New Zealand
Checklist of Endemic Marine Fish Species
This list of marine fish species found exclusively in New Zealand 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)
Blennius maoricus (Blenniidae)
Lophonectes mongonuiensis (Bothidae)
Bovichtus oculus (Bovichtidae)
Bovichtus psychrolutes (Bovichtidae)
Bovichtus variegatus OC (Bovichtidae) Thornfish
Bidenichthys beeblebroxi (Bythitidae)
Bidenichthys consobrinus (Bythitidae) Gray Brotula
Brosmodorsalis persicinus (Bythitidae) Pink Brotula
Fiordichthys slartibartfasti (Bythitidae) Fiordland Brotula
Callanthias splendens (Callanthiidae)
Echiodon pegasus (Carapidae)
Cologrammus flavescens (Clinidae)
Ericentrus rubrus (Clinidae) Orange Clinid
Sprattus antipodum (Clupeidae) New Zealand Blueback Sprat
Sprattus muelleri (Clupeidae) New Zealand Sprat
Limnichthys polyactis (Creediidae) Tommyfish
Limnichthys rendahli (Creediidae)
Tewara cranwellae (Creediidae) New Zealand Sand Diver
Allomycterus whiteleyi (Diodontidae)
Grahamichthys radiata (Eleotridae) Graham's Gudgeon
Dellichthys morelandi (Gobiesocidae) New Zealand Urchin Clingfish
Diplocrepis puniceus (Gobiesocidae) Orange Clingfish
Gastrocyathus gracilis (Gobiesocidae) New Zealand Slender Clingfish
Gastrocymba quadriradiata (Gobiesocidae)
Gastroscyphus hectoris (Gobiesocidae) Hector's Clingfish
Haplocylix littoreus (Gobiesocidae) Giant Clingfish
Kopua nuimata (Gobiesocidae)
Modicus minimus (Gobiesocidae) Pink Clingfish
Modicus tangaroa (Gobiesocidae) Eyespot Clingfish
Trachelochismus melobesia (Gobiesocidae) Striped Clingfish
Trachelochismus pinnulatus (Gobiesocidae) New Zealand Lumpfish
Favonigobius lentiginosus (Gobiidae)
Gobiopsis atrata (Gobiidae) New Zealand Black Goby
Priolepis psygmophilia (Gobiidae)
Hyporhamphus ihi (Hemiramphidae) New Zealand Piper
Girella fimbriata (Kyphosidae)
Notolabrus celidotus OC (Labridae) New Zealand Spotty
Notolabrus cinctus (Labridae) Girdled Wrasse
Pseudolabrus miles (Labridae) Scarlet Wrasse
Crapatalus angusticeps (Leptoscopidae) Slender Stargazer
Crapatalus novaezelandiae (Leptoscopidae) New Zealand Sand Stargazer
Leptoscopus macropygus (Leptoscopidae) Estuary Stargazer
Monocentris neozelanicus (Monocentridae)
Nemamyxine elongata (Myxinidae)
Neomyxine biniplicata (Myxinidae)
Typhlonarke aysoni (Narcinidae) Blindlegged Torpedo
Typhlonarke tarakea (Narcinidae) Slenderlegged Torpedo
Odax acroptilus (Odacidae) Bluefinned Butterfish
Odax pullus OC (Odacidae) Greenbone
Quassiremus polyclitellum (Ophichthidae)
Kentrocapros eco (Ostraciidae)
Paracanthostracion lindsayi (Ostraciidae)
Pempheris adspersa (Pempheridae) New Zealand Bigeye
Hemerocoetes artus (Percophidae)
Hemerocoetes macrophthalmus (Percophidae)
Hemerocoetes monopterygius (Percophidae) Opalfish
Hemerocoetes morelandi (Percophidae)
Hemerocoetes pauciradiatus (Percophidae)
Parapercis colias OC (Pinguipedidae) Blue Cod
Acanthoclinus fuscus OC (Plesiopidae) Olive Rockfish
Acanthoclinus littoreus OC (Plesiopidae) New Zealand Rockfish
Acanthoclinus marilynae (Plesiopidae) Stout Rockfish
Acanthoclinus matti (Plesiopidae) Splendid Rockfish
Acanthoclinus rua (Plesiopidae) Little Rockfish
Colistium guntheri (Pleuronectidae) New Zealand Brill
Colistium nudipinnis (Pleuronectidae) New Zealand Turbot
Pelotretis flavilatus (Pleuronectidae) Southern Lemon Sole
