Sulu Sea

Fishes
General data
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Mugiliformes - Mullets

Flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)

Squaretail mullet (Ellochelon vaigiensis)

Hornlip mullet (Plicomugil labiosus)

Perciformes - Perches

Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)

Two-spot red snapper (Lutjanus bohar)

Emperor red snapper (Lutjanus sebae)

Ribboned sweetlips (Plectorhinchus polytaenia)

Harry hotlips (Plectorhinchus gibbosus)

Yellowbanded sweetlips (Plectorhinchus lineatus)

Lemonfish (Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus)

Two-striped sweetlips (Plectorhinchus albovittatus)

Painted sweetlip (Plectorhinchus picus)

Humpback grouper (Cromileptes altivelis)

Blacktail snapper (Lutjanus fulvus)

Russell's snapper (Lutjanus russellii)

Malabar grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus)

Blacktip grouper (Epinephelus fasciatus)

One-blotch grouper (Epinephelus melanostigma)

Comet grouper (Epinephelus morrhua)

Humpback red snapper (Lutjanus gibbus)

Blubberlip snapper (Lutjanus rivulatus)

Common bluestripe snapper (Lutjanus kasmira)

Harlequin sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides)

Peacock hind (Cephalopholis argus)

Coral hind (Cephalopholis miniata)

Spinecheek anemonefish (Premnas biaculeatus)

Clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

Randall’s tilefish (Hoplolatilus randalli)

Waigieu seaperch (Psammoperca waigiensis)

Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)

Honeycomb grouper (Epinephelus merra)

Potato grouper (Epinephelus tukula)

Spotted soapfish (Pogonoperca punctata)

Two-spot banded snapper (Lutjanus biguttatus)

Brownstripe red snapper (Lutjanus vitta)

One-spot snapper (Lutjanus monostigma)

Dory snapper (Lutjanus fulviflamma)

Yellow-edged lyretail (Variola louti)

Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus)

Slender grouper (Anyperodon leucogrammicus)

False scorpionfish (Centrogenys vaigiensis)

Sailfin snapper (Symphorichthys spilurus)

Midnight snapper (Macolor macularis)

Black and white snapper (Macolor niger)

Saddleback clownfish (Amphiprion polymnus)

Darkfin hind (Cephalopholis urodeta)

Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii)

Roving coral grouper (Plectropomus pessuliferus)

Masked grouper (Gracila albomarginata)

Bowtie damselfish (Neoglyphidodon melas)

Goldenstriped soapfish (Grammistes sexlineatus)

Goldribbon soapfish (Aulacocephalus temminckii)

Starck’s demoiselle (Chrysiptera starcki)

One-spot damselfish (Chrysiptera unimaculata)

White-edged lyretail (Variola albimarginata)

Areolate grouper (Epinephelus areolatus)

Mangrove red snapper (Lutjanus argentimaculatus)

Chocolate hind (Cephalopholis boenak)

Deep-water red snapper (Etelis carbunculus)

Brownspotted grouper (Epinephelus chlorostigma)

Crescent sweetlips (Plectorhinchus cinctus)

Deepwater longtail red snapper (Etelis coruscans)

Grey demoiselle (Chrysiptera glauca)

Moontail bullseye (Priacanthus hamrur)

Banded archerfish (Toxotes jaculatrix)

Leopard hind (Cephalopholis leopardus)

Longspine grouper (Epinephelus longispinis)

Bigeye snapper (Lutjanus lutjanus)

Slender silver-biddy (Gerres oblongus)

Common silver-biddy (Gerres oyena)

Pale snapper (Etelis radiosus)

Gold-specs jawfish (Opistognathus randalli)

Redmouth grouper (Aethaloperca rogaa)

Strawberry hind (Cephalopholis spiloparaea)

Carangiformes - Jacks

Greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili)

Common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus)

Bluefin trevally (Caranx melampygus)

Giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis)

Bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus)

Golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus)

Torpedo scad (Megalaspis cordyla)

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)

Orange-spotted trevally (Carangoides bajad)

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)

Bumpnose trevally (Carangoides hedlandensis)

Indian threadfish (Alectis indica)

Doublespotted queenfish (Scomberoides lysan)

