Reptiles Of Mauritius
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The wildlife of Mauritius consists of its
flora Flora (: floras or florae) is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. The corresponding term for animals is ''fauna'', and for f ...
and
fauna Fauna (: faunae or faunas) is all of the animal life present in a particular region or time. The corresponding terms for plants and fungi are ''flora'' and '' funga'', respectively. Flora, fauna, funga and other forms of life are collectively ...
.
Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...
is located in the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
to the east of
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
. Due to its isolation, it has a relatively low diversity of wildlife; however, a high proportion of these are
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
species occurring nowhere else in the world. Many of these are now threatened with
extinction Extinction is the termination of an organism by the death of its Endling, last member. A taxon may become Functional extinction, functionally extinct before the death of its last member if it loses the capacity to Reproduction, reproduce and ...
because of human activities including
habitat destruction Habitat destruction (also termed habitat loss or habitat reduction) occurs when a natural habitat is no longer able to support its native species. The organisms once living there have either moved elsewhere, or are dead, leading to a decrease ...
and the
introduction Introduction, The Introduction, Intro, or The Intro may refer to: General use * Introduction (music), an opening section of a piece of music * Introduction (writing), a beginning section to a book, article or essay which states its purpose and g ...
of non-native species. Some have already become extinct, most famously the
dodo The dodo (''Raphus cucullatus'') is an extinction, extinct flightless bird that was endemism, endemic to the island of Mauritius, which is east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. The dodo's closest relative was the also-extinct and flightles ...
which disappeared in the 17th century. At the 16th U.S.-Africa Business Summit, held May 6–9, 2024, Mauritius was held up as a model for African ecosystem conservation at a presentation by the Saint Brandon Conservation Trust in Dallas, Texas, at the international Corporate Council on Africa meetings that included six heads of state and government, 80 U.S. government officials, 16 African delegations and over 1,000 U.S. & African CEOs, investors and entrepreneurs.


Fauna


Mammals

Prehistorically, due to its isolated
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
location to the east of
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
, Mauritius had no
endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
terrestrial
mammals A mammal () is a vertebrate animal of the class Mammalia (). Mammals are characterised by the presence of milk-producing mammary glands for feeding their young, a broad neocortex region of the brain, fur or hair, and three middle e ...
. The only mammals that could find their way to the island were bats and marine mammals. The vast majority of mammalian species on the island have been introduced, either inadvertently or intentionally, by humans, such as the
crab-eating macaque The crab-eating macaque (''Macaca fascicularis''), also known as the long-tailed macaque or cynomolgus macaque, is a cercopithecine primate native to Southeast Asia. As a synanthropic species, the crab-eating macaque thrives near human settlem ...
,
rat Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Species of rats are found throughout the order Rodentia, but stereotypical rats are found in the genus ''Rattus''. Other rat genera include '' Neotoma'' (pack rats), '' Bandicota'' (bandicoo ...
s,
mice A mouse (: mice) is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse (''Mus musculus' ...
,
Asian house shrew The Asian house shrew (''Suncus murinus'') is a shrew species native to South and Southeast Asia that has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2008 because of its large population and wide distribution. It has been introduced i ...
,
small Indian mongoose The small Indian mongoose (''Urva auropunctata'') is a mongoose species native to Iraq and northern India; it has also been introduced to several Caribbean and Pacific islands. Taxonomy ''Mangusta auropunctata'' was the scientific name proposed ...
,
tailless tenrec The tailless tenrec (''Tenrec ecaudatus''), also known as the common tenrec, is a species of mammal in the family Tenrecidae. It is the only member of the genus ''Tenrec''. Native to Madagascar, it is also found on the Comoros, Mauritius, Réun ...
, Javan rusa deer,
wild boar The wild boar (''Sus scrofa''), also known as the wild swine, common wild pig, Eurasian wild pig, or simply wild pig, is a Suidae, suid native to much of Eurasia and North Africa, and has been introduced to the Americas and Oceania. The speci ...
,
Indian hare The Indian hare (''Lepus nigricollis''), also known as the black-naped hare, is a common species of hare native to the Indian subcontinent, and Java. Its habitat in Java is in rocky highlands. Description The Indian hare is of medium size compar ...
s as well feral dogs and cats and farm
livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...
, such as domestic
ruminants Ruminants are herbivorous grazing or browsing artiodactyls belonging to the suborder Ruminantia that are able to acquire nutrients from plant-based food by Enteric fermentation, fermenting it in a specialized stomach prior to digestion, principa ...
and
goats The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a species of goat-antelope that is mostly kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the famil ...
. These introduced mammals have had a varied impact on the island's pristine fauna. Given that they were free from natural predators, they rapidly grew to large numbers and were soon preying on and competing with the local fauna.


Bats

There were once three native species of fruit bats on the island, two of which were endemic to Mauritius. Only the
Mauritian flying fox The Mauritian flying fox (''Pteropus niger''), also known as Greater Mascarene flying fox or Mauritius fruit bat is a large megabat species endemic to Mauritius and La Réunion LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populou ...
remains on the island. The
Rodrigues flying fox The Rodrigues flying fox or Rodrigues fruit bat (''Pteropus rodricensis'') is a species of bat in the family Pteropodidae, the flying foxes or fruit bats. It is endemic to Rodrigues, an island in the Indian Ocean belonging to Mauritius. Its nat ...
is now only found on the nearby island of
Rodrigues Rodrigues ( ; Mauritian Creole, Creole: ) is a Autonomous administrative division, autonomous Outer islands of Mauritius, outer island of the Republic of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, about east of Mauritius. It is part of the Mascarene Isl ...
