Arafura sea

Fishes
General data
Catches (0)

Mugiliformes - Mullets

Flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)

Squaretail mullet (Ellochelon vaigiensis)

Perciformes - Perches

Bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix)

Two-spot red snapper (Lutjanus bohar)

Emperor red snapper (Lutjanus sebae)

Ribboned sweetlips (Plectorhinchus polytaenia)

Harry hotlips (Plectorhinchus gibbosus)

Yellowbanded sweetlips (Plectorhinchus lineatus)

Lemonfish (Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus)

Two-striped sweetlips (Plectorhinchus albovittatus)

Painted sweetlip (Plectorhinchus picus)

Humpback grouper (Cromileptes altivelis)

Pearl perch (Glaucosoma scapulare)

Blacktail snapper (Lutjanus fulvus)

Russell's snapper (Lutjanus russellii)

Malabar grouper (Epinephelus malabaricus)

Blacktip grouper (Epinephelus fasciatus)

One-blotch grouper (Epinephelus melanostigma)

Comet grouper (Epinephelus morrhua)

Humpback red snapper (Lutjanus gibbus)

Blubberlip snapper (Lutjanus rivulatus)

Common bluestripe snapper (Lutjanus kasmira)

Harlequin sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides)

Peacock hind (Cephalopholis argus)

Coral hind (Cephalopholis miniata)

Spinecheek anemonefish (Premnas biaculeatus)

Clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris)

Randall’s tilefish (Hoplolatilus randalli)

Waigieu seaperch (Psammoperca waigiensis)

Giant grouper (Epinephelus lanceolatus)

Honeycomb grouper (Epinephelus merra)

Potato grouper (Epinephelus tukula)

Spotted soapfish (Pogonoperca punctata)

Two-spot banded snapper (Lutjanus biguttatus)

Brownstripe red snapper (Lutjanus vitta)

One-spot snapper (Lutjanus monostigma)

Yellow-banded snapper (Lutjanus adetii)

Dory snapper (Lutjanus fulviflamma)

Yellow-edged lyretail (Variola louti)

Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips (Plectorhinchus vittatus)

Slender grouper (Anyperodon leucogrammicus)

False scorpionfish (Centrogenys vaigiensis)

Sailfin snapper (Symphorichthys spilurus)

Midnight snapper (Macolor macularis)

Black and white snapper (Macolor niger)

Saddleback clownfish (Amphiprion polymnus)

Darkfin hind (Cephalopholis urodeta)

Blackspot snapper (Lutjanus ehrenbergii)

Roving coral grouper (Plectropomus pessuliferus)

Masked grouper (Gracila albomarginata)

Bowtie damselfish (Neoglyphidodon melas)

Goldenstriped soapfish (Grammistes sexlineatus)

Goldribbon soapfish (Aulacocephalus temminckii)

Starck’s demoiselle (Chrysiptera starcki)

One-spot damselfish (Chrysiptera unimaculata)

Carangiformes - Jacks

Greater amberjack (Seriola dumerili)

Common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus)

Bluefin trevally (Caranx melampygus)

Giant trevally (Caranx ignobilis)

Bigeye trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus)

Golden trevally (Gnathanodon speciosus)

Torpedo scad (Megalaspis cordyla)

Striped marlin (Kajikia audax)

Black marlin (Istiompax indica)

Blue marlin (Makaira nigricans)

Indo-Pacific sailfish (Istiophorus platypterus)

Shortbill spearfish (Tetrapturus angustirostris)

Yellowtail amberjack (Seriola lalandi)

Rainbow runner (Elagatis bipinnulata)

Longfin yellowtail (Seriola rivoliana)

Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

Yellowtail barracuda (Sphyraena flavicauda)

Lamniformes - Mackerel sharks

Great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus)

Smalltooth sand tiger (Odontaspis ferox)

Bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosus)

Carcharhiniformes - Ground sharks

Smooth hammerhead (Sphyrna zygaena)

Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)

Whitetip reef shark (Triaenodon obesus)

Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus)

Blacktail reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

Great hammerhead (Sphyrna mokarran)

Galapagos shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis)

Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis)

Silvertip shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus)

Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus)

Orectolobiformes - Carpet shark

Tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon)

Zebra shark (Stegostoma tigrinum)

Blind shark (Brachaelurus waddi)

Spariformes - Breams and porgies

Atlantic tripletail (Lobotes surinamensis)

Goldlined seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba)

Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus)

Two-lined monocle bream (Scolopsis bilineata)

Orange-striped emperor (Lethrinus obsoletus)

Longface emperor (Lethrinus olivaceus)

Myliobatiformes - Stingrays

Blue-spotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii)

Plavopega trakorepa raža (Taeniura lymma)

Giant manta ray (Mobula birostris)

Cowtail stingray (Pastinachus sephen)

Round ribbontail ray (Taeniurops meyeni)

Scombriformes - Mackerels

Yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri)

Atlantic Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus maculatus)

Dogtooth tuna (Gymnosarda unicolor)