Live sharksucker (Echeneis naucrates)

Coachwhip trevally (Carangoides oblongus)

Brassy trevally (Caranx papuensis)

Barred queenfish (Scomberoides tala)

Needlescaled queenfish (Scomberoides tol)

Istiophoriformes - Barracudas

Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

Yellowtail barracuda (Sphyraena flavicauda)

Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes

Devil firefish (Pterois miles)

False kelpfish (Sebastes marmoratus)

Estuarine stonefish (Synanceia horrida)

False kelpfish (Sebastiscus marmoratus)

Yellowbarred red rockfish (Sebastiscus albofasciatus)

Bartail flathead (Platycephalus indicus)

Wispy waspfish (Paracentropogon longispinis)

Spotfin lionfish (Pterois antennata)

Red lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Luna Lionfish (Pterois lunulata)

Ryukyu gurnard (Lepidotrigla ryukyuensis)

Northern scorpionfish (Parascorpaena picta)

Lamniformes - Mackerel sharks

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus)

Smalltooth sand tiger (Odontaspis ferox)

Bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosus)

Carcharhiniformes - Ground sharks

Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)

Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)

Whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus)

Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)

Grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)

Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)

Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)

Silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus)

Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus)

Starspotted smooth-hound (Mustelus manazo)

Scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini)

Blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)

Indonesian Speckled Catshark (Halaelurus maculosus)

Orectolobiformes - Carpet shark

Japanese wobbegong (Orectolobus japonicus)

Tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon)

Zebra shark (Stegostoma tigrinum)

Epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)

Brownbanded bambooshark (Chiloscyllium punctatum)

Myliobatiformes - Stingrays

Blue-spotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii)

Plavopega trakorepa raža (Taeniura lymma)

Giant manta ray (Mobula birostris)

Reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi)

Cowtail stingray (Pastinachus sephen)

Round ribbontail ray (Taeniurops meyeni)

Japanese butterflyray (Gymnura japonica)

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)

Starry moray (Echidna nebulosa)

Napoleon snake eel (Ophichthus bonaparti)

Giant mottled eel (Anguilla marmorata)

Gymnothorax undulatus (Gymnothorax undulatus)

Indonesian shortfin eel (Anguilla bicolor)

Polynesian longfinned eel (Anguilla megastoma)

Zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra)

Laced moray (Gymnothorax favagineus)

Fimbriated moray (Gymnothorax fimbriatus)

Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus)

Turkey moray (Gymnothorax meleagris)

Yellowmouth moray (Gymnothorax nudivomer)

Daggertooth pike conger (Muraenesox cinereus)

Blotched snake-eel (Ophichthus erabo)

Many-eyed snake-eel (Ophichthus polyophthalmus)

Barred moray (Echidna polyzona)

Broadbanded moray (Channomuraena vittata)

Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes

Black triggerfish (Melichthys niger)

White-banded triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus)

Clown triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum)

Orange-lined triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus)

Titan triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens)

White-spotted puffer (Arothron hispidus)

Immaculate puffer (Arothron immaculatus)

Stellate puffer (Arothron stellatus)

Spotted sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster solandri)

Valentin’s sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster valentini)

Scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus)

Broom filefish (Amanses scopas)

Long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)

Spot-fin porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix)

Pinktail triggerfish (Melichthys vidua)

Blackbelly triggerfish (Rhinecanthus verrucosus)

Boomerang triggerfish (Sufflamen bursa)

Yellow boxfish (Ostracion cubicum)

Yellowmargin triggerfish (Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus)

Masked triggerfish (Sufflamen fraenatum)

Indian triggerfish (Melichthys indicus)

Unicorn leatherjacket filefish (Aluterus monoceros)

Red-toothed triggerfish (Odonus niger)

Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes

Silverspot squirrelfish (Sargocentron caudimaculatum)

Sabre squirrelfish (Sargocentron spiniferum)

Blotcheye soldierfish (Myripristis berndti)

Crown squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema)

Scarlet soldierfish (Myripristis pralinia)

Pink squirrelfish (Sargocentron tiereoides)

Lophiiformes - Anglerfishes

Striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus)

Warty frogfish (Antennarius maculatus)

Painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus)

Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes

Soldier croaker (Nibea soldado)

Short-nosed unicornfish (Naso brevirostris)

Bluespine unicornfish (Naso unicornis)

Whitemargin unicornfish (Naso annulatus)

Japanese meagre (Argyrosomus japonicus)

Threespot angelfish (Apolemichthys trimaculatus)

Blackspot sergeant (Abudefduf sordidus)

Copperband butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)

Redtail butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare)

Pacific double-saddle butterflyfish (Chaetodon ulietensis)

Bicolor angelfish (Centropyge bicolor)

Spotbanded scat (Selenotoca multifasciata)

Blackwedged butterflyfish (Chaetodon falcula)

Threadfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga)

Barred spinefoot (Siganus doliatus)

Mottled spinefoot (Siganus fuscescens)

Orange-spotted spinefoot (Siganus guttatus)

Brown-spotted spinefoot (Siganus stellatus)

Blue-spotted spinefoot (Siganus corallinus)

Foxface rabbitfish (Siganus vulpinus)

Masked spinefoot (Siganus puellus)

Barhead spinefoot (Siganus virgatus)

Lined surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus)

Elongate surgeonfish (Acanthurus mata)

Powderblue surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucosternon)

Convict surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus)

Yellowfin surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus)

Orangespot surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)

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)

Banded sergeant (Abudefduf septemfasciatus)

Spotted scat (Scatophagus argus)

Whipfin ponyfish (Equulites leuciscus)

Labriformes - Wrasses

Green humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum)

Spottail coris (Coris caudimacula)

Yellowtail wrasse (Coris gaimard)

Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

Redbreasted wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus)

Jansen’s wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii)

Sling-jaw wrasse (Epibulus insidiator)

Dusky wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus)

Zigzag wrasse (Halichoeres scapularis)

Tail-spot wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus)

Checkerboard wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus)

Canary wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus)

Purple tuskfish (Choerodon cephalotes)

Blue-spotted wrasse (Anampses caeruleopunctatus)

Barred thicklip (Hemigymnus fasciatus)

Blackeye thicklip wrasse (Hemigymnus melapterus)

Yellowbreasted wrasse (Anampses twistii)

Harlequin tuskfish (Choerodon fasciatus)

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)

Cheeklined wrasse (Oxycheilinus digramma)

Two-spot wrasse (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus)

Quoy's parrotfish (Scarus quoyi)

Blackfin hogfish (Bodianus loxozonus)

Splitlevel hogfish (Bodianus mesothorax)

Lyretail hogfish (Bodianus anthioides)

Cylindrical Hogfish (Bodianus cylindriatus)

Redfin hogfish (Bodianus dictynna)

Lined hogfish (Bodianus leucosticticus)

Bower’s parrotfish (Chlorurus bowersi)

Carolines parrotfish (Calotomus carolinus)

Floral wrasse (Cheilinus chlorourus)

Snooty wrasse (Cheilinus oxycephalus)

Surge wrasse (Thalassoma purpureum)

Tripletail wrasse (Cheilinus trilobatus)

Gobiiformes - Gobies

Atlantic mudskipper (Periophthalmus barbarus)

Tiger dwarf goby (Mugilogobius tigrinus)

Orange-spotted sleeper-goby (Valenciennea puellaris)

Blueband goby (Valenciennea strigata)

Dusky frillgoby (Bathygobius fuscus)

Pink-speckled shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus)

Olive flathead-gudgeon (Butis amboinensis)

Snakehead gudgeon (Giuris margaritaceus)

Puntang goby (Exyrias puntang)

Chinese zebra goby (Ptereleotris zebra)

Spangled Gudgeon (Ophiocara ophicephalus)

Lampriformes - Lamprids

Giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne)

Mediterranean dealfish (Trachipterus trachypterus)

Mulliformes - Goatfishes

Manybar goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus)

Dash-and-dot goatfish (Parupeneus barberinus)

Gold-saddle goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus)

Yellowstripe goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus)

Bicolor goatfish (Parupeneus barberinoides)

Long-barbel goatfish (Parupeneus macronemus)

Freckled goatfish (Upeneus tragula)