, and the
small Mauritian flying fox The small Mauritian flying fox or dark flying fox (''Pteropus subniger''), known as a ''rougette'' to early French travelers, is an extinct species of megabat. It lived on the islands of Réunion and Mauritius in the Mascarene Islands of the Indi ...
has gone extinct due to human related factors. Two
insectivorous A robber fly eating a hoverfly An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant which eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects. The first vertebrate insectivores we ...
microbat Microbats constitute the suborder Microchiroptera within the order Chiroptera (bats). Bats have long been differentiated into Megachiroptera (megabats) and Microchiroptera, based on their size, the use of echolocation by the Microchiroptera an ...
s are also present, the
Mauritian tomb bat The Mauritian tomb bat (''Taphozous mauritianus'') is a species of sac-winged bat in the family Emballonuridae that is found in central and southern Africa and Madagascar. It was discovered in 1818 by Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, and is chara ...
(''Taphozous mauritianus'') and the Natal free-tailed bat (''Mormopterus acetabulosus''). On 7 November 2015, the government introduced a law authorising the culling of around 18,000 Mauritian fruit bats, despite protests, and despite the species' formal, legal protection and being ranked as a
vulnerable species A vulnerable species is a species which has been Conservation status, categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being threatened species, threatened with extinction unless the circumstances that are threatened species, ...
by the
International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the stat ...
(IUCN). According to the IUCN, blaming the fruit bats for the "high" levels of damage caused to commercial fruit plantations is not substantiated, based on observations and research results. By July 2018, the IUCN again ranked the fruit bat, only this time as an
endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...
, following the previous years' (2015–2017) government-sanctioned killings. Despite this elevated concern status, and still being afforded legal protection, October 2018 saw a reinstatement of the cull; this most recent cull called for all but 20% of the fruit bat population to be killed, leaving approximately 13,000 (of the estimated 65,000) fruit bats.


Birds

Over 100
bird Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class (biology), class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the Oviparity, laying of Eggshell, hard-shelled eggs, a high Metabolism, metabolic rate, a fou ...
species have been recorded in Mauritius. There are seven or eight surviving endemic species on the main island depending on taxonomy. The
Mauritius grey white-eye The Mauritius grey white-eye (''Zosterops mauritianus'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae. It is one of two white-eye species endemic to the island of Mauritius, the other being the rare and localized Mauritius olive white-eye. It ...
is the most common of these, being widespread across the island including in man-made habitats. The others are less common and are mainly restricted to the
Black River Gorges National Park Black River Gorges National Park is a national park in the hilly south-western part of Mauritius. It was proclaimed on June 15, 1994 and is managed by the National Parks and Conservation Service. It covers an area of 67.54 km2 including humi ...
in the south-west of the island. The
Mauritius kestrel The Mauritius kestrel (''Falco punctatus'') is a bird of prey from the family Falconidae endemic to the forests of Mauritius, where it is restricted to the southwestern plateau's forests, cliffs, and ravines. It is the most distinct of the India ...
, Mauritius parakeet and
pink pigeon The pink pigeon (''Nesoenas mayeri'') is a species of pigeon in the family Columbidae Endemic (ecology), endemic to Mauritius. The pink pigeon nearly became extinct in the 1970s and the 1990s and is still very rare. It is the only Mascarene pigeo ...
all came close to extinction but are now increasing due to intensive conservation efforts.
Rodrigues Rodrigues ( ; Mauritian Creole, Creole: ) is a Autonomous administrative division, autonomous Outer islands of Mauritius, outer island of the Republic of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, about east of Mauritius. It is part of the Mascarene Isl ...
has two further endemic species, the
Rodrigues warbler The Rodrigues warbler (''Acrocephalus rodericanus'') is a species of Old World warbler in the family Acrocephalidae. It is found only on the island of Rodrigues (which belongs to Mauritius) and used to be plentiful there. Their population soon g ...
and
Rodrigues fody The Rodrigues fody (''Foudia flavicans'') is a rare species of bird in the weaver family. It is endemic to Rodrigues, an island of Mauritius. It is classified by BirdLife International as being vulnerable. It is also on the United States' Endang ...
. Many small islands are named after birds, although some have seen their seabird colonies reduced or driven extinct by threats such as logging, poachers, or introduced species. The only two places you can find the
red-footed booby The red-footed booby (''Sula sula'') is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. Adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings. They are ...
in Mauritius is Rodrigues and
St Brandon Saint Brandon (), also known as the Cargados Carajos Shoals, is a southwest Indian Ocean archipelago of sand banks, shoals and islets belonging to the Republic of Mauritius. It lies about northeast of the island of Mauritius. It consists of fiv ...
.
St Brandon Saint Brandon (), also known as the Cargados Carajos Shoals, is a southwest Indian Ocean archipelago of sand banks, shoals and islets belonging to the Republic of Mauritius. It lies about northeast of the island of Mauritius. It consists of fiv ...
islands are home to vast numbers of seabirds (Feare, 1984; Gardiner, 1907; Strauss in litt., 9.7.84). Staub and Gueho (1968) found a total of 26 species including the
red-footed booby The red-footed booby (''Sula sula'') is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. Adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings. They are ...
. Blue-faced boobies ('' Sula dactylatra'') are found on Serpent Island and Ile du Nord. Large populations of sooty terns ('' Sterna fuscata'') and white terns (''
Gygis alba The white tern or common white tern (''Gygis alba'') is a small seabird found across the tropical oceans of the world. It is sometimes known as the fairy tern, although this name is potentially confusing as it is also the common name of '' Sternu ...
'') occur on Albatros, Ile Raphael and Siren islands. In 2010, a survey of seabirds of St Brandon was undertaken. "We estimated that 1 084 191 seabirds comprising seven breeding species and excluding non-breeders were present at the archipelago. ... Analyses of 30 different islets that make up the atoll showed that the seabird species mostly partitioned their use of islets based on islet size, with four species preferring larger islets and two species preferring smaller islets."