Narrow-barred spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson)

Starry moray (Echidna nebulosa)

Napoleon snake eel (Ophichthus bonaparti)

Giant mottled eel (Anguilla marmorata)

Gymnothorax undulatus (Gymnothorax undulatus)

Speckled longfin eel (Anguilla reinhardtii)

Indonesian shortfin eel (Anguilla bicolor)

Polynesian longfinned eel (Anguilla megastoma)

Zebra moray (Gymnomuraena zebra)

Laced moray (Gymnothorax favagineus)

Fimbriated moray (Gymnothorax fimbriatus)

Giant moray (Gymnothorax javanicus)

Turkey moray (Gymnothorax meleagris)

Yellowmouth moray (Gymnothorax nudivomer)

Tetraodontiformes - Puffers and filefishes

Black triggerfish (Melichthys niger)

White-banded triggerfish (Rhinecanthus aculeatus)

Clown triggerfish (Balistoides conspicillum)

Orange-lined triggerfish (Balistapus undulatus)

Titan triggerfish (Balistoides viridescens)

White-spotted puffer (Arothron hispidus)

Immaculate puffer (Arothron immaculatus)

Stellate puffer (Arothron stellatus)

Spotted sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster solandri)

Valentin’s sharpnose puffer (Canthigaster valentini)

Scrawled filefish (Aluterus scriptus)

Broom filefish (Amanses scopas)

Long-spine porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)

Spot-fin porcupinefish (Diodon hystrix)

Slender-spined porcupine fish (Diodon nicthemerus)

Pinktail triggerfish (Melichthys vidua)

Blackbelly triggerfish (Rhinecanthus verrucosus)

Holocentriformes - Squirrelfishes

Silverspot squirrelfish (Sargocentron caudimaculatum)

Sabre squirrelfish (Sargocentron spiniferum)

Striated frogfish (Antennarius striatus)

Warty frogfish (Antennarius maculatus)

Painted frogfish (Antennarius pictus)

Acanthuriformes - Surgeonfishes

Soldier croaker (Nibea soldado)

Short-nosed unicornfish (Naso brevirostris)

Bluespine unicornfish (Naso unicornis)

Whitemargin unicornfish (Naso annulatus)

Japanese meagre (Argyrosomus japonicus)

Threespot angelfish (Apolemichthys trimaculatus)

Blackspot sergeant (Abudefduf sordidus)

Copperband butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)

Redtail butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare)

Pacific double-saddle butterflyfish (Chaetodon ulietensis)

Bicolor angelfish (Centropyge bicolor)

Peppermint angelfish (Centropyge boylei)

Spotbanded scat (Selenotoca multifasciata)

Blackwedged butterflyfish (Chaetodon falcula)

Threadfin butterflyfish (Chaetodon auriga)

Barred spinefoot (Siganus doliatus)

Mottled spinefoot (Siganus fuscescens)

Orange-spotted spinefoot (Siganus guttatus)

Brown-spotted spinefoot (Siganus stellatus)

Blue-spotted spinefoot (Siganus corallinus)

Foxface rabbitfish (Siganus vulpinus)

Masked spinefoot (Siganus puellus)

Barhead spinefoot (Siganus virgatus)

Bicolored foxface (Siganus uspi)

Lined surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus)

Achilles tang (Acanthurus achilles)

Whitecheek surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricans)

Elongate surgeonfish (Acanthurus mata)

Powderblue surgeonfish (Acanthurus leucosternon)

Convict surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus)

Yellowfin surgeonfish (Acanthurus xanthopterus)

Orangespot surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)

Bluering angelfish (Pomacanthus annularis)

Regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus)

Semicircled angelfish (Pomacanthus semicirculatus)

Emperor angelfish (Pomacanthus imperator)

Yellowface angelfish (Pomacanthus xanthometopon)

Blue-girdled angelfish (Pomacanthus navarchus)

Sixbar angelfish (Pomacanthus sexstriatus)

Scissortail sergeant (Abudefduf sexfasciatus)

Bengal sergeant (Abudefduf bengalensis)

Yellowtail sergeant (Abudefduf notatus)

Indo-Pacific sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis)

Banded sergeant (Abudefduf septemfasciatus)

Labriformes - Wrasses

Green humphead parrotfish (Bolbometopon muricatum)

Eastern blue groper (Achoerodus viridis)

Spottail coris (Coris caudimacula)

Yellowstripe coris (Coris flavovittata)

Yellowtail wrasse (Coris gaimard)

Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

Redbreasted wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus)

Saddle wrasse (Thalassoma duperrey)

Jansen’s wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii)

Sling-jaw wrasse (Epibulus insidiator)

Dusky wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus)

Zigzag wrasse (Halichoeres scapularis)

Tail-spot wrasse (Halichoeres melanurus)

Checkerboard wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus)

Canary wrasse (Halichoeres chrysus)

Purple tuskfish (Choerodon cephalotes)

Blue-spotted wrasse (Anampses caeruleopunctatus)

