Coral Sea

Waters
Fishes
General data
Catches (0)

Largest tributaries

Flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)

Squaretail mullet (Ellochelon vaigiensis)

Hornlip mullet (Plicomugil labiosus)

Perciformes - Perches

Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)

Emperor red snapper (Lutjanus sebae)

Lemonfish (Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus)

Two-striped sweetlips (Plectorhinchus albovittatus)

Painted sweetlip (Plectorhinchus picus)

Maori rockcod (Epinephelus undulatostriatus)

Halfbanded seaperch (Hypoplectrodes maccullochi)

Common bluestripe snapper (Lutjanus kasmira)

Clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

Waigieu seaperch (Psammoperca waigiensis)

Potato grouper (Epinephelus tukula)

Spotted soapfish (Pogonoperca punctata)

Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus)

False scorpionfish (Centrogenys vaigiensis)

Midnight snapper (Macolor macularis)

Black and white snapper (Macolor niger)

Ambon damsel (Pomacentrus amboinensis)

Darkfin hind (Cephalopholis urodeta)

Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii)

Goldenstriped soapfish (Grammistes sexlineatus)

Goldribbon soapfish (Aulacocephalus temminckii)

Barber perch (Caesioperca rasor)

Butterfly perch (Caesioperca lepidoptera)

Starck’s demoiselle (Chrysiptera starcki)

One-spot damselfish (Chrysiptera unimaculata)

Areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus)

Mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus)

Moontail bullseye (Priacanthus hamrur)

Slender silver-biddy (Gerres oblongus)

Common silver-biddy (Gerres oyena)

Redmouth grouper (Aethaloperca rogaa)

Carangiformes - Jacks

Greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili)

Common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus)

Bluefin trevally (Caranx melampygus)

Giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis)

Bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus)

Striped marlin (Kajikia audax)

Black marlin (Istiompax indica)

Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans)

Indo-Pacific sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus)

Shortbill spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris)

Yellowtail amberjack (Seriola lalandi)

Rainbow runner (Elagatis bipinnulata)

Longfin yellowtail (Seriola rivoliana)

Oyster pompano (Trachinotus anak)

Small spotted dart (Trachinotus baillonii)

Snubnose pompano (Trachinotus blochii)

African pompano (Alectis ciliaris)

Talang queenfish (Scomberoides commersonnianus)

Bigeye scad (Selar crumenophthalmus)

White trevally (Pseudocaranx dentex)

Shadow trevally (Carangoides dinema)

Whitefin trevally (Carangoides equula)

Doublespotted queenfish (Scomberoides lysan)

Live sharksucker (Echeneis naucrates)

Brassy trevally (Caranx papuensis)

Needlescaled queenfish (Scomberoides tol)

Istiophoriformes - Barracudas

Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

Lamniformes - Mackerel sharks

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus)

Basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus)

Smalltooth sand tiger (Odontaspis ferox)

Bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosus)

Carcharhiniformes - Ground sharks

Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)

Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)

Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)

Grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)

Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)

Silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus)

Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus)

Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)

Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)

Orectolobiformes - Carpet shark

Zebra shark (Stegostoma tigrinum)

Blind shark (Brachaelurus waddi)

Ornate wobbegong (Orectolobus ornatus)

Elopiformes - Tarpons and tenpounders

Indo-Pacific tarpon (Megalops cyprinoides)

Spariformes - Breams and porgies

Atlantic tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis)

Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus)

Two-lined monocle bream (Scolopsis bilineata)

Orange-striped emperor (Lethrinus obsoletus)

Longface emperor (Lethrinus olivaceus)

Australasian Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus)

Broadbanded velvetchin (Hapalogenys analis)

Myliobatiformes - Stingrays

Blue-spotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii)

Giant manta ray (Mobula birostris)

Cowtail stingray (Pastinachus sephen)

Round ribbontail ray (Taeniurops meyeni)

Short-tail stingray (Bathytoshia brevicaudata)

Brown stingray (Bathytoshia lata)

Scombriformes - Mackerels

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri)