St Brandon Saint Brandon (), also known as the Cargados Carajos Shoals, is a southwest Indian Ocean archipelago of sand banks, shoals and islets belonging to the Republic of Mauritius. It lies about northeast of the island of Mauritius. It consists of fiv ...
has been proposed for a
Marine Protected Area A marine protected area (MPA) is a protected area of the world's seas, oceans, estuaries or in the US, the Great Lakes. These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity ...
by the
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...
, has been identified as an
Important Bird Area An Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) is an area identified using an internationally agreed set of criteria as being globally important for the conservation of bird populations. IBA was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife Int ...
in Africa by
BirdLife International BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental organizations that strives to conserve birds and their habitats. BirdLife International's priorities include preventing extinction of bird species, identifying and safeguarding i ...
, as a Marine Important Bird Area under the
Nairobi Convention The Nairobi Convention is a partnership between governments, civil society and the private sector, working towards a prosperous Western Indian Ocean Region with healthy rivers, coasts and oceans. It pursues this vision by providing a mechanism f ...
, and a
Key Biodiversity Area Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) are geographical regions that have been determined to be of international importance in terms of biodiversity conservation, using globally standardized criteria published by the IUCN as part of a collaboration between sc ...
by the CEPF. In 2011, the Ministry of Environment & Sustainable Development issued the "Mauritius Environment Outlook Report" which stated that "There is an urgent need to allocate more resources for a closer monitoring of the environmental assets of the islands." It further recommended that St Brandon be declared a
marine protected area A marine protected area (MPA) is a protected area of the world's seas, oceans, estuaries or in the US, the Great Lakes. These marine areas can come in many forms ranging from wildlife refuges to research facilities. MPAs restrict human activity ...
. In the President's Report of the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation dated March 2016, St Brandon is declared an official MWF project in order to promote the conservation of the atoll. A wide variety of birds have been introduced into Mauritius. These include some of the most common and conspicuous birds of the islands including the
common myna The common myna or Indian myna (''Acridotheres tristis''), sometimes spelled mynah, is a bird in the Family (biology), family Sturnidae, native to Asia. An omnivorous open woodland bird with a strong territorial instinct, the common myna has ada ...
,
red fody The red fody (''Foudia madagascariensis''), also known as the Madagascar fody in Madagascar, red cardinal fody in Mauritius, or common fody, is a small bird native to Madagascar and introduced to various other islands in the Indian Ocean. It is a ...
,
red-whiskered bulbul The red-whiskered bulbul (''Pycnonotus jocosus''), or crested bulbul, is a passerine bird native to Asia. It is a member of the bulbul family. It is a resident frugivore found mainly in tropical Asia. It has been introduced in many tropical are ...
and zebra dove. The common myna is becoming a pest due to its well documented habit of displacing smaller bird species from their habitat and also destroying the smaller bird species young. The mynas were introduced for commercial reasons, primarily to help control the locusts which eat the sugar cane leafage. Instead, they prey on small indigenous lizards which are easier to catch due to their basking habits which is required for their metabolism. The lizards have become the myna's primary source of food. Because of this, an imbalance is being created with insects which the lizard would prey on which the common myna does not eat due to its inability to crawl under rocks and forage in the dense grass, flora and fauna.


Reptiles

A number of endemic reptiles are found in Mauritius, particularly on Round Island, that were once found in the main island. These include the
Mauritius ornate day gecko The Mauritius ornate day gecko (''Phelsuma ornata'') is a diurnal species in the common gecko family, Gekkonidae. It occurs on the island of Mauritius, up to an elevation of , and most of the surrounding islands. It typically inhabits different ...
,
Bojer's skink Bojer's skink (''Gongylomorphus bojerii'', formerly ''Scelotes bojeri)'' is a small species of skink, a lizard in the family Scincidae. The species is endemic to Mauritius including some of its offshore islands. Etymology Both the specific name ...
, keel-scaled boa, and Mauritius lowland forest day gecko. Exotic reptiles include the
giant Madagascar day gecko ''Phelsuma grandis'' is a diurnal arboreal species of day gecko. These geckos are part of the ''Phelsuma'' group, which consists of in excess of 70 species and subspecies. They are commonly referred to as the Madagascar giant day gecko, due to t ...
, four-clawed gecko, spotted house gecko,
common house gecko The common house gecko (''Hemidactylus frenatus'') is a gecko native to South and Southeast Asia as well as Near Oceania. It is also known as the Asian house gecko, Pacific house gecko, wall gecko, house lizard, tiktiki, chipkali or moon lizard ...
, oriental garden lizard,
green iguana The green iguana (''Iguana iguana''), also known as the American iguana or the common green iguana, is a large, arboreal, mostly Herbivory, herbivorous species of lizard of the genus ''Iguana''. Usually, this animal is simply called the iguana. ...
,
panther chameleon The panther chameleon (''Furcifer pardalis'') is a species of chameleon found in the eastern and northern parts of Madagascar in a tropical forest biome. Additionally, it has been introduced to Réunion and Mauritius, as well as the state of Flo ...
, Indian wolf snake and the brahminy blind snake. Five
giant tortoise Giant tortoises are any of several species of various large land tortoises, which include a number of extinct species, as well as two extant species with multiple subspecies formerly common on the islands of the western Indian Ocean and on the ...
s of the genus ''
Cylindraspis ''Cylindraspis'' is a genus of recently extinct giant tortoises. All of its species lived in the Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, Rodrigues and Réunion) in the Indian Ocean and all are now extinct due to hunting and introduction of non-native pred ...
'', the
domed Mauritius giant tortoise The domed Mauritius giant tortoise (''Cylindraspis triserrata'') is an extinct species of giant tortoise. It was endemic to Mauritius. Description One of two different giant tortoise species which were endemic to Mauritius, this domed species ...
