Census of the marine life found within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley in Ambergris Caye, Belize

Over 160 species of fish have been identified in the reserve, along with nearly 40 species of corals, 5 sponges, 8 algaes, 2 seagrasses, 3 marine mammals and 3 species of sea turtle.

Below is the most current census of the marine life found within the Hol Chan Marine Reserves boundaries:

Fish

Hard Corals

Sponges

Algae

Grasses

Turtles

Mammals

- FISHES -

Sergeant Major -	Abudefduf saxatilis	Ocean Surgeonfish -	Acanthuirus bahianus
Doctorfish -	Acanthurus chirurgus	Blue Tang -	Acanthurus coeruleus
Reef Squirrelfish -	Adioryx coruscus	Spotted Eagle Ray -	Aetoboatus narinari
Bonefish -	Albula vulpes	Scrawled Filefish -	Aluterus scriptus
Hawkfish -	Amblycirritus pinos	Black Margate -	Anisotremus surinamensis
Porkfish -	Anisotremus virginicus	Bridled Cardinalfish -	Apogon aurolineatus
Flamefish -	Apogon maculatus	Sea Bream -	Archosargus rhomboidals
Bronze Cardinalfish -	Astropagon alutus	Conchfish -	Astrapogon stellatus
Silverside -	Athermomorus stipes	Trumpetfish -	Aulostomus maculatus
Queen Trigger -	Balistes vetula	Spanish Hogfish -	Bodianus rufus
Peacock Flounder -	Bothus lunatus	Saucereye Porgy -	Calamus calamus
Orangespotted Filefish -	Cantherhinus pullus	Sharpnose Puffer -	Canthigaster rostrata
Blue Runner -	Caranx crysos	Crevalle Jack -	Caranx hippos
Horse-eye Jack -	Caranx latus	Bar Jack -	Caranx ruber
Bull Shark -	Carcharhinus leucas	Black Tip Shark -	Carcharhinus limbatus
Nurse Shark -	Ginglymostoma cirratum	Snook -	Centropomus undecimalis
Spadefish -	Chaetodipterus faber	Four-eye Butterflyfish -	Chaetodon capistratus
Spotfin Butterflyfish -	Chaetodon ocellatus	Banded Butterflyfish -	Chaetodon striatus
Striped Burrfish -	Chilomycterus schoepfi	Blue Chromis -	Chromis cyaneus
Dolphin -	Coryphaena hippurus	Bridled Goby -	Coryphopterus glaucofraenum
Masked Goby -	Coryphopterus personatus	Sheepshead Minnow -	Cyprinodon variegatus
Atlantic Flyingfish -	Cypselurus heterurus	Flying Grunard -	Dactylopterus volitans
Southern Stingray -	Dasyatis americana	Balloonfish -	Diodon holocanthus
Porcupinefish -	Diodon hystrix	Shark Sucker -	Echeneis naucrates
Rock Hind -	Epinephalus adscensionis	Graysby -	Epinephalus cruentatus
Red Hind Grouper -	Epinephalus gattatus	Coney -	Epinephalus fulvus
Jewfish -	Epinephalus itajara	Red Grouper -	Epinephalus mario
Nassau Grouper -	Epinephalus striatus	Jackknife Fish -	Equetus lanceolatus
Majarra -	Eucinostomas sp.	Cornetfish -	Fistularia tabacaria
Longspine Squirrelfish -	falmmeo marianus	Tiger Shark -	Galeocerdo cuvieri
Yellowfin mojarra -	Gerres cinereus	Neon Goby -	Gobiosoma oceanops
Fairy Basslet -	Gramma loreto	Green Moray -	Gymnothorax funebris
Spotted Moray -	Gymnothorax moringa	Purple Mouth Moray -	Gymnothorax vicinus
Margate -	Haemulon album	Tomate -	Haemulon aurolineatum
Small Mouth Grunt -	Haemulon chrysargyreum	French Grunt -	Haemulon flavolineatum
Cottonwick -	Haemulon melanurum	White Grunt -	Haemulon plumieri
Blue-Striped Grunt -	Haemulon sciurus	Slippery Dick -	Halichoeres bivittatus
Yellowhead Wrasse -	Halichoeres garnotti	Clown Wrasse -	Halichoeres maculipinna
Rainbow Wrasse -	Halichoeres pictus	Puddingwife -	Halichoeres radiatus
Scaled Sardine -	Harengula jaguana	Ballyhoo -	Hemiramphus brasiliensis
Seahorse -	Hippocampus sp.	Squirrelfish -	Holocentrus sp.
Long jaw Squirrelfish -	Holocentrus ascensionis	Longspine Squirrelfish -	Holocentrus rufus
Queen Angelfish -	Holacanthus ciliaris	Rock Beauty -	Holacanthus tricolor
Hamlet -	Hypoplectus sp.	Indego Hamlet -	Hypoplectus indego
Dwarf Herring -	Jenkensia lamprotaenia	Chub -	Kyphosus sp.
Bermuda Chub -	Kyphosus sectatrix	Hogfish -	Lachnolaimus maximus
Honeycomb Cowfish -	Lactophrys polygonia	Scrawled Cowfish -	Lactophrys quadricornis
Trunkfish -	Lactophrys trigonus	Perpermint Bass -	Liopropoma rubre
Candy Bass -	Liopropoma carmabi	Triple-tail -	Loliotes surinamensis
Crested Goby -	Lophogobius eyprinoides	Mutton Snapper -	Lutjanus analis
School Master -	Lutjanus apodus	Cubera Snapper -	Lutjanus cyanopterus
Grey Snapper -	Lutjanus griseus	Dog Snapper -	Lutjanus jocu
Rock Hind -	Epinephalus adscensionis	Graysby -	Epinephalus cruentatus
Red Hind Grouper -	Epinephalus gattatus	Coney -	Epinephalus fulvus
Jewfish -	Epinephalus itajara	Red Grouper -	Epinephalus mario
Nassau Grouper -	Epinephalus striatus	Jackknife Fish -	Equetus lanceolatus
Mahogany Snapper -	Lutjanus mahogoni	Lane Snapper -	Lutjanus synagris
Sand Tilefish -	Malacanthus plumieri	Atlantic Manta -	Manta birostris
Tarpon -	Megalops atlanticus	Black Durgon -	Melichthys niger
Yellowtail damselfish -	Microspathodon chrysurus	White Mullet -	Mugil curema
Yellow Goatfish -	Mulloidichthys martinicus	Goldentail Moray -	Muraena miliaris
Rockfish Grouper -	Mycteroperca bonaci	Tiger Grouper -	Mycteroperca tigris
Yellowfin Grouper -	Mycteroperca venenosa	Lemon Shark -	Negaprion brevirostris
Yellowtail Snapper -	Ocyurus chrysurus	Shortnose Batfish -	Ogcocephalus nasutus
Yellowhead Jawfish -	Opistognathus aurifrons	Creole Fish -	Paranthias fucifer
Glassy Sweeper -	Pempheris schomburgki	Freckled Cardinalfish -	Phaeoptyx conklini
Sailfin Molly -	Poecilia latipinna	Gray Angelfish -	Pomacanthus arcuatus
French Angelfish -	Pomacanthus paru	Dusky Damselfish -	Pomacentrus fuscus
Beaugregory -	Pomacentrus leucostictus	Bicolor Damselfish -	Pomascentrus partitus
Three Spot Damselfish -	Pomacentrus planifrons	Cocoa Damselfish -	Pomacentrus variabilis
Spotted Goatfish -	Pseudopeneus maculatus	Southern Guitarfish -	Rhinoboutos percellens
Soapfish -	Rypticus sp.	Midnight Parrotfish -	Scarus coelestinus
Blue Parrotfish -	Scarus coeruleus	Striped Parrotfish -	Scarus croicensis
Rainbow Parrotfish -	Scarus guacamaia	Princess Parrotfish -	Scarus taeniopterus
Queen Parrotfish -	Scarus vetula	Cero -	Scomberomorus regalis
Reef Scorpionfish -	Scorpaena caribbaeus	Plumed Scorpionfish -	Scorpaena grandicornis
Look Down -	Selene vomer	Greater Amberjack -	Seriola dumerili
Harlequin Bass -	Serranus tigrinus	Redband Parrotfish -	Sparisoma aurofrenatum
Red-tailed Parrotfish -	Sparisoma chrysopterum	Bucktooth Parrotfish -	Sparisoma radians
Redfin Parrotfish -	Sparisoma rubripinne	Stoplight Parrotfish -	Sparisoma viride
Southern Puffer -	Sphoeroides nephelus	Bandtail Puffer -	Sphoeroides spengleri
Checkered Puffer -	Sphoeroides testudineus	Great Barracuda -	Sphyraena barracuda
Great Hammerhead Shark -	Sphyrna mokarran	Redfin Needlefish -	Strongylura notata
Pipefish -	Syngnathus sp.	Lizardfish -	Synodus sp.
Red Lizardfish -	Synodus synodus	Bluehead Wrasse -	Thalassoma bifasciatum
Permit -	Trachinotus falcatus	Houndfish -	Tylosurus crocodilus
Yellow Stingray -	Urolophus jamaicensis

