Mexico
Checklist of Endemic Marine Fish Species
This list of marine fish species found exclusively in Mexico is based on the taxonomy used in FishBase 2004 (2004). For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.
FishBase 2004: a global information system on fishes. DVD. WorldFish Center - Philippine Office, Los Banos, Philippines. Published in May 2004.
The current version of this electronic database is accessible here.
OC = a FishBase occurrence record suggests a specimen from another country outside normal stated range (these vary widely in reliability from obvious misidentifications to being almost certainly correct)
Achirus zebrinus (Achiridae)
Phthanophaneron harveyi (Anomalopidae) Gulf Flashlightfish
Apogon retrosella OC (Apogonidae) Barspot Cardinalfish
Colpichthys hubbsi (Atherinopsidae) Delta Silverside
Colpichthys regis (Atherinopsidae) False Grunion
Leuresthes sardina (Atherinopsidae) Gulf Grunion
Balistes willughbeii (Balistidae)
Porichthys analis (Batrachoididae) Darkedge Midshipman
Porichthys ephippiatus (Batrachoididae) Saddle midshipman
Porichthys mimeticus (Batrachoididae) Mimetic Midshipman
Sanopus johnsoni (Batrachoididae)
Sanopus reticulatus OC (Batrachoididae)
Sanopus splendidus (Batrachoididae) Coral Toadfish
Hypsoblennius digueti (Blenniidae)
Hypsoblennius proteus (Blenniidae)
Monolene dubiosa (Bothidae) Acapulco Flounder
Acanthemblemaria balanorum OC (Chaenopsidae) Clubhead Blenny
Acanthemblemaria crockeri (Chaenopsidae) Browncheek Blenny
Acanthemblemaria macrospilus OC (Chaenopsidae) Mexican Barnacle Blenny
Acanthemblemaria mangognatha OC (Chaenopsidae)
Chaenopsis coheni (Chaenopsidae) Cortez Pikeblenny
Cirriemblemaria lucasana (Chaenopsidae) Plume Blenny
Coralliozetus angelicus OC (Chaenopsidae) Angel Blenny
Coralliozetus micropes (Chaenopsidae) Scarletfin Blenny
Coralliozetus rosenblatti (Chaenopsidae) Spikefin Blenny
Emblemaria hypacanthus OC (Chaenopsidae) Gulf Signal Blenny
Emblemaria walkeri (Chaenopsidae) Elusive Signal Blenny
Stathmonotus lugubris (Chaenopsidae) Mexican Worm Blenny
Stathmonotus sinuscalifornici (Chaenopsidae) California Worm Blenny
Lile gracilis (Clupeidae) Graceful Piquitinga
Dactyloscopus metoecus (Dactyloscopidae) Mexican Stargazer
Gillellus ornatus (Dactyloscopidae) Ornate Sand-stargazer
Brachyistius aletes (Embiotocidae)
Anchoa analis (Engraulidae) Longfin Pacific Anchovy
Anchoa helleri (Engraulidae) Heller's Anchovy
Anchoa mundeoloides (Engraulidae) Northern Gulf Anchovy
Anchoa scofieldi OC (Engraulidae) Scofield's Anchovy
Arcos erythrops OC (Gobiesocidae) Rockwall Clingfish
Derilissus kremnobates (Gobiesocidae)
Gobiesox aethus (Gobiesocidae) Clarion Clingfish
Gobiesox canidens (Gobiesocidae) Socorro Clingfish
Gobiesox marijeanae (Gobiesocidae) Lonely Clingfish
Gobiesox pinniger (Gobiesocidae) Tadpole Clingfish
Gobiesox schultzi (Gobiesocidae) Smoothlip Clingfish
Pherallodiscus funebris (Gobiesocidae) Northern Frail-disc Clingfish
Pherallodiscus varius (Gobiesocidae) Southern Frail-disc Clingfish
Rimicola sila (Gobiesocidae)