,
domed Rodrigues giant tortoise The domed Rodrigues giant tortoise (''Cylindraspis peltastes'') is an extinct species of giant tortoise in the family Testudinidae. It was endemic to Rodrigues. It appears to have become extinct around 1800, as a result of human exploitation. ...
,
saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise The saddle-backed Rodrigues giant tortoise (''Cylindraspis vosmaeri)'' is an extinct species of giant tortoise in the family Testudinidae. The species was endemic to Rodrigues. Human exploitation caused the extinction of this species around 180 ...
,
saddle-backed Mauritius giant tortoise The saddle-backed Mauritius giant tortoise (''Cylindraspis inepta'') is an extinct species of giant tortoise in the family Testudinidae. It was endemic to Mauritius. The last records of this tortoise date to the early 18th century. Descripti ...
, and the Réunion giant tortoise formerly inhabited the island Mauritius, Rodrigues, and Réunion but are now extinct. As the largest terrestrial herbivores they performed an important role in the natural Mauritian ecosystem and in the regeneration of forests. For this reason, the
Aldabra giant tortoise The Aldabra giant tortoise (''Aldabrachelys gigantea'') is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae and genus '' Aldabrachelys''. The species is endemic to the Seychelles, with the nominate subspecies, ''A. g. gigantea'' native to Alda ...
from
Aldabra Aldabra, the world's second-largest coral atoll (the largest is Kiritimati), is located east of the continent of Africa. It is part of the Aldabra Group of islands in the Indian Ocean that are part of the Outer Islands (Seychelles), Outer Islands ...
and the
radiated tortoise The radiated tortoise (''Astrochelys radiata'') is a tortoise species in the family Testudinidae. Although this species is native to and most abundant in southern Madagascar, it can also be found in the rest of this island, and has been introd ...
from the neighboring island of
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
, have been introduced to several conservation areas of Mauritius such as the Pamplemousses gardens and various patches of remaining indigenous forest. The
critically endangered An IUCN Red List critically endangered (CR or sometimes CE) species is one that has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. As of December 2023, of t ...
hawksbill turtle The hawksbill sea turtle (''Eretmochelys imbricata'') is a critically endangered sea turtle belonging to the family Cheloniidae. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Eretmochelys''. The species has a global distribution that is largely ...
(17% of the archipelago) and the endangered
green turtle The green sea turtle (''Chelonia mydas''), also known as the green turtle, black (sea) turtle or Pacific green turtle, is a species of large sea turtle of the family Cheloniidae. It is the only species in the genus ''Chelonia''. Its range exte ...
(75% of the archipelago) visit
St. Brandon Saint Brandon (), also known as the Cargados Carajos Shoals, is a southwest Indian Ocean archipelago of sand banks, shoals and islets belonging to the Republic of Mauritius. It lies about northeast of the island of Mauritius. It consists of fiv ...
, with a focus on
L'Île Coco L'Île Coco ('Coco Island') is one of the longest islands adjoining the inner lagoon of the St. Brandon archipelago. It is at times inhabited by fishermen as a base for the resident fishing company's fishing activities as well as for fly fishin ...
which is critically important for the visiting hawksbill turtle. The leatherback turtle is very rare to find. The
Cargados Carajos Saint Brandon (), also known as the Cargados Carajos Shoals, is a southwest Indian Ocean archipelago of sand banks, shoals and islets belonging to the Republic of Mauritius. It lies about northeast of the island of Mauritius. It consists of fiv ...
shoals are of national as well as international importance, being the very last important turtle nesting area in Mauritius.


Freshwater fauna

In the 1950s,
guppies The Greater Underwater Propulsion Power Program (GUPPY) was initiated by the United States Navy after World War II to improve the submerged speed, maneuverability, and endurance of its submarines. (The "Y" in the acronym was added for pronouncea ...
locally known as ''millions'' abounded in Mauritian rivers. These little fish, often found in brackish water, appear to be outnumbered now by swordtails, introduced in the 1960s. Bigger fish like the
carp The term carp (: carp) is a generic common name for numerous species of freshwater fish from the family (biology), family Cyprinidae, a very large clade of ray-finned fish mostly native to Eurasia. While carp are prized game fish, quarries and a ...
,
koi , or more specifically , are colored varieties of carp ('' Cyprinus'' sp.) that are kept for decorative purposes in outdoor koi ponds or water gardens. Koi is an informal name for the colored variants of carp kept for ornamental purposes. ...
and the
gourami Gouramis, or gouramies , are a group of fresh water, freshwater Anabantiformes, anabantiform fish that comprise the family (biology), family Osphronemidae. The fish are native to Asia—from the Indian Subcontinent to Southeast Asia and northeas ...
have also dwindled after the introduction of
tilapia Tilapia ( ) is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the coelotilapine, coptodonine, heterotilapine, oreochromine, pelmatolapiine, and tilapiine tribes (formerly all were "Tilapiini"), with the economically mos ...
in the 1950s. A popular freshwater fish used to be the ''damecéré'', (known as ''carpe de Maillard'' in French) introduced by Monsieur Céré, an administrator of Pamplemousses garden during the French period. These silver tinted fish were common in ponds and lakes in the 1950s but are now rarely seen. They were often offered for sale at the
Port-Louis Port Louis (, ; or , ) is the capital and most populous city of Mauritius, mainly located in the Port Louis District, with a small western part in the Black River District. Port Louis is the country's financial and political centre. It is ad ...
Central Market and by street vendors. Recently the ''berri rouge'' (a hybrid of the
blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB color model, RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB color model, RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between Violet (color), violet and cyan on the optical spe ...
and
Nile tilapia The Nile tilapia (''Oreochromis niloticus'') is a species of tilapia, a cichlid occurring naturally in parts of Africa (such as its namesake Nile River) and the Levant, though numerous introduced populations exist outside its natural range. T ...
