🔍
Category
Presence
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Anthias
Anthias
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Stenopus hispidus
Banded cleaner shrimp
Crevette nettoyeuse
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Heniochus acuminatus
Bannerfish
Poisson cocher
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Xestospongia spp.
Barrel sponge
Éponge tonneau
🪸 Corals & SpongesRare
Antipathes spp.
Black coral
Corail noir
🦈 SharksCommon
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Blacktip reef shark
Requin à pointes noires
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Meiacanthus spp.
Blenny (fang)
Blennie à crocs
🐠 Large Reef FishSeasonal
Makaira nigricans
Blue marlin
Marlin bleu
🐙 RaysCommon
Taeniura lymma
Blue-spotted stingray
Raie pastenague à points bleus
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Caranx melampygus
Bluefin trevally
Carangue bleue
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Lutjanus kasmira
Bluestripe snapper
Vivaneau à rayures bleues
🐬 Marine MammalsCommon
Tursiops truncatus
Bottlenose dolphin
Grand dauphin
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Ostracion cubicus
Boxfish (yellow)
Poisson coffre jaune
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Platygyra spp.
Brain coral
Corail cerveau
🦈 SharksRare
Carcharhinus leucas
Bull shark
Requin bouledogue
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Chlorurus sordidus
Bullethead parrotfish
Poisson perroquet à bosse
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Amphiprion clarkii
Clark's anemonefish
Poisson clown de Clark
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Amphiprion nigripes
Clownfish (Maldives)
Poisson clown des Maldives
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Cephalopholis miniata
Coral grouper
Mérou corail
🐙 RaysCommon
Pastinachus sephen
Cowtail stingray
Raie à queue de vache
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Papilloculiceps longiceps
Crocodilefish
Poisson crocodile
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Acanthaster planci
Crown-of-thorns starfish
Acanthaster / Couronne d'épines
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Sepia pharaonis
Cuttlefish (broadclub)
Seiche
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Chromis spp.
Damselfish
Demoiselle
🐙 RaysSeasonal
Mobula mobular
Devil ray
Raie diable
🐬 Marine MammalsRare
Dugong dugon
Dugong
Dugong
🐙 RaysRare
Torpedo sinuspersici
Electric ray (torpedo)
Torpille
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Pomacanthus imperator
Emperor angelfish
Poisson ange empereur
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Comanthina spp.
Feather star (crinoid)
Crinoïde / Étoile de mer plumeuse
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Millepora spp.
Fire coral
Corail de feu
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Fistularia commersonii
Flutemouth
Poisson flûte
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Antennarius spp.
Frogfish
Poisson grenouille
🤡 Small Reef FishRare
Solenostomus spp.
Ghost pipefish
Poisson fantôme
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Sphyraena barracuda
Giant barracuda
Grand barracuda
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Tridacna spp.
Giant clam
Bénitier géant
🐠 Large Reef FishRare
Epinephelus lanceolatus
Giant grouper
Mérou géant
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Gymnothorax javanicus
Giant moray eel
Murène géante
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Caranx ignobilis
Giant trevally
Carangue géante
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Nemateleotris magnifica
Goby (fire)
Gobie de feu
🐢 TurtlesCommon
Chelonia mydas
Green turtle
Tortue verte
🦈 SharksCommon
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Grey reef shark
Requin gris de récif
🦈 SharksRare
Rhina ancylostoma
Guitar shark (bowmouth)
Requin guitare
🦈 SharksSeasonal
Sphyrna lewini
Hammerhead shark
Requin marteau
🐢 TurtlesCommon
Eretmochelys imbricata
Hawksbill turtle
Tortue imbriquée
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Gymnothorax favagineus
Honeycomb moray
Murène en nid d'abeilles
🐙 RaysCommon
Himantura uarnak
Honeycomb stingray
Raie rayon de miel
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Lutjanus gibbus
Humpback red snapper
Vivaneau bossu
🐬 Marine MammalsSeasonal
Megaptera novaeangliae
Humpback whale
Baleine à bosse
🦑 InvertebratesSeasonal
Aurelia aurita
Jellyfish (moon)
Méduse lune
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Taenianotus triacanthus
Leaf scorpionfish
Poisson feuille
🐢 TurtlesRare
Dermochelys coriacea
Leatherback turtle
Tortue luth
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Pterois volitans
Lionfish
Poisson lion / Rascasse volante
🐢 TurtlesRare
Caretta caretta
Loggerhead turtle
Tortue caouanne
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Forcipiger flavissimus
Longnose butterflyfish
Poisson papillon à long nez
🐙 RaysSeasonal
Mobula birostris
Manta ray
Raie manta
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Odontodactylus scyllarus
Mantis shrimp (peacock)
Squille multicolore
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Arothron mappa
Map pufferfish
Poisson ballon carte
🐙 RaysCommon
Taeniura meyeni
Marbled stingray
Raie marbrée
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Zanclus cornutus