Tomicodon absitus OC (Gobiesocidae) Revillagigedos Clingfish
Tomicodon boehlkei OC (Gobiesocidae) Cortez Clingfish
Tomicodon eos OC (Gobiesocidae) Rosy Clingfish
Tomicodon humeralis (Gobiesocidae) Sonora Clingfish
Tomicodon zebra OC (Gobiesocidae) Zebra Clingfish
Aruma histrio (Gobiidae) Slow Goby
Barbulifer mexicanus (Gobiidae) Saddlebanded Goby
Barbulifer pantherinus OC (Gobiidae) Panther Goby
Bollmannia longipinnis (Gobiidae)
Chriolepis benthonis (Gobiidae)
Chriolepis minutillus (Gobiidae) Rubble Goby
Chriolepis zebra (Gobiidae) Gecko Goby
Elacatinus limbaughi (Gobiidae) Wide-banded Cleaner-goby
Evermannia longipinnis (Gobiidae) Enigmatic Goby
Gillichthys seta (Gobiidae) Short-jaw Mud-sucker
Gobionellus mystax (Gobiidae)
Gobiosoma chiquita OC (Gobiidae) Sonora Goby
Ilypnus luculentus (Gobiidae) Bright Goby
Lythrypnus insularis (Gobiidae) Distant Goby
Lythrypnus pulchellus OC (Gobiidae) Gorgeous Goby
Palatogobius grandoculus (Gobiidae)
Pycnomma semisquamatum (Gobiidae) Secret Goby
Robinsichthys arrowsmithensis (Gobiidae)
Microlepidotus inornatus OC (Haemulidae) Wavyline Grunt
Orthopristis reddingi (Haemulidae) Bronze-striped Grunt
Girella simplicidens (Kyphosidae) Gulf Opal Eye
Kyphosus lutescens (Kyphosidae) Revillagigedos Seachub
Halichoeres insularis (Labridae) Socorro Wrasse
Pseudojuloides inornatus (Labridae) Cape Wrasse
Cryptotrema seftoni (Labrisomidae)
Exerpes asper (Labrisomidae) Sargassum Blenny
Labrisomus socorroensis (Labrisomidae) Socorro Blenny
Labrisomus striatus (Labrisomidae) Green Blenny
Labrisomus wigginsi (Labrisomidae) Baja Blenny
Malacoctenus gigas (Labrisomidae) Sonora Blenny
Malacoctenus hubbsi OC (Labrisomidae) Redside Blenny
Malacoctenus zacae (Labrisomidae) Zaca Blenny
Paraclinus ditrichus (Labrisomidae) Leastfoot Blenny
Paraclinus magdalenae (Labrisomidae) Magdalena Blenny
Paraclinus sini (Labrisomidae) Flapscale Blenny
Paraclinus stephensi (Labrisomidae) Professor Blenny
Paraclinus tanygnathus (Labrisomidae) Longjaw Blenny
Paraclinus walkeri (Labrisomidae)
Starksia cremnobates (Labrisomidae) Fugitive Blenny
Starksia grammilaga (Labrisomidae) Pinstriped Blenny
Starksia hoesei (Labrisomidae) Hoese's Blenny
Starksia lepidogaster (Labrisomidae) Scaly-bellied Blenny
Starksia spinipenis OC (Labrisomidae) Phallic Blenny
Xenomedea rhodopyga (Labrisomidae) Redrump Blenny
Myliobatis longirostris OC (Myliobatidae) Snouted Eagle Ray
Eptatretus fritzi (Myxinidae)
Apterichtus gymnocelus (Ophichthidae)
Ethadophis byrnei (Ophichthidae) Ordinary Snake-eel
Ethadophis merenda (Ophichthidae) Snack Eel
Leuropharus lasiops (Ophichthidae) Acned Snake-eel
Lepophidium stigmatistium (Ophidiidae) Blotchfin Cusk-eel
Ophidion iris (Ophidiidae) Rainbow Cusk-eel
Opistognathus megalepis OC (Opistognathidae)
Opistognathus mexicanus (Opistognathidae) Mexican Jawfish
Opistognathus rhomaleus (Opistognathidae) Giant Jawfish
Opistognathus rosenblatti (Opistognathidae) Blue-spotted Jawfish
Citharichthys abbotti OC (Paralichthyidae)
Citharichthys gordae OC (Paralichthyidae) Mimic Sandab