) has been introduced in view of supplementing the diet of the local population in protein. These fish are related to the tilapia but are somewhat rosy coloured. They are mostly bred on aquaculture farms. Two types of
catfish Catfish (or catfishes; order (biology), order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Catfish are common name, named for their prominent barbel (anatomy), barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, though not ...
(
wels Wels (; Central Bavarian: ''Wös'') is a city in Upper Austria, on the Traun River near Linz. It is the county seat of Wels-Land, and with a population of approximately 60,000, the List of cities and towns in Austria, eighth largest city in Aus ...
and
walking catfish The walking catfish (''Clarias batrachus'') is a species of freshwater airbreathing catfish native to Southeast Asia. It is named for its ability to "walk" and wiggle across dry land, to find food or suitable environments. While it does not tr ...
) are also newcomers, and were probably been dumped into local waters by aquarists. These fish are proving to be a nuisance and are disturbing the ecosystem of Mauritian rivers. All the above fish have been introduced. Indigenous fish are few, and one of them is the
goby The Gobioidei are a suborder of percomorph fish. Many of these fishes are called gobies. It is by far the largest and most diverse order within the order Gobiiformes, and one of the most diverse groups of ray-finned fish in general. The subord ...
, locally known as bichiques, of which two species are found, '' Awaous commersoni'' and '' Awaous pallidus'', which locally are known as bichiques. They are extremely voracious fish and have been observed to swallow fish almost their size. The adults are found mostly near estuaries while the younger fish prefer the lower course of rivers. Seldom active, they lie in wait to pounce on an unsuspecting prey. Gobies go to lay their eggs in the sea, and the larvae swim upstream around December. They are caught and eaten as a delicacy by the local population. But their numbers seem to have considerably dwindled. (There is another theory that gobies do not go to the sea but that their eggs are swept into the ocean by water currents; the larvae swim upstream in great numbers during the new moon. Another indigenous fish is the
mudskipper Mudskippers are any of the 23 extant species of amphibious fish from the subfamily Oxudercinae of the goby family (biology), family Oxudercidae. They are known for their unusual body shapes, preferences for semiaquatic habitats, limited terrestria ...
, locally known as the cabot, which is very rare. A fish that can live both in sea and fresh water is the
milkfish The milkfish (''Chanos chanos'') is a widespread species of ray-finned fish found throughout the Indo-Pacific. It is the sole living species in the family Chanidae, and the only living member of the genus ''Chanos''. The repeating scientific na ...
. Known locally as ''loubine'', it is found in fairly great numbers near estuaries at particular times of the year. These young fish are often caught and eaten fried. However, this practice should be discouraged because these fish can grow very fast to adults weighing over 25 kg. This is perhaps the fish that the Dutch saw when they first landed in Mauritius in 1598. As reported by historians: "they saw many fish in the streams around the coast, and some large birds which dived after the fish and ate them." The mullet also lives in shoals near estuaries but go up rivers in search of food. It is sometimes caught by fishermen on river banks who use bread as bait. However, it is a notoriously difficult fish to catch. An easier game for the freshwater fisherman is perhaps the natal moony, locally known as line, which can also be fished along rivers, notably the Grand River North West. Another indigenous dweller of Mauritian rivers and lakes is the
eel Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 20 families, 164 genera, and about 1000 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the early larval stage to the eventual adult stage ...
. It is not very often seen and prefers to stay in crevices or hide under rocks. Eels spend most of their time in fresh water but go back to the sea, where they come from, to reproduce. Mauritian eels, like those from
Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...
,
Réunion Réunion (; ; ; known as before 1848) is an island in the Indian Ocean that is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France. Part of the Mascarene Islands, it is located approximately east of the isl ...
,
Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (; Seychellois Creole: ), is an island country and archipelagic state consisting of 155 islands (as per the Constitution) in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, Victoria, ...
and East Africa, have their breeding grounds in the Nazareth Trough, an ocean trench situated between longitudes 60-65 °E and latitudes 10-20 °S. Eels can wriggle across land, and this perhaps explains why eels are found in some isolated ponds of Mauritius. There are three varieties of eels on the island. Two of them are found in Madagascar, Reunion and Africa, while the third one is present in the Seychelles. Most probably, the commonest eel is the marbled eel. Eels can grow quite big, if they cannot find a way to go back to the sea. This perhaps explains why some very big eels have been caught in Mauritius, notably at La Ferme reservoir. In
Rodrigues Rodrigues ( ; Mauritian Creole, Creole: ) is a Autonomous administrative division, autonomous Outer islands of Mauritius, outer island of the Republic of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, about east of Mauritius. It is part of the Mascarene Isl ...
an eel more than 2 metres long was caught in a spring, in the heart of a forest, at Cascade-Pigeon. It is believed that the eel was 100 years old. There is a theory that eels play an important role in ecosystems; they prevent springs from drying up. All three Mauritian species take a silvery colour when they go back to the sea.
Shrimps A shrimp (: shrimp ( US) or shrimps ( UK)) is a crustacean with an elongated body and a primarily swimming mode of locomotion – typically Decapods belonging to the Caridea or Dendrobranchiata, although some crustaceans outside of this orde ...
are common on the banks of most rivers. There are about six varieties of shrimps, and some of them are endemic. One type of shrimp is the camaron. This shrimp has a transparent body speckled with tiny reddish-brown or black spots. The female, smaller than the male, has two pincers of equal length but of a thinner size. Another type is the crevette chevaquine. It prefers to live near estuaries. Four varieties are endemic. They are the chevrette sonz, '' Caridina mauritii'', the betangue and the petit chevrette.