Moorish idol
Idole maure / Zancle
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Fungia spp.
Mushroom coral
Corail champignon
🐠 Large Reef FishRare
Cheilinus undulatus
Napoleon wrasse
Napoléon
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Chromodoris spp.
Nudibranch (chromodoris)
Nudibranche
🦈 SharksRare
Nebrius ferrugineus
Nurse shark
Requin nourrice
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Octopus cyanea
Octopus (reef)
Poulpe de récif
🐬 Marine MammalsCommon
Stenella attenuata
Pantropical spotted dolphin
Dauphin tacheté
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Cetoscarus bicolor
Parrotfish (bicolor)
Poisson perroquet bicolore
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Diodon hystrix
Porcupinefish
Poisson porc-épic
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Epinephelus tukula
Potato grouper
Mérou patate
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Chaetodon lunula
Racoon butterflyfish
Poisson papillon raton laveur
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Rhinomuraena quaesita
Ribbon eel
Murène ruban
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Pygoplites diacanthus
Royal angelfish
Poisson ange royal
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Zebrasoma desjardinii
Sailfin tang
Chirurgien voilé
🐠 Large Reef FishSeasonal
Istiophorus platypterus
Sailfish
Voilier
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Scorpaenopsis diabolus
Scorpionfish
Poisson scorpion
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Heteractis magnifica
Sea anemone (magnificent)
Anémone magnifique
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Holothuria spp.
Sea cucumber
Holothurie / Concombre de mer
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Subergorgia spp.
Sea fan (gorgonian)
Gorgone éventail
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Diadema setosum
Sea urchin (diadema)
Oursin diadème
🤡 Small Reef FishRare
Hippocampus histrix
Seahorse (thorny)
Hippocampe épineux
🦈 SharksRare
Carcharhinus albimarginatus
Silvertip shark
Requin à pointes argentées
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Scyllarides spp.
Slipper lobster
Cigale de mer
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Myrichthys colubrinus
Snake eel
Anguille serpent
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Lutjanus bohar
Snapper (two-spot red)
Vivaneau à deux taches
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Sarcophyton spp.
Soft coral (leather)
Corail mou cuir
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Hexabranchus sanguineus
Spanish dancer
Danseuse espagnole
🐬 Marine MammalsSeasonal
Physeter macrocephalus
Sperm whale
Cachalot
🐬 Marine MammalsCommon
Stenella longirostris
Spinner dolphin
Dauphin à long bec
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Panulirus versicolor
Spiny lobster (painted)
Langouste peinte
🐙 RaysCommon
Aetobatus narinari
Spotted eagle ray
Raie aigle tachetée
🦑 InvertebratesCommon
Sepioteuthis lessoniana
Squid (bigfin reef)
Calmar de récif
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Acropora spp.
Staghorn coral
Corail corne de cerf
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Synanceia verrucosa
Stonefish
Poisson pierre
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Acanthurus leucosternon
Surgeonfish (powder blue)
Chirurgien bleu poudre
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Plectorhinchus vittatus
Sweetlips (oriental)
Gaterin oriental
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Acropora hyacinthus
Table coral
Corail tabulaire
🦈 SharksRare
Galeocerdo cuvier
Tiger shark
Requin tigre
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Balistoides viridescens
Titan triggerfish
Baliste titan
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Aulostomus chinensis
Trumpetfish
Poisson trompette
🪸 Corals & SpongesCommon
Callyspongia spp.
Tube sponge
Éponge tube
🐠 Large Reef FishSeasonal
Acanthocybium solandri
Wahoo
Thazard bâtard
🦈 SharksSeasonal
Rhincodon typus
Whale shark
Requin baleine
🦈 SharksCommon
Triaenodon obesus
Whitetip reef shark
Requin à pointes blanches
🤡 Small Reef FishCommon
Labroides dimidiatus
Wrasse (cleaner)
Labre nettoyeur
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Sphyraena flavicauda
Yellowfin barracuda
Barracuda à nageoires jaunes
🐠 Large Reef FishSeasonal
Thunnus albacares
Yellowfin tuna
Thon à nageoires jaunes
🐟 Medium Reef FishCommon
Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
Yellowmargin triggerfish
Baliste à marges jaunes
🐠 Large Reef FishCommon
Gymnothorax nudivomer
Yellowmouth moray
Murène à bouche jaune

What you can see underwater in Mauritius

107 species are described here, grouped from big animals (sharks, rays, turtles, marine mammals) to the small reef life you only notice when a guide points it out. Each species page lists the dive sites where it has been reported.

We tag every species as common, seasonal or rare: 82 are common, 11 seasonal and 14 rare. That tells you what to expect, and what is a bonus.

Browse by group

Names are linked to the species pages. The most viewed in each group come first.

Seeing it for yourself

Sightings are never guaranteed, and seasons shift from year to year. If a particular animal is on your wish list, check its page for where it is reported, then ask the dive center what they are seeing at the moment.