Ascension Island fish record

During the 3 week survey of Ascension, the Shallow Marine Surveys Group took thousands of images of the marine life around the island. This page represents a photographic record of Ascension Island fish species seen by team members. The images in this post are being added to as the back-catalogue is processed and, when finished, should provide a useful and accurate guide to almost any species of fish life a skin-diver or scuba diver may see during a visit to Ascension Island.

 

Acanthuridae (surgeonfishes, tangs, and unicornfishes)

[caption id="attachment_1011" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Acanthurus bahianus (ocean surgeonfish)


[caption id="attachment_1012" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Acanthurus bahianus (ocean surgeonfish)


[caption id="attachment_1013" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Acanthurus coeruleus (blue tang) - juvenile


[caption id="attachment_1014" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Acanthurus coeruleus (blue tang)


 

Apogonidae (cardinalfishes)

[caption id="attachment_802" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Apogon axillaris (axillary spot cardinalfish)


[caption id="attachment_801" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Apogon axillaris (axillary spot cardinalfish)


[caption id="attachment_803" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Apogon pseudomaculatus (twospot cardinalfish) - Image: Peter Wirtz

Aulostomidae (trumpet fish)

[caption id="attachment_804" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Aulostomus strigosus (Atlantic trumpetfish)


[caption id="attachment_805" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Aulostomus strigosus (Atlantic trumpetfish) - Image: Peter Wirtz

Balistidae (triggerfish)

[caption id="attachment_1037" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Melichthys niger (black triggerfish)


[caption id="attachment_1038" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Melichthys niger (black triggerfish)


[caption id="attachment_1039" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Balistes vetula (queen triggerfish)


[caption id="attachment_1040" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Canthidermis maculata (ocean triggerfish)

Belonidae (needlefish)

[caption id="attachment_806" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Platybelone trachura (needlefish)

Bothidae (flounder)

[caption id="attachment_1019" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Bothus lunatus (peacock flounder)


[caption id="attachment_1020" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Bothus mellissi (St Helena flounder)

Chaetodontidae (butterfly fish)

[caption id="attachment_840" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Chaetodon sanctaehelenae (St Helena butterflyfish)


[caption id="attachment_841" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Prognathodes dichrous (hedgehog butterflyfish)

Cirrhitidae (hawkfish)

[caption id="attachment_843" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Amblycirrhitus earnshawi (white hawkfish)


[caption id="attachment_844" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Amblycirrhitus earnshawi (white hawkfish)

Diodontidae (porcupine fish)

[caption id="attachment_1016" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Diodon holocanthus (porcupine pufferfish)


[caption id="attachment_1017" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Diodon hystrix (spotted porcupinefish)

Gobiidae (gobies)

[caption id="attachment_864" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Gnatholepis thompsoni (Thompsons goby)


[caption id="attachment_1033" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Priolepis ascensionis (Ascension goby)


 

Holocentridae (soldierfish,squirrelfish)

[caption id="attachment_807" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Holocentrus adscensionis (squirrelfish)


[caption id="attachment_808" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Holocentrus adscensionis (squirrelfish) - may be found in large schools.


[caption id="attachment_810" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Myripristis jacobus (blackbar soldierfish)


[caption id="attachment_809" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Myripristis jacobus (blackbar soldierfish)

Kyphosidae (sea chub)

[caption id="attachment_838" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Kyphosus sectatrix (sea chub)

Labridae (wrasse)

[caption id="attachment_790" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Thallasoma ascensionis (Ascension wrasse)


[caption id="attachment_792" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Thallasoma ascensionis (Ascension wrasse) - juvenile


[caption id="attachment_1022" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Thallasoma ascensionis (Ascension wrasse)


[caption id="attachment_1023" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Bodianus insularis (island hogfish)


[caption id="attachment_785" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Bodianus insularis (island hogfish)


[caption id="attachment_1027" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Xyrichtys blanchardi (Blanchard's cleaver wrasse)


[caption id="attachment_1028" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Xyrichtys blanchardi (Blanchard's cleaver wrasse)


[caption id="attachment_1029" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Thalassoma sanctaehelenae (yellow razorfish)


[caption id="attachment_789" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Xyrichtys novacula (marmalade razorfish)

Malacanthidae (tilefish)

[caption id="attachment_1031" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Malacanthus plumieri (sand tilefish)

Monacanthidae (filefish)

[caption id="attachment_846" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Aluterus scriptus (scrawled filefish)


[caption id="attachment_847" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Aluterus scriptus (scrawled filefish)


[caption id="attachment_848" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Cantherhines macrocerus (whitespotted filefish)

Mugilidae (mullet)

[caption id="attachment_813" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Mugil curvidens (dwarf mullet)


[caption id="attachment_812" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Mugil curvidens (dwarf mullet)

Mullidae (goatfish)

[caption id="attachment_1007" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Mulloidichthys martinucus (yellow goatfish)


[caption id="attachment_1008" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Mulloidichthys martinucus (yellow goatfish)


[caption id="attachment_1009" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Mulloidichthys martinucus (yellow goatfish)

Muraenidae (morays)

Ascension moray gallery here

Ophichthidae (snake eels)

[caption id="attachment_814" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Quassiremus ascensionis (black spotted snake eel)

Pomacanthidae (angelfish)

[caption id="attachment_850" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Pomacanthus paru (french angelfish)


[caption id="attachment_531" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Pomacanthus paru (french angelfish)

Ostraciidae (cowfish)

[caption id="attachment_859" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Acanthostracion notacanthus (island cowfish)


[caption id="attachment_860" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Acanthostracion notacanthus (island cowfish)

Pomacentridae (damselfish)

[caption id="attachment_855" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Abudefduf saxatilis (sergeant major)


[caption id="attachment_856" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Chromis multilineata (Apollo damselfish)


[caption id="attachment_857" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Stegastes lubbocki (Lubbocks damselfish)

Priacanthidae (bigeyes)

[caption id="attachment_815" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Heteropriacanthus cruentatus (glasseye)

Scorpaenidae (scorpionfish)

[caption id="attachment_818" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Scorpaenodes insularis (red scorpionfish)


[caption id="attachment_817" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Scorpaena plumieri (spotted scorpionfish)


[caption id="attachment_816" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Scorpaena plumieri (spotted scorpionfish)

Serranidae (groupers)

[caption id="attachment_825" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Rypticus saponaceus (greater soapfish) - Image: Peter Wirtz


[caption id="attachment_824" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Rypticus saponaceus (greater soapfish)


[caption id="attachment_823" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Paranthias furcifer (creolefish) - Image: Peter Wirtz


[caption id="attachment_822" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Paranthias furcifer (creolefish)


[caption id="attachment_821" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Paranthias furcifer (creolefish)


[caption id="attachment_820" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Epinephelus adscensionis (rock hind)


[caption id="attachment_819" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Epinephelus adscensionis (rock hind) - juvenile

Synodontidae (lizardfish)

[caption id="attachment_827" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Synodus synodus (diamond lizardfish)


[caption id="attachment_826" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Synodus synodus (diamond lizardfish)

Tetraodontidae (pufferfish)

[caption id="attachment_862" align="aligncenter" width="584"] Canthigaster sanctaehelenae (St Helena pufferfish)

To be added:

Carangidae (jacks)

Lutjanidae (snappers)

Tripterygiidae (triple fin blennies)

Blenniidae (blennies)

Callionymidae (dragonet)

Sphyraenidae (barracuda)