Freshwater crab Around 1,300 species of freshwater crabs are distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics, divided among eight family (biology), families. They show direct development and maternal care of a small number of offspring, in contrast to marine c ...
s are often found in waterways close to the sea. During the reproductive period, the adults gather on some riverbanks near the coast. The eggs are swept into the sea by water currents, and on hatching the young are carried into the river or coastal pond by the tides. The crabs feed mostly on algae and other vegetable matter. Soft shell terrapins with long necks have been noticed in some rivers. They are of Chinese origin and were apparently introduced in a river of the
Moka District Moka () is a district of Mauritius, situated in the central plateau of the island. The district has an area of 230.5 km2. The population was estimated to be 83,664 at the end of 2019. History Places of interest * Bagatelle Mall Places Th ...
about a century ago; these reptiles are considered to be aggressive and are fast invading other rivers of the island.


Marine life


Fish

The marine fish of Mauritius include holocentrids ('' Myripristis berndti'', '' Neoniphon sammara'', ''
Sargocentron spiniferum ''Sargocentron'' is a genus of squirrelfish (family Holocentridae) found in tropical parts of the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, with the greatest species diversity near reefs in the Indo-Pacific. Being largely or entirely nocturnal, they ...
'' and '' Sargocentron diadema''), mullet (''
Mugil cephalus The flathead grey mullet (''Mugil cephalus'') is an important food fish species in the mullet family Mugilidae. It is found in coastal temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Its length is typically . It is known with numerous En ...
'' and '' Crenimugil crenilabis''), rabbitfish (''
Siganus sutor ''Siganus sutor'', the shoemaker spinefoot rabbitfish ,whitespotted rabbitfish or African whitespotted rabbitfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It lives in Indo-Pacific coral reefs. It ...
'' and ''
Siganus argenteus The streamlined spinefoot (''Siganus argenteus''), also known as the forktail rabbitfish, schooling rabbitfish or silver spinefoot, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a rabbitfish belonging to the family Siganidae. It is found in the Indo-Pa ...
''), groupers ('' Cephalopholis sonnerati'', ''
Cephalopholis argus ''Cephalopholis argus'', the peacock hind, roi, bluespotted grouper, and celestial grouper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a member of the subfamily Epinephelinae, the groupers, and part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the ...
'', ''
Epinephelus fasciatus ''Epinephelus'' is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, groupers from the subfamily Epinephelinae, part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. They are predatory fish, largely associated with reefs and are found ...
'', '' Epinephelus hexagonatus'', '' Epinephelus lanceolatus'', '' Epinephelus merra'', '' Epinephelus morio'', ''
Epinephelus tukula ''Epinephelus'' is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, groupers from the subfamily Epinephelinae, part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. They are predatory fish, largely associated with reefs and are found ...
'' and '' Variola louti''), seabream (''
Rhabdosargus sarba ''Rhabdosargus sarba'', also known as the goldlined seabream, silver bream, tarwhine, or yellowfin bream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish has a wide Indo- ...
''), jacks ('' Caranx ignobilis'', '' Elagatis bipinnulata'' and ''
Trachinotus baillonii The smallspotted dart (''Trachinotus baillonii'') is an Indo-Pacific species of pompano in the family Carangidae. Description ''Trachinotus baillonii'' can reach a maximum length of in males and a maximum weight of . The body color varies from ...
''), goatfish (''
Mulloidichthys vanicolensis The yellowfin goatfish (''Mulloidichthys vanicolensis'') is a species of goatfish native to the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Description ''M. vanicolensis'' can reach a maximum length of . The back is red-orange, while the flanks and t ...
'', '' Parupeneus barberinus and
Parupeneus cyclostomus ''Parupeneus cyclostomus'', commonly known as the Yellow-saddle goatfish, blue goatfish or bright goatfish, is one of 66 currently known species of goatfish. The characteristic yellow patch, or saddle, located on the upper part of the fish’s ca ...
''), butterflyfish ('' Chaetodon trifasciatus'', '' Chaetodon kleinii'', '' Chaetodon auriga'', ''
Hemitaurichthys zoster ''Hemitaurichthys zoster'', commonly known as the brown-and-white butterflyfish, black pyramid butterflyfish, zoster butterflyfish, or brushtooth butterflyfish, is a marine ray-finned fish, a butterflyfish belonging to the Family (biology), famil ...
'' and ''
Forcipiger flavissimus The yellow longnose butterflyfish or forceps butterflyfish (''Forcipiger flavissimus'') is a species of marine fish in the family Chaetodontidae. It is a small fish which grows up to in length.Lieske & Myers,''Coral reef fishes'',Princeton Uni ...
''), Moorish idol ('' Zanclus cornutus''), angelfish (''
Pomacanthus semicirculatus ''Pomacanthus semicirculatus'', also known as the semicircled angelfish, Koran angelfish, blue angelfish, zebra angelfish or half-circled angelfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, a marine angelfish, in the family Pomacanthidae. It is found in ...
''), cardinalfish (''
Ostorhinchus apogonoides ''Ostorhinchus'' is a genus of ray-finned fish in the family Apogonidae native to the Indian and Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the A ...
'' and '' Cheilodipterus macrodon''), emperors ('' Monotaxis grandoculis'', '' Gnathodentex aureolineatus'', '' Lethrinus mahsena'', ''
Lethrinus nebulosus ''Lethrinus nebulosus'', the spangled emperor, green snapper, morwong, north-west snapper, sand bream, sand snapper, sixteen-pounder, sharie, sheri and yellow sweetlip, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Lethrinidae, t ...
'' and '' Lethrinus harak''), hawkfish ('' Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus'', '' Cirrhitops mascarenensis'' and ''
Paracirrhites forsteri The black-side hawkfish (''Paracirrhites forsteri''), freckled hawkfish or Forster's hawkfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a hawkfish belonging to the family Cirrhitidae. It is from the Indo-Pacific. It is occasionally found in the aqu ...
