| Family |
Species |
Author |
Info |
Occurrence |
Common names |
Abundance |
Max length |
Maturity |
Remark |
Photo |
| Anguillidae |
Anguilla rostrata
|
(Lesueur, 1817) | Fr, Br, M
| native | American eel (English) | | 152 cm TL male/unsexed ;122 cm TL female | | Recorded once from Mango Creek, southern Belize and once from off the coast (Ref. 30499). Also Ref. 3242. |  |
| Ariidae |
Ariopsis assimilis
|
(Günther, 1864) | Fr, Br
| native | Mayan catfish (English) | | 35.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Enters freshwater habitats more readily (Ref. 30499). Also Ref. 58022. |  |
| Batrachoididae |
Batrachoides gilberti
|
Meek & Hildebrand, 1928 | Fr
| native | | scarce (very unlikely) | 23.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Collected from 3 localities in Belizean fresh waters: from Southern Lagoon, Temash River 32 km above the mouth , and from Progresso Lagoon (Ref. 30499). Also known from Turneffe Atoll, South Water Cay Marine Reserve, Sapodilla Cays and Snake Cays. This was observed as a rare species in Belize (Ref. 128811). |  |
| Bryconidae |
Brycon guatemalensis
|
Regan, 1908 | Fr
| native | Macabil (English), Machaca (English) | | 59.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Occurs in the Grijalva River (Ref. 6858). |  |
| Carcharhinidae |
Carcharhinus leucas
|
(Valenciennes, 1839) | Fr, Br, M, Fi
| native | Bull shark (English) | | 360 cm TL male/unsexed ;400 cm TL female | | For export and local consumption. Enters large rivers such as Temash river and in lagoons (Ref. 30499). Recorded from the Honda River (Ref. 79732). |  |
| Centrarchidae |
Micropterus dolomieu
|
Lacepède, 1802 | Fr
| introduced | | | 69.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Centropomidae |
Centropomus ensiferus
|
Poey, 1860 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Swordspine snook (English) | | 36.20 cm TL male/unsexed | | Reported as being taken from the mouth of the Stann Creek and from mangrove channels near St. John's College in Belize City (30499). |  |
| Centropomidae |
Centropomus parallelus
|
Poey, 1860 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Smallscale fat snook (English) | | 72.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Found in Belize in the Temash River, 32 km upstream and in the mangroves channels near St. John's College at Belize City as well as in the continental waters of Nicaragua, Mexico and Costa Rica (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Centropomidae |
Centropomus pectinatus
|
Poey, 1860 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Tarpon snook (English) | | 56.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Collected in Belize from the mangrove channels near St. John's College and from Manatee Bar at Southern Lagoon. |  |
| Centropomidae |
Centropomus poeyi
|
Chávez, 1961 | Fr, Br, M
| native | | | 90.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Characidae |
Astyanax aeneus
|
(Günther, 1860) | Fr
| native | Central tetra (English), Billum (English) | abundant (always seen in some numbers) | 7.50 cm SL male/unsexed ;12.00 cm SL female | | Widespread, almost ubiquitous. Found in mangrove areas near the coast up to streams of Mountain Pine Ridge (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Characidae |
Astyanax bacalarensis
|
Schmitter-Soto, 2017 | Fr
| native | | | 9.48 cm SL male/unsexed | | Known from Sittie River, Toledo district (Ref. 118583). | No picture yet. |
| Characidae |
Astyanax belizianus
|
(Bocourt, 1868) | Fr
| native | Belizean tetra (English), Sardinita beliceña (Spanish) | | | | Known from River Mullins, central Belize (Ref. 118583). | No picture yet. |
| Characidae |
Astyanax macal
|
Schmitter-Soto, 2017 | Fr
| native | Macal tetra (Spanish), Sardinita del Macal (Spanish) | | 6.72 cm SL male/unsexed | | Known only from the upper Macal River, Maya Mountains (Ref. 118583). | No picture yet. |
| Characidae |
Hyphessobrycon compressus
|
(Meek, 1904) | Fr
| native | Mayan tetra (English), Billum (English) | | 4.40 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Characidae |
Psalidodon fasciatus
|
(Cuvier, 1819) | Fr
| native | | | 17.10 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Cichlidae |
Chuco intermedium
|
(Günther, 1862) | Fr
| native | Northern checkmark cichlid (English) | | 20.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Recorded from Sarstoon and Sibun rivers. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Cincelichthys bocourti
|
(Vaillant & Pellegrin, 1902) | Fr
| native | Chisel-tooth cichlid (English) | scarce (very unlikely) | 20.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Cichlidae |
Cribroheros robertsoni
|
(Regan, 1905) | Fr
| native | False firemouth cichlid (English) | | 19.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Found in the Belize River. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Cryptoheros chetumalensis
|
Schmitter-Soto, 2007 | Fr
| native | | | 9.70 cm SL male/unsexed | | Known from Belize River (Ref. 74403). |  |
| Cichlidae |
Cryptoheros spilurus
|
(Günther, 1862) | Fr
| native | Blue-eye cichlid (English) | | 12.00 cm TL male/unsexed ;8.00 cm TL female | | Found in the Belize River; recorded also from the Rio Sarstoon. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Mayaheros urophthalmus
|
(Günther, 1862) | Fr, Br
