Fish of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef

This is not an exhaustive list, but it's a good start for the most common fish that can be seen on the reef.

Family: Butterflyfish – Chaetodontidae
Chaetodon striatus – Banded Butterflyfish photo
Chaetodon capistratus – Foureye Butterflyfish photo
Chaetodon ocellatus – Spotfin Butterflyfish photo
Chaetodon sedentarius – Reef Butterflyfish photo
Chaetodon aculeatus – Longsnout Butterflyfish photo

Family: Angelfish – Pomacanthidae
Centropyge argi - Cherubfish photo
Holacanthus ciliaris – Queen Angelfish photo
Holacanthus tricolor – Rock Beauty photo
Pomacanthus paru – French Angelfish photo
Pomacanthus arcuatus – Gray Angelfish photo

Family: Surgeonfish – Acanthuridae
Acanthurus coeruleus – Blue Tang photo
Acanthurus bahianus - Ocean Surgeonfish photo
Acanthurus chirurgus - Doctorfish photo

Family: Jack – Carangidae
Caranx ruber – Bar jack photo
Caranx bartholomaei – Yellow jack photo
Caranx latus – Horse-eye jack photo
Caranx crysos – Blue runner photo
Alectis ciliaris – African pompano photo
Trachinotus goodie – Palometa photo
Trachinotus falcatus - Permit photo

Family: Mackerel – Scombridae
Scomberomorus regalis - Cero photo
Scomberomorus maculates – Spanish Mackerel photo

Family: Needlefish – Belonidae
Ablennes hians – Flat Needlefish photo
Tylosurus crocodiles - Houndfish photo

Family: Barracuda – Sphyraenidae
Sphyraena barracuda – Great Barracuda photo

Family: Bonefish - Albulidae
Albula vulpes - Bonefish photo

Family: Snook – Centropomidae
Centropomus undecimalis – Common Snook photo

Family: Porgy – Sparidae
Calamus calamus – Saucereye Porgy photo

Family: Chub - Kyphosidae
Kyphosus sectatrix/incisor - Chub photo

Family: Mojarra – Gerreidae
Gerres cinereus – Yellowfin mojarra photo

Family: Tarpon - Elopidae
Megalops atlanticus - Tarpon photo

Family: Spadefish - Ephippidae
Chaetodipterus faber - Atlantic Spadefish - photo

Families: Silversides, Herrings, Anchovies – Atherinidae, Clupeidae, Engraulididae

Family: Grunt – Haemulidae
Haemulon flavolineatum – French grunt photo
Haemulon striatum – Striped grunt photo
Haemulon chrysargyreum – Smallmouth grunt photo
Haemulon plumieri – White grunt photo
Haemulon sciurus – Bluestriped grunt photo
Haemulon carbonarium – Caesar grunt photo
Haemulon aurolineatum - Tomtate photo
Haemulon melanurum - Cottonwick photo
Haemulon macrostomum – Spanish grunt photo
Haemulon parra – Sailor's choice photo
Haemulon album – White margate photo
Anisotremus virginicus - Porkfish photo
Anisotremus surinamensis – Black margate photo

Family: Snapper – Lutjanidae
Lutjanus analis – Mutton snapper photo
Lutjanus griseus – Gray snapper photo
Lutjanus cyanopterus – Cubera snapper photo
Lutjanus jocu – Dog snapper photo
Lutjanus mahogoni – Mahogany snapper photo
Lutjanus apodus - Schoolmaster photo
Lutjanus synagris – Lane snapper photo
Ocyurus chrysurus – Yellowtail snapper photo