''), damsels ('' Abudefduf sparoides'', ''
Abudefduf margariteus ''Abudefduf margariteus'', commonly known as the pearly sergeant, is a species of damselfish in the family Pomacentridae. It is native to the western Indian Ocean, where it is only known from Mauritius, Réunion and Rodrigues. Adults of the specie ...
'', ''
Abudefduf sordidus ''Abudefduf sordidus'', commonly known as the blackspot sergeant or kūpīpī in Hawaii, is a large solitary damselfish in the family Pomacentridae native to the tropical Indo-Pacific. Description Blackspot sergeants are generally yellowish-gr ...
'', ''
Dascyllus abudafur ''Dascyllus abudafur'', the Indian Ocean humbug, is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. Distribution It is found in the Red Sea, along the coasts of eastern Africa to South Africa, th ...
'', '' Pomacentrus pikei'', '' Pomacentrus caeruleus'', '' Stegastes limbatus'', '' Stegastes lividus'' and '' Stegastes pelicieri''), clownfish (''
Amphiprion chrysogaster ''Amphiprion chrysogaster'', the Mauritian anemonefish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. It is endemic to Mauritius and probably Réunion. Characteristics of Anemonefish Clownfish or an ...
'', ''
Amphiprion clarkii Clark's anemonefish (''Amphiprion clarkii''), also known as the yellowtail clownfish, is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes. 28 species of anemonefish live within the Pomacentridae family (Steer ...
'' and ''
Amphiprion allardi Allard's clownfish or Allard's anemonefish (''Amphiprion allardi'') is a marine fish belonging to the family Pomacentridae, the clownfishes and damselfishes, from the western Indian Ocean off the coast of East Africa and the Mascarenes. Charact ...
''), tangs ('' Acanthurus nigrofuscus'', ''
Acanthurus triostegus ''Acanthurus triostegus'', commonly known as convict tang, manini, convict surgeonfish, convict surgeon, or fiveband surgeonfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the Family (biology), family Acanthuridae which includes the ...
'', '' Ctenochaetus striatus'', ''
Paracanthurus ''Paracanthurus hepatus'' is a species of Indo-Pacific surgeonfish. A popular fish in marine aquaria, it is the only member of the genus ''Paracanthurus''. A number of common names are attributed to the species, including regal tang, palette ...
'', '' Zebrasoma gemmatum'' and '' Naso unicornis''), snappers (''
Etelis carbunculus ''Etelis carbunculus'', the deep-water red snapper, ruby snapper, longtail snapper, or ehu, is a species of ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the Family (biology), family Lutjanidae. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region. Description ''E ...
'', ''
Etelis coruscans ''Etelis coruscans'', commonly known as the longtail snapper or deep-water red snapper, is a species of snapper found in the Pacific and Indian oceans. It is a valuable commercial species, and lives quite deep – from . It is a long-lived spec ...
'' and ''
Lutjanus kasmira The common bluestripe snapper (''Lutjanus kasmira''), bluestripe snapper, bluebanded snapper, bluestripe sea perch, fourline snapper, blue-line snapper or moonlighter, is a species of snapper belonging to the family Lutjanidae. It is native to t ...
''), jobfish ('' Aprion'' and ''
Pristipomoides filamentosus ''Pristipomoides filamentosus'', also known as the crimson jobfish, rosy snapper, bluespot jobfish, crimson snapper, king emperor, king snapper or rosy jobfish, is a species of ray-finned fish, a snapper belonging to the Family (biology), family ...
''), parrotfish ('' Chlorurus cyanescens'', ''
Scarus scaber ''Scarus scaber'', the five-saddle parrotfish or dusky-capped parrotfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a parrotfish, in the family Scaridae. It is native to Indian Ocean. Description This species grows to a maximum 37 cm in leng ...
'' and '' Scarus ghobban''), mahi mahi (''
Coryphaena hippurus The mahi-mahi ( ) or common dolphinfish (''Coryphaena hippurus'') is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical, and subtropical waters worldwide. It is also widely called dorado (not to be confused with ''Salminu ...
''), scombrids ('' Thunnus albacares'', ''
Katsuwonus pelamis The skipjack tuna (''Katsuwonus pelamis'') is a perciform fish in the tuna family, Scombridae, and is the only member of the genus ''Katsuwonus''. It is also known as katsuo, arctic bonito, mushmouth, oceanic bonito, striped tuna or victor fish. ...
'' and ''
Acanthocybium solandri The wahoo (''Acanthocybium solandri'') is a scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. In Hawaii, the wahoo is known as ono. The species is sometimes called hoo in the United States. It is best known to sports fishermen, as ...
''), barracudas (''
Sphyraena barracuda ''Sphyraena barracuda'', commonly known as the great barracuda, is a species of barracuda, a genus of 27 species of large ray-finned fish found in Subtropics, subtropical Ocean, oceans worldwide. In its natural habitat, the great barracuda is an ...
'' and ''
Sphyraena acutipinnis The sharpfin barracuda (''Sphyraena acutipinnis'') is a schooling species of barracuda that inhabits lagoons, bays and seaward reefs. It is nocturnally active. It grows to total length, although it is commonly somewhat smaller. The species is ...
''), natal moony ('' Monodactylus argenteus''), boxfish ('' Ostracion meleagris'' and '' Ostracion trachys''), pufferfish (''
Arothron nigropunctatus ''Arothron'' is a genus in the pufferfish family (biology), family Tetraodontidae found in warm parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. These species are sometimes kept in aquarium, aquaria. The largest species is ''A. stellatus'', which ...
'', ''
Arothron hispidus The white-spotted puffer fish (''Arothron hispidus'') is a medium to large-sized puffer fish, it can reach 50 cm length. It is light grey in color, or greyish or yellowish, and clearly covered with more or less regular white points, that be ...