Atlantic Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus)

Dogtooth tuna (Gymnosarda unicolor)

Narrow-barred spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson)

Australian salmon (Arripis trutta)

Silver scabbardfish (Lepidopus caudatus)

Zeiformes - Dories

Immaculate puffer (Arothron immaculatus)

Rough leatherjackets (Scobinichthys granulatus)

Scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus)

Broom filefish (Amanses scopas)

Long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)

Spot-fin porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix)

Yellow boxfish (Ostracion cubicum)

Masked triggerfish (Sufflamen fraenatum)

Unicorn leatherjacket filefish (Aluterus monoceros)

Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes

Striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus)

Heterodontiformes - Bullhead and horn sharks

Port Jackson shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni)

Zebra bullhead shark (Heterodontus zebra)

Lampriformes - Lamprids

Giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne)

Blackflash ribbonfish (Trachipterus jacksonensis)

Mediterranean dealfish (Trachipterus trachypterus)

Squaliformes - Sleeper and dogfish sharks

Spiny dogfish (Squalus acanthias)

Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes

Short-nosed unicornfish (Naso brevirostris)

Bluespine unicornfish (Naso unicornis)

Whitemargin unicornfish (Naso annulatus)

Japanese meagre (Argyrosomus japonicus)

Blackspot sergeant (Abudefduf sordidus)

Spotbanded scat (Selenotoca multifasciata)

Barhead spinefoot (Siganus virgatus)

Lined surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus)

Achilles tang (Acanthurus achilles)

Whitecheek surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans)

Bluering angelfish (Pomacanthus annularis)

Regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)

Semicircled angelfish (Pomacanthus semicirculatus)

Emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator)

Yellowface angelfish (Pomacanthus xanthometopon)

Blue-girdled angelfish (Pomacanthus navarchus)

Sixbar angelfish (Pomacanthus sexstriatus)

Scissortail sergeant (Abudefduf sexfasciatus)

Bengal sergeant (Abudefduf bengalensis)

Yellowtail sergeant (Abudefduf notatus)

Indo-Pacific sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis)

Whipfin ponyfish (Equulites leuciscus)

Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes

Eastern red scorpionfish (Scorpaena jacksoniensis)

Wispy waspfish (Paracentropogon longispinis)

Spotfin lionfish (Pterois antennata)

Red lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Luna Lionfish (Pterois lunulata)

Ryukyu gurnard (Lepidotrigla ryukyuensis)

Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes

Eastern kelpfish (Chironemus marmoratus)

Silver sweep (Scorpis lineolata)

Bermuda sea chub (Kyphosus sectatrix)

Brassy chub (Kyphosus vaigiensis)

Dark-margined flagtail (Kuhlia marginata)

Stocky hawkfish (Cirrhitus pinnulatus)

Largescaled terapon (Terapon theraps)

Blue maomao (Scorpis violacea)

Mulliformes - Goatfishes

Blue-striped mullet (Upeneichthys lineatus)

Dash-and-dot goatfish (Parupeneus barberinus)

Gold-saddle goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus)

Yellowstripe goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus)

Yellowfin goatfish (Mulloidichthys vanicolensis)

Striped goatfish (Upeneus vittatus)

Anguilliformes - Eels and morays

Yellow moray (Gymnothorax prasinus)

Gymnothorax undulatus (Gymnothorax undulatus)

Short-finned eel (Anguilla australis)

New Zealand longfin eel (Anguilla dieffenbachii)

Speckled longfin eel (Anguilla reinhardtii)

Zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra)

Laced moray (Gymnothorax favagineus)

Daggertooth pike conger (Muraenesox cinereus)

Many-eyed snake-eel (Ophichthus polyophthalmus)

Labriformes - Wrasses

Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

Sling-jaw wrasse (Epibulus insidiator)

Dusky wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus)

Zigzag wrasse (Halichoeres scapularis)

Checkerboard wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus)

Canary wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus)

Red pigfish (Bodianus unimaculatus)

Blue-spotted wrasse (Anampses caeruleopunctatus)