Family: Chromis/Damselfish – Pomacentridae
Stegastes diencaeus – Longfin damselfish photo
Stegastes planifrons – Threespot damselfish photo
Stegastes variabilis – Cocoa damselfish photo: juvenile; photo: adult
Stegastes leucostictus - Beaugregory photo
Stegastes partitus – Bicolor damselfish photo
Stegastes adustus – Dusky damselfish photo
Microspathodon chrysurus – Yellowtail damselfish photo: juvenile
Abudefduf saxatilis – Sergeant major photo
Chromis enchrysurus – Yellowtail reeffish photo
Chromis cyanea – Blue chromis photo
Chromis multilineata – Brown chromis photo
Chromis scotti – Purple reeffish photo
Chromis insolata - Sunshinefish photo: juvenile

Family: Hamlet/Seabass – Serranidae
Hypoplectrus unicolor - Butter hamlet photo
Hypoplectrus puella – Barred hamlet photo
Hypoplectrus indigo – Indigo hamlet photo
Hypoplectrus guttavarius – Shy hamlet photo
Hypoplectrus aberrans – Yellowbelly hamlet photo
Hypoplectrus gummigutta – Golden hamlet photo
Hypoplectrus chlorurus – Yellowtail hamlet photo
Hypoplectrus nigricans – Black hamlet photo
Hypoplectrus gemma – Blue hamlet photo

Family: Grouper/Seabass – Serranidae
Epinephelus itajara – Goliath grouper photo
Epinephelus striatus – Nassau grouper photo
Cephalopholis cruentatus - Graysby photo
Epinephelus adscensionis – Rock hind photo
Cephalopholis fulvus - Coney photo
Epinephelus guttatus – Red hind photo
Mycteroperca venenosa – Yellowfin grouper photo
Mycteroperca bonaci – Black grouper photo
Mycteroperca tigris – Tiger grouper photo
Mycteroperca interstitialis – Yellowmouth grouper photo

Family: Seabass – Serranidae
Serranus tigrinu – Harlequin bass photo
Serranus tabacarius - Tobaccofish photo
Serranus tortugarum – Chalk bass photo
Paranthias furcifer – Creole fish photo
Rypticus saponaceus – Greater soapfish photo

Family: Basslet – Grammatidae
Gramma loreto – Fairy basslet photo
Gramma melacara - Blackcap basslet photo

Family: Parrotfish – Scaridae
Scarus coeruleus – Blue parrotfish photo
Scarus coelestinus – Midnight parrotfish photo
Scarus guacamaia – Rainbow parrotfish photo
Scarus vetula – Queen parrotfish photo: initial phase; photo: terminal phase
Scarus taeniopterus – Princess parrotfish photo
Scarus inserti – Striped parrotfish photo
Sparisoma aurofrenatum - Redband parrotfish photo
Sparisoma chrysopterum – Redtail parrotfish photo
Sparisoma rubripinne – Yellowtail parrotfish photo
Sparisoma atomarium – Greenblotch parrotfish photo
Sparisoma radians – Bucktooth parrotfish photo
Sparisoma viride - Stoplight parrotfish photo

Family: Wrasse – Labridae
Clepticus parrae – Creole wrasse photo
Halichoeres radiatus - Puddingwife photo
Halichoeres garnoti – Yellowhead wrasse photo
Halichoeres bivittatus – Slippery dick photo
Halichoeres maculipinna – Clown wrasse photo
Halichoeres poeyi – Blackear wrasse photo
Halichoeres pictus – Rainbow wrasse photo
Thalassoma bifasciatum – Bluehead wrasse photo

Family: Hogfish, Razorfish/Wrasse – Labridae
Lachnolaimus maximus - Hogfish photo
Bodianus rufus – Spanish hogfish photo
Xyrichtys martinicensis – Rosy razorfish photo
Xyrichtys novacula – Pearly razorfish photo

Family: Squirrelfish – Holocentridae
Holocentrus adscensionis - Squirrelfish photo
Holocentrus rufus – Longspine squirrelfish photo
Sargocentron coruscum – Reef squirrelfish photo
Sargocentrons vexillarium – Dusky squirrelfish photo
Neoniphon marianus – Longjaw squirrelfish photo
Sargocentron bullisi – Deepwater squirrelfish photo
Myripristis jacobus – Blackbar soldierfish photo

