Papua New Guinea
Checklist of Endemic Marine Fish Species
This list of marine fish species found exclusively in Papua New Guinea 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)
Cheroscorpaena tridactyla (Apistidae)
Apogon dammermani OC (Apogonidae)
Apogon novaeguineae OC (Apogonidae)
Apogon photogaster (Apogonidae)
Ecsenius collettei (Blenniidae) Collette's Blenny
Ecsenius taeniatus (Blenniidae)
Meiacanthus limbatus (Blenniidae)
Omobranchus robertsi (Blenniidae)
Omox lupus OC (Blenniidae)
Parabrosmolus novaeguineae (Bythitidae)
Callionymus colini (Callionymidae) Tiny New Guinea Longtail Dragonet
Callionymus zythros (Callionymidae)
Synchiropus claudiae OC (Callionymidae)
Trimma rubromaculatus OC (Gobiidae)
Vanderhorstia flavilineata (Gobiidae)
Cirrhilabrus condei (Labridae)
Hoplolatilus pohle (Malacanthidae)
Moringua penni OC (Moringuidae) Penn's Thrush Eel
Callechelys papulosa OC (Ophichthidae)
Stalix dicra (Opistognathidae)
Stalix eremia (Opistognathidae)
Nematops microstoma OC (Pleuronectidae) Small-mouth Righteye Flounder
Chrysiptera cymatilis (Pomacentridae)
Chrysiptera niger OC (Pomacentridae) Black Damselfish
Chrysiptera sinclairi OC (Pomacentridae) Sinclair's Damselfish
Neopomacentrus aquadulcis (Pomacentridae)
Pomacentrus albimaculus OC (Pomacentridae) Whitespot Damsel
Pomacentrus colini (Pomacentridae) Colin's Damsel
Pseudochromis ephippiatus (Pseudochromidae)
Pseudochromis marginatus (Pseudochromidae)
Pseudomugil majusculus (Pseudomugilidae) Cape Blue-eye
Atrobucca adusta (Sciaenidae) Scorched Croaker
Liopropoma incomptum (Serranidae)
Rabaulichthys altipinnis OC (Serranidae) Sailfin Anthias
Aseraggodes persimilis (Soleidae) Ocellated Sole
Brachirus dicholepis (Soleidae)
Gogolia filewoodi (Triakidae) Sailback Houndshark
Urolophus armatus (Urolophidae) New Ireland Stingaree
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 38 endemic marine fish species listed above, these additional 11 species total 49 species of marine fishes known solely from Papua New Guinea.
Rhabdoblennius papuensis (Blenniidae) 2004
Ungusurculus collettei (Bythitidae) 2007
Lepadicyathus mendeleevi (Gobiesocidae) 2005
Amblyeleotris neumanni (Gobiidae) 2006
Ctenogobiops phaeostictus (Gobiidae) 2007
Tryssogobius quinquespinus (Gobiidae) 2006
Vanderhorstia belloides (Gobiidae) 2007
Parapercis vittafrons (Pinguipedidae) 2008
Chaetodontoplus vanderloosi (Pomacanthidae) 2004
Ptereleotris crossogenion (Ptereleotridae) 2008
Aseraggodes chapleaui (Soleidae) 2007