Yellowfin goatfish (Mulloidichthys vanicolensis)

Striped goatfish (Upeneus vittatus)

Gadiformes - Cods

Abyssal grenadier (Coryphaenoides armatus)

Spottedtail morwong (Goniistius zonatus)

Bermuda sea chub (Kyphosus sectatrix)

Brassy chub (Kyphosus vaigiensis)

Longnose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus)

Blackside hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri)

Arc-eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus)

Coral hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus)

Spotted hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys aprinus)

Dwarf hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys falco)

Jarbua terapon (Terapon jarbua)

Dark-margined flagtail (Kuhlia marginata)

Barred flagtail (Kuhlia mugil)

Sharpbeak terapon (Rhynchopelates oxyrhynchus)

Stocky hawkfish (Cirrhitus pinnulatus)

Rock flagtail (Kuhlia rupestris)

Largescaled terapon (Terapon theraps)

Callionymiformes - Dragonets

Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus)

Ocellated dragonet (Synchiropus ocellatus)

Ruby Red Dragonet (Synchiropus sycorax)

Orange-black dragonet (Dactylopus kuiteri)

Moyer's dragonet (Synchiropus moyeri)

Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses

Ringed pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus)

Bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii)

Network pipefish (Corythoichthys flavofasciatus)

Spariformes - Breams and porgies

Goldlined seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba)

Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus)

Two-lined monocle bream (Scolopsis bilineata)

Orange-striped emperor (Lethrinus obsoletus)

Longface emperor (Lethrinus olivaceus)

Broadbanded velvetchin (Hapalogenys analis)

Echinorhiniformes - Bramble sharks

Prickly shark (Echinorhinus cookei)

Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers

Pelican eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides)

Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes

Beaked salmon (Gonorynchus gonorynchus)

Beryciformes - Sawbellies

Alfonsino (Beryx decadactylus)

Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels

Pudgy cuskeel (Spectrunculus grandis)

Brunswig's Cusk-eel (Lamprogrammus brunswigi)

Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes

Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)

Large-toothed cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus macrodon)

Five-lined cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus)

Bridled cardinalfish (Pristiapogon fraenatus)

Iridescent cardinalfish (Pristiapogon kallopterus)

Bandfin cardinalfish (Pristiapogon taeniopterus)

Half-barred cardinal (Fibramia thermalis)

Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses

Atlantic wreckfish (Polyprion americanus)

Dusky sweeper (Pempheris adusta)

Moluccan bullseye (Pempheris molucca)

Beloniformes - Needlefishes

Flat needlefish (Ablennes hians)

Hound needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus)

Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes

Speckled sandperch (Parapercis hexophtalma)

Latticed sandperch (Parapercis clathrata)

Reticulated sandperch (Parapercis tetracantha)

Marbled stargazer (Uranoscopus bicinctus)

Naked-nape stargazer (Uranoscopus oligolepis)

Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes

Peacock flounder (Bothus mancus)

Leopard flounder (Bothus pantherinus)

Largetooth flounder (Pseudorhombus arsius)

Aulopiformes - Grinners

Variegated lizardfish (Synodus variegatus)

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

Gracile lizardfish (Saurida gracilis)

Blenniiformes - Blennies

Molly miller (Scartella cristata)

Rippled rockskipper (Istiblennius edentulus)

Seram blenny (Salarias ceramensis)

Squaliformes - Sleeper and dogfish sharks

Mandarin dogfish (Cirrhigaleus barbifer)

Rhinopristiformes - Shovelnose rays

Dwarf sawfish (Pristis clavata)

Common sawfish (Pristis pristis)

Albuliformes - Bonefishes

Roundjaw bonefish (Albula glossodonta)

Siluriformes - Catfishes

Zebra bullhead shark (Heterodontus zebra)

The Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.

The Sulu Sea contains a number of islands. The Cuyo Islands and the Cagayan Islands are part of the province of Palawan whereas Mapun and the Turtle Islands are part of the province of Tawi-Tawi. Sulu Sea is also where the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, one of the World Heritage Sites is located.

The Panay Gulf is an extension of the Sulu Sea. Straits out of the Sulu Sea include the Iloilo Strait, the Guimaras Strait, and the Basilan Strait.