Saint Helena
Checklist of Endemic Marine Fish Species
This list of marine fish species found exclusively in Saint Helena (including Ascension and Tristan da Cunha) 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)
Apogon axillaris (Apogonidae) Axillary-spot Cardinalfish
Entomacrodus textilis OC (Blenniidae) Textile Blenny
Scartella nuchifilis (Blenniidae) Mottled Blenny
Scartella springeri (Blenniidae)
Bothus mellissi (Bothidae) St. Helena Flounder
Bovichtus diacanthus OC (Bovichtidae) Tristan Klipfish
Callionymus sanctaehelenae (Callionymidae) St. Helena Dragonet
Chaetodon sanctaehelenae (Chaetodontidae) Saint Helena Butterflyfish
Prognathodes dichrous (Chaetodontidae) Bicolor Butterflyfish
Amblycirrhitus earnshawi (Cirrhitidae) White Hawksfish
Ariosoma mellissii OC (Congridae) Silver Eel
Heteroconger camelopardalis OC (Congridae)
Symphurus lubbocki (Cynoglossidae)
Priolepis ascensionis (Gobiidae) Ascension Goby
Thalassoma sanctaehelenae (Labridae) St. Helena Wrasse
Xyrichtys blanchardi (Labridae) Marmalade Razorfish
Xyrichtys sanctaehelenae (Labridae)
Physiculus helenaensis (Moridae)
Phaenomonas longissima (Ophichthidae) Short-maned Sand-eel
Centropyge resplendens (Pomacanthidae) Resplendent Angelfish
Chromis sanctaehelenae (Pomacentridae) St. Helena Chromis
Stegastes lubbocki (Pomacentridae) Lubbock's Yellowtail Damselfish
Stegastes sanctaehelenae OC (Pomacentridae)
Sparisoma strigatum (Scaridae) Strigate Parrotfish
Pontinus nigropunctatus (Scorpaenidae) St. Helena Deepwater Scorpionfish
Scorpaena ascensionis (Scorpaenidae)
Scorpaena mellissii (Scorpaenidae) Melliss's Scorpionfish
Holanthias caudalis (Serranidae)
Holanthias fronticinctus (Serranidae)
Lepidoperca coatsii OC (Serranidae)
Planctanthias longifilis OC (Serranidae)
Canthigaster sanctaehelenae OC (Tetraodontidae) St. Helena Sharpnose Pufferfish
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 32 endemic marine fish species listed above, these additional 2 species total 36 species of marine fishes known solely from Saint Helena (including Ascension and Tristan da Cunha).
Echiodon atopus (Carapidae) 2005
Ichthyapus insularis (Ophichthidae ) 2004