Barred thicklip (Hemigymnus fasciatus)

Blackeye thicklip wrasse (Hemigymnus melapterus)

Yellowbreasted wrasse (Anampses twistii)

Orange-dotted tuskfish (Choerodon anchorago)

Axilspot hogfish (Bodianus axillaris)

Bird wrasse (Gomphosus varius)

Yellowblotch razorfish (Iniistius aneitensis)

Peacock wrasse (Iniistius pavo)

Fivefinger razorfish (Iniistius pentadactylus)

Crimsonband wrasse (Notolabrus gymnogenis)

Quoy's parrotfish (Scarus quoyi)

Splitlevel hogfish (Bodianus mesothorax)

Lyretail hogfish (Bodianus anthioides)

Redfin hogfish (Bodianus dictynna)

Bower’s parrotfish (Chlorurus bowersi)

Carolines parrotfish (Calotomus carolinus)

Floral wrasse (Cheilinus chlorourus)

Snooty wrasse (Cheilinus oxycephalus)

Surge wrasse (Thalassoma purpureum)

Gadiformes - Cods

Abyssal grenadier (Coryphaenoides armatus)

Ringed pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus)

Bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii)

Network pipefish (Corythoichthys flavofasciatus)

Echinorhiniformes - Bramble sharks

Prickly shark (Echinorhinus cookei)

Notacanthiformes - Spiny eels

Snub-nosed spiny eel (Notacanthus chemnitzii)

Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes

Alfonsino (Beryx decadactylus)

Trachichthyiformes - Rughies

Slender roughy (Optivus elongatus)

Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels

Pudgy cuskeel (Spectrunculus grandis)

Brunswig's Cusk-eel (Lamprogrammus brunswigi)

Gobiesociformes - Clingfishes

Eastern cleaner-clingfish (Cochleoceps orientalis)

Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses

Atlantic wreckfish (Polyprion americanus)

Dusky sweeper (Pempheris adusta)

Beloniformes - Needlefishes

Flat needlefish (Ablennes hians)

Hound needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus)

Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes

Speckled sandperch (Parapercis hexophtalma)

Blenniiformes - Blennies

Molly miller (Scartella cristata)

Callionymiformes - Dragonets

Ocellated dragonet (Synchiropus ocellatus)

Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes

Sabre squirrelfish (Sargocentron spiniferum)

Crown squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema)

Clupeiformes - Herrings

Pacific Sardine (Sardinops sagax)

Gobiiformes - Gobies

Dusky frillgoby (Bathygobius fuscus)

Puntang goby (Exyrias puntang)

Chinese zebra goby (Ptereleotris zebra)

Spangled Gudgeon (Ophiocara ophicephalus)

Aulopiformes - Grinners

Brushtooth lizardfish, large-scale grinner or largescale saury (Saurida undosquamis)

Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes

Largetooth flounder (Pseudorhombus arsius)

Hexanchiformes - Six-gill sharks

Broadnose sevengill shark (Notorynchus cepedianus)

Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes

Bridled cardinalfish (Pristiapogon fraenatus)

Iridescent cardinalfish (Pristiapogon kallopterus)

Half-barred cardinal (Fibramia thermalis)

Rhinopristiformes - Shovelnose rays

Common sawfish (Pristis pristis)

The Coral Sea is a marginal sea of the South Pacific off the northeast coast of Australia, and classified as an interim Australian bioregion. The Coral Sea extends 2,000 kilometres (1,200 mi) down the Australian northeast coast. Most of it is protected by the French Natural Park of the Coral Sea and the Australian Coral Sea Marine Park. The sea was the location for the Battle of the Coral Sea, a major confrontation during World War II between the navies of the Empire of Japan, and the United States and Australia.

The sea contains numerous islands and reefs, as well as the world largest reef system, the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1981. All previous oil exploration projects were terminated at the GBR in 1975, and fishing is restricted in many areas. The reefs and islands of the Coral Sea are particularly rich in birds and aquatic life and are a popular tourist destination, both domestically and internationally.