Peltorhamphus novaezeelandiae OC (Pleuronectidae) New Zealand Sole
Peltorhamphus tenuis (Pleuronectidae) Slender Sole
Rhombosolea leporina OC (Pleuronectidae) Yellowbelly Flounder
Rhombosolea millari (Pleuronectidae)
Rhombosolea plebeia (Pleuronectidae) New Zealand Flounder
Rhombosolea retiaria (Pleuronectidae) Black Flounder
Chromis dispilus (Pomacentridae) New Zealand Demoiselle
Parma kermadecensis (Pomacentridae) Kermadec Scalyfin
Ambophthalmos angustus (Psychrolutidae) Pale Toadfish
Cottunculus nudus (Psychrolutidae) Bonyskull Toadfish
Neophrynichthys latus OC (Psychrolutidae) Dark Toadfish
Dipturus innominatus (Rajidae) New Zealand Smooth Skate
Dipturus nasutus OC (Rajidae) New Zealand Rough Skate
Hypoplectrodes huntii OC (Serranidae) Redbanded Perch
Lepidoperca inornata (Serranidae)
Plectranthias bilaticlavia (Serranidae)
Leptonotus elevatus (Syngnathidae) High-body Pipefish
Leptonotus norae (Syngnathidae) New Zealand Longsnout Pipefish
Lissocampus filum OC (Syngnathidae) Shortsnout Pipefish
Stigmatopora macropterygia (Syngnathidae) Long-snouted Pipefish
Arothron gillbanksii (Tetraodontidae)
Sphoeroides cheesemanii (Tetraodontidae)
Sphoeroides nitidus (Tetraodontidae)
Torpedo fairchildi OC (Torpedinidae) New Zealand Torpedo
Paratrachichthys novaezelandicus (Trachichthyidae)
Mustelus lenticulatus OC (Triakidae) Spotted Estuary Smooth-hound
Lepidotrigla brachyoptera (Triglidae) Scaly Gurnard
Lepidotrigla robinsi (Triglidae)
Apopterygion oculus (Tripterygiidae) Ocellate Triplefin
Bellapiscis lesleyae (Tripterygiidae) Mottled Twister
Bellapiscis medius OC (Tripterygiidae) Twister
Blennodon dorsale (Tripterygiidae) Giant Triplefin
Cryptichthys jojettae (Tripterygiidae) Cryptic Triplefin
Enneapterygius kermadecensis (Tripterygiidae) Kermadec Triplefin
Forsterygion bathytaton (Tripterygiidae) Chatham Deepwater Triplefin
Forsterygion flavonigrum (Tripterygiidae) Yellow-and-black Triplefin
Forsterygion lapillum (Tripterygiidae) Common Triplefin
Forsterygion malcolmi (Tripterygiidae) Mottled Triplefin
Gilloblennius abditus (Tripterygiidae) Obscure Triplefin
Gilloblennius tripennis (Tripterygiidae) Thripenny
Grahamina capito OC (Tripterygiidae) Spotted Robust Triplefin
Grahamina nigripenne (Tripterygiidae) Estuarine Triplefin
Karalepis stewarti (Tripterygiidae) New Zealand Scaly-headed Triplefin
Notoclinops caerulepunctus (Tripterygiidae) Blue Dot Triplefin
Notoclinops segmentatus OC (Tripterygiidae) Blue-eyed Triplefin
Notoclinops yaldwyni (Tripterygiidae) Yaldwyn's Triplefin
Notoclinus compressus OC (Tripterygiidae) Brown Topknot
Notoclinus fenestratus (Tripterygiidae) New Zealand Topknot
Obliquichthys maryannae (Tripterygiidae) Oblique-swimming Triplefin
Ruanoho decemdigitatus OC (Tripterygiidae) Longfinned Triplefin
Genyagnus monopterygius OC (Uranoscopidae) Spotted Stargazer
Kathetostoma giganteum (Uranoscopidae) Giant Stargazer
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 120 endemic marine fish species listed above, these additional 4 species total 124 species of marine fishes known solely from New Zealand.
Dermatopsis joergennielseni (Bythitidae) Nielsen's Mudbrotula 2006
Microbrotula punicea (Bythitidae) 2007
Thalasseleotris iota (Eleotridae) New Zealand Pygmy Sleeper 2005
Anarchias supremus (Muraenidae) 2006