The wrasse is a bony fish belonging to the Perciformes order and Labridae family. There are over 500 different species of wrasse, including at least 81 genera and 9 different tribes or groups. They are temperate and tropical ocean fish found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean. They live among coral reefs and rocky…

Emperors are a marine species of fish belonging to the Lethrinidae family, often referred to as Lethrinids. About 40 different species inhabit the tropical to temperate waters of the Indo-Pacific region, with more than half of said species found in Australian waters. Their main habitat are coral reefs, but seagrass beds, sandy areas, lagoons and…

Hind are a species of grouper fish belonging to the family Serranidae and the genus Epinephelus. Their range covers mostly the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico along the North American coast. Red hind live along the Carolinas and stretch down to Brazil, while the rock hind from New England to the West Indies.…

Stonefish are a marine or brackish species of fish belonging to the Synanceiidae family. They are not to be confused with certain scorpionfish of the Scorpaenidae family that are also referred to as rockfish or stonefish. There are about five species total living in the coastal regions of the Indo-Pacific oceans, from Africa and the…

Flounder are any of numerous species of marine flatfish belonging to the families Achiropsettidae, Pleuronectidae, Paralichthyidae, and Bothidae. Flounder can be found in all major oceans with region differing by species. Many species like the Leopard flounder are widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific. They live in the shallow waters of bays, estuaries, coastal marine areas, rivers…

Flathead fish are a marine, sometimes brackish, fish belonging to the order Scorpaeniformes and the families Platycephalidae, Bembridae and Hoplichthyidae. Ones in the Platycephalidae family are commonly referred to as true flatheads, ones in the Bembridae family are deepwater flatheads, and ones in the Hoplichthydidae family are ghost flatheads. There are at least 18 genera…

Filefish are marine fish belonging to the order Tetraodontiformes and family Monacanthidae. They are close cousins to triggerfish and sometimes also listed under the same family of Balistidae. There are roughly 31 genera, including Aluterus, Amanses, Cantherhines, Chaetoderma, Monacanthus, Oxymonacanthus, Paraluteres, and Pervagor, and about 103 species of filefish. They live in warm seas all…

Rabbitfish are a saltwater species belonging to the family Siganidae and order Perciformes. There are least 29 different species of rabbitfish, many falling under the genus Siganus. Five of the Siganus species used to belong in the genus Lo. Rabbitfish get their namesake from their small, hare-like mouths, large dark eyes and peaceful temperament. Sometimes…

Soapfish are a marine species belonging to the family Serranidae and order Perciformes. Groupers serve as their closest relatives. There are at least 9 genera and 24 different species separated between two tribes, the Diplioprionini and Grammistinae. At least 3 of these genera belong to the Diplioprionini tribe and 8 genera to the Grammistinae tribe.…

Mandarinfish are a marine fish referred to specifically by the genus species name, Synchiropus splendidus.  They belong to the dragonet family of Callionymidae, making them one of approximately 188 members.  These fish are from the tropical Indo-Pacific, like the Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, the Ryukyu Islands, Australia and New Guinea.  They enjoy temperate ranges of…

Flying gurnards are marine fish belonging to the family Dactylopteridae within the order Scorpaeniformes.  The word “gurnard” comes from the French word for “grunt,” which is likely a reference to the flying gurnard’s ability to emit growling sounds through their swim bladder that sound like grunts.  They are sometimes referred to as batfish, flying fish,…

Trunkfish are saltwater fish belonging to the Ostraciidae family.  The family contains boxfish, cofferfish, cowfish and trunkfish.  Trunkfish are also called boxfish at times, making the names interchangeable.  There exists at least 23 different species worldwide, divided over 6 genera.  Trunkfish are most abundant in temperate and tropical seas and tend to stay in shallower…