Paralichthys aestuarius OC (Paralichthyidae) Cortez Flounder
Peristedion paucibarbiger (Peristediidae) Cortez Searobin
Pleuronichthys ocellatus (Pleuronectidae) Ocellated Turbot
Abudefduf declivifrons OC (Pomacentridae) Mexican Nightsergeant
Azurina hirundo (Pomacentridae) Swallow Damsel
Chromis limbaughi (Pomacentridae) Limbaugh's Damselfish
Stegastes leucorus (Pomacentridae) Whitetail Major
Stegastes rectifraenum OC (Pomacentridae) Cortez Damselfish
Stegastes redemptus (Pomacentridae) Clarion Major
Leucoraja yucatanensis (Rajidae) Yucatan Skate
Raja cortezensis (Rajidae) Cortez' Ray
Rhinobatos spinosus (Rhinobatidae) Spiny Guitarfish
Micropogonias ectenes OC (Sciaenidae) Slender Croaker
Stellifer walkeri (Sciaenidae) Professor Stardrum
Stellifer wintersteenorum (Sciaenidae) Amigo Stardrum
Umbrina wintersteeni (Sciaenidae) Wintersteen Drum
Scorpaena sonorae (Scorpaenidae) Sonora Scorpionfish
Sebastes exsul (Sebastidae) Buccaneer Rockfish
Sebastes notius (Sebastidae)
Sebastes spinorbis OC (Sebastidae)
Diplectrum sciurus (Serranidae) Gulf Squirrelfish
Mycteroperca prionura (Serranidae) Sawtail Grouper
Mycteroperca rosacea OC (Serranidae) Leopard Grouper
Paralabrax auroguttatus (Serranidae) Goldspotted Sand Bass
Rypticus courtenayi (Serranidae) Socorran Soapfish
Serranus socorroensis (Serranidae) Socorro Serrano
Sphyraena lucasana (Sphyraenidae) Lucas Barracuda
Peprilus ovatus (Stromateidae) Shining Butterfish
Syngnathus carinatus (Syngnathidae) Cortez Pipefish
Syngnathus insulae (Syngnathidae)
Syngnathus makaxi (Syngnathidae)
Sphoeroides lispus (Tetraodontidae) Naked Puffer
Axoclinus multicinctus (Tripterygiidae) Multibarred Triplefin
Axoclinus nigricaudus (Tripterygiidae) Cortez Triplefin
Crocodilichthys gracilis (Tripterygiidae) Lizard Triplefin
Enneanectes reticulatus (Tripterygiidae) Network Triplefin
Urobatis concentricus OC (Urolophidae) Spot-on-spot Round Stingray
Urobatis maculatus OC (Urolophidae) Spotted Round Stingray
Additional endemic marine fish species that were not included in FishBase 2004 are given below. This list is primarily based on information from the 13 March 2009 version of the Catalog of Fishes database (current version here) and includes species described through 2008. In addition to the 148 endemic marine fish species listed above, these additional 13 species total 161 species of marine fishes known solely from Mexico.
Starksia guadalupae (Blenniidae) Guadalupe Blenny
Ogilbia davidsmithi (Bythitidae) Large-pored Brotula 2005
Ogilbia nigromarginata (Bythitidae) Black-edged Brotula 2005
Ogilbia nudiceps (Bythitidae) Naked Brotula 2005
Elacatinus jarocho (Gobiidae) Jarocho Goby 2007
Elacatinus redimiculus (Gobiidae) Cinta Goby 2007
Quietula guaymasiae (Gobiidae) Guaymas Goby
Opistognathus fossoris (Opistognathidae ) Barred Jawfish 2003
Opistognathus walkeri (Opistognathidae ) Longjaw Jawfish 2003
Etropus ciadi (Paralichthyidae) 2005
Hypsopsetta macrocephala (Pleuronectidae)
Squatina heteroptera (Squatinidae) 2007
Squatina mexicana (Squatinidae) 2007