Barred thicklip (Hemigymnus fasciatus)

Blackeye thicklip wrasse (Hemigymnus melapterus)

Yellowbreasted wrasse (Anampses twistii)

Harlequin tuskfish (Choerodon fasciatus)

Orange-dotted tuskfish (Choerodon anchorago)

Axilspot hogfish (Bodianus axillaris)

Bird wrasse (Gomphosus varius)

Yellowblotch razorfish (Iniistius aneitensis)

Peacock wrasse (Iniistius pavo)

Fivefinger razorfish (Iniistius pentadactylus)

Quoy's parrotfish (Scarus quoyi)

Blackfin hogfish (Bodianus loxozonus)

Splitlevel hogfish (Bodianus mesothorax)

Lyretail hogfish (Bodianus anthioides)

Cylindrical Hogfish (Bodianus cylindriatus)

Redfin hogfish (Bodianus dictynna)

Lined hogfish (Bodianus leucosticticus)

Lampriformes - Lamprids

Giant oarfish (Regalecus glesne)

Mediterranean dealfish (Trachipterus trachypterus)

Mulliformes - Goatfishes

Manybar goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus)

Dash-and-dot goatfish (Parupeneus barberinus)

Gold-saddle goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus)

Yellowstripe goatfish (Mulloidichthys flavolineatus)

Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes

Estuarine stonefish (Synanceia horrida)

Wispy waspfish (Paracentropogon longispinis)

Spotfin lionfish (Pterois antennata)

Red lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Luna Lionfish (Pterois lunulata)

Ryukyu gurnard (Lepidotrigla ryukyuensis)

Gadiformes - Cods

Abyssal grenadier (Coryphaenoides armatus)

Callionymiformes - Dragonets

Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus)

Ocellated dragonet (Synchiropus ocellatus)

Orange-black dragonet (Dactylopus kuiteri)

Moyer's dragonet (Synchiropus moyeri)

Syngnathiformes - Pipefishes and Seahorses

Ringed pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus)

Bluespotted cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii)

Network pipefish (Corythoichthys flavofasciatus)

Echinorhiniformes - Bramble sharks

Prickly shark (Echinorhinus cookei)

Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes

Beaked salmon (Gonorynchus gonorynchus)

Beryciformes - Sawbellies

Alfonsino (Beryx decadactylus)

Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels

Pudgy cuskeel (Spectrunculus grandis)

Brunswig's Cusk-eel (Lamprogrammus brunswigi)

Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses

Atlantic wreckfish (Polyprion americanus)

Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes

Bermuda sea chub (Kyphosus sectatrix)

Brassy chub (Kyphosus vaigiensis)

Longnose hawkfish (Oxycirrhites typus)

Blackside hawkfish (Paracirrhites forsteri)

Arc-eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus)

Coral hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus)

Spotted hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys aprinus)

Dwarf hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys falco)

Siluriformes - Catfishes

Blue salmon catfish (Neoarius graeffei)

Beloniformes - Needlefishes

Flat needlefish (Ablennes hians)

Hound needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus)

Gobiiformes - Gobies

Orange-spotted sleeper-goby (Valenciennea puellaris)

Blueband goby (Valenciennea strigata)

Dusky frillgoby (Bathygobius fuscus)

Pink-speckled shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus)

Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes

Speckled sandperch (Parapercis hexophtalma)

Latticed sandperch (Parapercis clathrata)

Reticulated sandperch (Parapercis tetracantha)

Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes

Large-toothed cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus macrodon)

Five-lined cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus)

Pleuronectiformes - Flatfishes

Peacock flounder (Bothus mancus)

Leopard flounder (Bothus pantherinus)

Aulopiformes - Grinners

Variegated lizardfish (Synodus variegatus)

Brushtooth lizardfish, large-scale grinner or largescale saury (Saurida undosquamis)

Gracile lizardfish (Saurida gracilis)

Blenniiformes - Blennies

Molly miller (Scartella cristata)

Rippled rockskipper (Istiblennius edentulus)

The Arafura Sea (or Arafuru Sea) lies west of the Pacific Ocean, overlying the continental shelf between Australia and Western New Guinea (also called Papua), which is the Indonesian part of the Island of New Guinea.

The Arafura Sea is bordered by the Gulf of Carpentaria and the continent of Australia to the south, the Timor Sea to the west, the Banda and Seram seas to the northwest, and the Torres Strait to the east. (Just across the strait, farther to the east, lies the Coral Sea).

The Arafura Sea is 1,290 kilometres (800 mi) long and 560 kilometres (350 mi) wide.

The depth of the sea is 50–80 m (160–260 ft) in most places, with the depth increasing to the west.

The sea lies over the Arafura Shelf, which is a section of the Sahul Shelf. When sea levels were low during the last glacial maximum, the Arafura Shelf, the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Torres Strait formed a large, flat, land bridge that connected Australia and New Guinea and eased the migration of humans from Asia into Australia. The combined landmass formed the continent of Sahul.