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- HARD CORALS -

Staghorn Coral -	Acropora cervicornis	Elkhorn Coral -	Acropora palmata
Leaf Coral -	Agaricia agaricites	Sheet Coral -	Agaricia lamarcki
Ribbon Coral -	Agaricia tenuifolia	Giant Brain Coral -	Colpophyllia natans
Elliptical Star Coral -	Dichocoenia stokesii	Smooth Brain Coral -	Diploria strigosa
Grooved Brain Coral -	Diploria labyrinthiformis	Pencil Coral -	Madracis sp.
Rose Coral -	Manicina areolata	Mountainous Star Coral -	Montastrea annularis
Cavernous Star Coral -	Montastrea cavernosa	Club Finger Coral -	Porites porites
Mustard Hill Coral -	Porites asteroides	Rough Starlet Coral -	Siderastrea radians
Smooth Starlet Coral -	Siderastrea siderea	Corky Sea Fingers -	Briareum asbestinum
Knobby Candelabra -	Eunicea sp.	Common Sea Fan -	Gorgonia ventalina
Venus Sea Fan -	Gorgonia flabellum	Spiny muricea -	Muricea muricata
Sea Rod -	Plexaurella sp.	Sea Plume -	Pseudopterogorgia sp.
Sea Whip -	Pterogorgia sp.

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- SPONGES -

Red Boring Sponge -	Cliona sp.	Cake Sponge -	Ircinia strobilina
Sprawling Sponge -	Neopetrosia longleyi	Candle Sponge -	Verongia sp.
Basket Sponge -	Xestospongia sp.