'' and ''
Canthigaster valentini Valentini may refer to: Places * Palazzo Valentini, a palazzo in Rome, Italy * ''Ca'Valentini'', a subdivision of the Casalgrande commune in Emilia-Romagna, Italy People * Valentini (ancient people), an ancient people of Sardinia * Valentini (sur ...
''), porcupinefish (''
Diodon hystrix Porcupinefishes or balloonfishes, are any of the various species of the genus ''Diodon'', the type genus of Diodontidae. Distinguishing features Fish of the genus ''Diodon'' have: * two-rooted, movable spines (which are derived from modified s ...
'', ''
Diodon liturosus Porcupinefishes or balloonfishes, are any of the various species of the genus ''Diodon'', the type genus of Diodontidae. Distinguishing features Fish of the genus ''Diodon'' have: * two-rooted, movable spines (which are derived from modified ...
'' and ''
Diodon holocanthus Porcupinefishes or balloonfishes, are any of the various species of the genus ''Diodon'', the type genus of Diodontidae. Distinguishing features Fish of the genus ''Diodon'' have: * two-rooted, movable spines (which are derived from modified s ...
''), triggerfish ('' Balistoides conspicillum'', '' Balistapus'', '' Pseudobalistes fuscus'', ''
Odonus niger The redtoothed triggerfish (''Odonus niger'') is a triggerfish of the tropical Indo-Pacific area, and the monotypic, sole member of its genus. Some other common names include blue triggerfish, redfang triggerfish, redtoothed filefish, and Niger ...
'', ''
Rhinecanthus aculeatus The lagoon triggerfish (''Rhinecanthus aculeatus''), also known as the blackbar triggerfish, the Picasso triggerfish, or the Picassofish, is a triggerfish, up to in length, found on reefs in the Indo-Pacific region. This species has been studie ...
'' and '' Sufflamen chrysopterum''), blennies (''
Alticus monochrus The Mascarene Combtooth Blenny (''Alticus monochrus''), is a species of combtooth blenny (family Blenniidae) in the genus ''Alticus''. It is a tropical blenny found in the western Indian Ocean including the Comoros Mozambique, Madagascar, the Sey ...
''), gobies (''
Nemateleotris magnifica ''Nemateleotris magnifica'', known by a variety of common names including fire goby, magnificent fire fish, fire dartfish, or red fire goby, is a species of dartfish native to coral reefs of the Indian and Pacific oceans. Description Member ...
'', ''
Istigobius decoratus ''Istigobius'' is a genus of gobies found in fresh, brackish and marine waters of the regions along the coasts of the Indian Ocean, Indian and western Pacific oceans. Species There are currently 10 recognized species in this genus: * ''Istigobiu ...
'' and '' Valenciennea strigata''), catfish (''
Plotosus lineatus ''Plotosus lineatus'', commonly known as the striped eel catfish, is a species of eeltail catfishes belonging to the family Plotosidae. Like most other members of the genus '' Plotosus'', they possesses highly venomous spines that they can use t ...
''), anthias ('' Pseudanthias squamipinnis'' and '' Pseudanthias evansi''), wrasses (''
Coris aygula The clown coris (''Coris aygula''), also known as the clown wrasse, false clownwrasse, humphead wrasse, hump-headed wrasse, red-blotched rainbowfish or twinspot wrasse, is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocea ...
'', '' Bodianus anthioides'', '' Bodianus macrourus'', '' Cheilinus trilobatus'', '' Cheilinus chlorourus'', '' Halichoeres hortulanus'', '' Macropharyngodon bipartitus'' and ''
Labroides dimidiatus The bluestreak cleaner wrasse (''Labroides dimidiatus'') is one of several species of cleaner wrasses found on coral reefs from East Africa, Eastern Africa and the Red Sea to French Polynesia. Like other cleaner wrasses, it eats parasites and dead ...
''), tilefish (''
Malacanthus latovittatus The blue blanquillo (''Malacanthus latovittatus''), also known as the banded blanquillo, striped blanquillo, false whiting, sand tilefish or eye of the sea, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a tilefish belonging to the family Malacanthidae. ...
''), fusiliers (''
Caesio caerulaurea ''Caesio caerulaurea'', the blue and gold fusilier (not to be confused with Caesio teres), blue fusilier, gold-band fusilier or scissor-tailed fusilier, is a species of marine fish in the family Caesionidae. It is widespread throughout the trop ...
'' and ''
Caesio teres ''Caesio teres'', the yellow and blueback fusilier, beautiful fusilier, blue and gold fusilier (not to be confused with Caesio caerulaurea) or yellow-tail fusilier, is a species of Marine habitats, marine, pelagic ray-finned fish belonging to the ...
''), eels ('' Gymnothorax griseus'' and '' Myrichthys maculosus''), scorpionfish (''
Pterois antennata ''Pterois'' is a genus of venomous fish, venomous marine fish, commonly known as the lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific. It is characterized by conspicuous aposematism, warning coloration with red or black bands and ostentatious dorsal fins tip ...
'', '' Rhinopias eschmeyeri'', '' Scorpaenopsis cirrosa'' and ''
Synanceia verrucosa ''Synanceia verrucosa'', the reef stonefish or simply stonefish, is a species of Venomous fish, venomous, marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the subfamily Synanceiinae which is Taxonomy (biology), classified as being within the Family (biology) ...
''), anglerfish (''
Antennarius commerson ''Antennarius'' is a genus of anglerfish belonging to the family Antennariidae, the frogfishes. The fishes in this genus are found in warmer parts of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Taxonomy ''Antennarius'' was first proposed as a gen ...
'' and ''
Antennarius maculatus {{Short pages monitor