Sulu 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)

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)

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)

Orange-spotted trevally (Carangoides bajad)

Rainbow runner (Elagatis bipinnulata)

Longfin yellowtail (Seriola rivoliana)

Istiophoriformes - Barracudas

Great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda)

Yellowtail barracuda (Sphyraena flavicauda)

Scorpaeniformes - Mail-cheeked fishes

Devil firefish (Pterois miles)

False kelpfish (Sebastes marmoratus)

Estuarine stonefish (Synanceia horrida)

False kelpfish (Sebastiscus marmoratus)

Yellowbarred red rockfish (Sebastiscus albofasciatus)

Bartail flathead (Platycephalus indicus)

Wispy waspfish (Paracentropogon longispinis)

Spotfin lionfish (Pterois antennata)

Red lionfish (Pterois volitans)

Luna Lionfish (Pterois lunulata)

Ryukyu gurnard (Lepidotrigla ryukyuensis)

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)

Starspotted smooth-hound (Mustelus manazo)

Orectolobiformes - Carpet shark

Japanese wobbegong (Orectolobus japonicus)

Tasselled wobbegong (Eucrossorhinus dasypogon)

Zebra shark (Stegostoma tigrinum)

Myliobatiformes - Stingrays

Blue-spotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii)

Plavopega trakorepa raža (Taeniura lymma)

Giant manta ray (Mobula birostris)

Reef manta ray (Mobula alfredi)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Lined surgeonfish (Acanthurus lineatus)

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)

Spottail coris (Coris caudimacula)

Yellowtail wrasse (Coris gaimard)

Humphead wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)

Redbreasted wrasse (Cheilinus fasciatus)

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)

Cheeklined wrasse (Oxycheilinus digramma)

Two-spot wrasse (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus)

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)

Gobiiformes - Gobies

Atlantic mudskipper (Periophthalmus barbarus)

Tiger dwarf goby (Mugilogobius tigrinus)

Orange-spotted sleeper-goby (Valenciennea puellaris)

Blueband goby (Valenciennea strigata)

Dusky frillgoby (Bathygobius fuscus)

Pink-speckled shrimpgoby (Cryptocentrus leptocephalus)

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)

Gadiformes - Cods

Abyssal grenadier (Coryphaenoides armatus)

Centrarchiformes - Basses and sunfishes

Spottedtail morwong (Goniistius zonatus)

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)

Callionymiformes - Dragonets

Mandarinfish (Synchiropus splendidus)

Ocellated dragonet (Synchiropus ocellatus)

Ruby Red Dragonet (Synchiropus sycorax)

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)

Spariformes - Breams and porgies

Goldlined seabream (Rhabdosargus sarba)

Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus)

Two-lined monocle bream (Scolopsis bilineata)

Orange-striped emperor (Lethrinus obsoletus)

Longface emperor (Lethrinus olivaceus)

Echinorhiniformes - Bramble sharks

Prickly shark (Echinorhinus cookei)

Saccopharyngiformes - Swallowers and Gulpers

Pelican eel (Eurypharynx pelecanoides)

Gonorynchiformes - Milkfishes

Beaked salmon (Gonorynchus gonorynchus)

Beryciformes - Sawbellies

Alfonsino (Beryx decadactylus)

Ophidiiformes - Cusk-eels

Pudgy cuskeel (Spectrunculus grandis)

Brunswig's Cusk-eel (Lamprogrammus brunswigi)

Kurtiformes - Nurseryfishes & Cardinalfishes

Banggai cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)

Large-toothed cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus macrodon)

Five-lined cardinalfish (Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus)

Acropomatiformes - Oceanic basses

Atlantic wreckfish (Polyprion americanus)

Beloniformes - Needlefishes

Flat needlefish (Ablennes hians)

Hound needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus)

Trachiniformes - Weeverfishes

Speckled sandperch (Parapercis hexophtalma)

Latticed sandperch (Parapercis clathrata)

Reticulated sandperch (Parapercis tetracantha)

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 Sulu Sea is a body of water in the southwestern area of the Philippines, separated from the South China Sea in the northwest by Palawan and from the Celebes Sea in the southeast by the Sulu Archipelago. Borneo is found to the southwest and Visayas to the northeast.

The Sulu Sea contains a number of islands. The Cuyo Islands and the Cagayan Islands are part of the province of Palawan whereas Mapun and the Turtle Islands are part of the province of Tawi-Tawi. Sulu Sea is also where the Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, one of the World Heritage Sites is located.

The Panay Gulf is an extension of the Sulu Sea. Straits out of the Sulu Sea include the Iloilo Strait, the Guimaras Strait, and the Basilan Strait.