Family: Bigeye – Priacanthidae
Heteropriacanthus cruentatus – Glasseye Snapper photo
Priacanthus arenatus - Bigeye photo

Family: Goby – Gobiidae
Gobiosoma oceanops – Neon goby photo
Gobiosoma prochilos – Broadstripe goby photo
Gnatholepis thompsoni – Goldspot goby photo
Coryphopterus dicrus – Colon goby photo
Coryphopterus eidolon – Pallid goby photo
Coryphopterus glaucofraenum – Bridled goby photo
Coryphopterus personatus/hyalinus – Masked/Striped goby photo
Coryphopterus lipernes – Peppermint goby photo

Family: Blenny – Blenniidae
Ophioblennius atlanticus – Redlip blenny photo

Family: Blenny - Chaenopsidae
Lucayablennius zingaro – Arrow blenny photo
Acanthemblemaria maria – Secretary blenny photo

Family: Blenny- Labrisomidae
Malacoctenus triangulatus – Saddled blenny photo

Family: Jawfish – Opistognathidae
Opistognathus aurifrons – Yellowhead jawfish photo

Family: Lefteye Flounder – Bothidae
Bothus lunatus – Peacock flounder photo

Family: Lizardfish – Synodontidae
Synodus intermedius – Sand diver photo

Family: Hawkfish – Cirrhitidae
Amblycirrhitus pinos – Redspotted hawkfish photo

Family: Trumpetfish – Aulostomidae
Aulostomus maculatus - Trumpetfish photo

Family: Tilefish – Malacanthidae
Malacanthus plumieri – Sand tilefish photo

Family: Smooth and Spiny Puffer – Tetraodontidae
Sphoeroides splengleri – Bandtail puffer photo
Canthigaster rostrata – Sharpnose puffer photo

Family: Porcupine - Diodontidae
Diodon holocanthus - Balloonfish photo
Diodon hystrix - Porcupinefish photo

Family: Boxfish – Ostraciidae
Lactophrys triqueter – Smooth trunkfish photo
Acanthostracion polygonus – Honeycomb cowfish photo
Acanthostracion – Scrawled cowfish photo
Lactophrys bicaudalis – Spotted trunkfish photo

Family: Triggerfish and Filefish – Balistidae
Balistes vetula – Queen triggerfish photo
Canthidermis sufflamen – Ocean triggerfish photo
Melichtys niger – Black durgon photo

Family: Filefishes – Monacanthidae
Aluterus scriptus – Scrawled filefish photo
Cantherhines pullus – Orangespotted filefish photo
Cantherhines macrocerus – Whitespotted Filefish photo

Family: Goatfish - Mullidae
Pseudupeneus maculatus – Spotted goatfish photo
Mulliodichthys martinicus – Yellow goatfish photo

Family: Drum – Sciaenidae
Equetus punctatus – Spotted drum photo
Equetus acuminatus - High-hat photo
Equetus lanceolatus – Jackknife fish photo

Family: Sweeper – Pempheridae
Pempheris schomburgki – Glassy sweeper photo

Family: Remora – Echeneidae
Echeneis naucrates – Sharksucker photo

Family: Scorpionfishes – Scorpaenidae
Scorpaena plumieri - Spotted scorpionfish photo

Family: Moray – Muraenidae
Gymnothorax funebris – Green moray photo
Gymnothorax moringa – Spotted moray photo
Gymnothorax miliaris – Goldentail moray photo

Family: Conger Eel - Congridae
Heteroconger halis – Brown garden eel photo

Family: Stingray – Dasyatidae
Dasyatis americana – Southern stingray photo

Family: Round Stingray - Urolophidae
Urolophus jamaicensis – Yellow stingray photo

Family: Eagle Ray – Myliobatidae
Aetobatus narinari – Spotted eagle ray photo

Family: Electric Ray – Torpedinidae
Narcine brasiliensis – Lesser electric ray photo