudibranchia

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Ornate Ghost Pipefish

Solenostomus paradoxus

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Pygmy Seahorse

Hippocampus bargibanti

IUCN DD

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Spanish Dancer

Hexabranchus sanguineus

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Harlequin Shrimp

Hymenocera picta

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Peacock Mantis Shrimp

Odontodactylus scyllarus

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Christmas Tree Worm

Spirobranchus giganteus

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Crown-of-Thorns Starfish

Acanthaster planci

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Giant Clam

Tridacna gigas

IUCN VU

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Banded Sea Krait

Laticauda colubrina

IUCN LC

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Australian Giant Cuttlefish

Sepia apama

IUCN NT

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Giant Pacific Octopus

Enteroctopus dofleini

IUCN LC

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Leafy Seadragon

Phycodurus eques

IUCN LC

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Weedy Seadragon

Phyllopteryx taeniolatus

IUCN LC

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Wolf Eel

Anarrhichthys ocellatus