| native | Mayan cichlid (English) | | 39.40 cm TL male/unsexed | | Reported in the brackish-water lagoon in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Cichlidae |
Parachromis friedrichsthalii
|
(Heckel, 1840) | Fr, Br
| native | Mus mus (Creole, English), Yellowjacket cichlid (English), Guapote (Spanish) | | 28.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Known from Belize and Sarstoon rivers. Also Ref. 4537. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Petenia splendida
|
Günther, 1862 | Fr, Fi
| native | Bay snook (English), Blanco (Spanish) | | 50.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Known from the Belize River. Consumed locally. Also Ref. 12251. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Rocio octofasciata
|
(Regan, 1903) | Fr
| native | Jack dempsey (English) | | 25.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Known from Sarstoon and Belize rivers. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Thorichthys affinis
|
(Günther, 1862) | Fr
| native | | | 14.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Cichlidae |
Thorichthys aureus
|
(Günther, 1862) | Fr
| native | Golden firemouth cichlid (English) | | 15.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Found in Golden Creek (Ref. 36377). |  |
| Cichlidae |
Thorichthys meeki
|
Brind, 1918 | Fr
| native | Panya gial (Creole, English), Firemouth cichlid (English) | common (usually seen) | 17.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Abundant in the Belize river system and to the north (Ref. 30499). Also Ref. 5723, 1739, 12251. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Trichromis salvini
|
(Günther, 1862) | Fr
| native | Yellowbelly cichlid (English) | | 22.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Found in the Clearwater Creek. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Vieja maculicauda
|
(Regan, 1905) | Fr, Br
| native | Blackbelt cichlid (English) | | 25.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Found in Belize, Monkey and Sarstoon rivers. Also Ref. 4537. |  |
| Cichlidae |
Vieja melanurus
|
(Günther, 1862) | Fr
| native | Redhead cichlid (English) | | 35.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Recorded from Clearwater Creek, Belize River and Progresso Lagoon. Also Ref. 4537. |  |
| Cynoglossidae |
Symphurus plagiusa
|
(Linnaeus, 1766) | Fr, Br, M
| native | | | 21.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Cyprinodontidae |
Cyprinodon artifrons
|
Hubbs, 1936 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Yucatan pupfish (English) | | 6.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Found in Hector creek, offshore cays south to Cay Croker, north of Belize city, found at least once in freshwater (Ref. 30499). | No picture yet. |
| Cyprinodontidae |
Floridichthys polyommus
|
Hubbs, 1936 | Fr
| native | Ocellated killifish (English) | | 19.50 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Cyprinodontidae |
Garmanella pulchra
|
Hubbs, 1936 | Fr, Br
| native | Orange flagfish (English) | | 4.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Found in northern Belize (Ref. 4537). |  |
| Dorosomatidae |
Dorosoma anale
|
Meek, 1904 | Fr
| native | Longfin gizzard shad (English) | | 23.60 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Dorosomatidae |
Dorosoma petenense
|
(Günther, 1867) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Threadfin shad (English) | | 33.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Also Ref. 93252. |  |
| Eleotridae |
Dormitator maculatus
|
(Bloch, 1792) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Fat sleeper (English) | | 70.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Eleotridae |
Eleotris amblyopsis
|
(Cope, 1871) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Large-scaled spinycheek sleeper (English) | | 8.30 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Eleotridae |
Eleotris pisonis
|
(Gmelin, 1789) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Small-scaled spinycheek sleeper (English) | | 25.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Eleotridae |
Gobiomorus dormitor
|
Lacepède, 1800 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Bigmouth sleeper (English) | | 90.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Engraulidae |
Anchoa belizensis
|
(Thomerson & Greenfield, 1975) | Fr
| native | Belize anchovy (English) | | 5.80 cm SL male/unsexed | | Reported from the Sibun River 20 km from sea (Ref. 189). |  |
| Engraulidae |
Anchoa parva
|
(Meek & Hildebrand, 1923) | Fr, Br, M
| native | | | 9.10 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Engraulidae |
Lycengraulis grossidens
|
(Spix & Agassiz, 1829) | Fr, Br, M
| native | | | 23.50 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Gerreidae |
Eugerres plumieri
|
(Cuvier, 1830) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Striped mojarra (English) | | 40.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Museum: FMNH 77820, 76939 (Ref. 33568). |  |
| Gerreidae |
Gerres cinereus
|
(Walbaum, 1792) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Yellowfin mojarra (English) | occasional (usually not seen) | 41.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Known from Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, Turneffe Atoll, South Water Cay Marine Reserve, Sapodilla Cays and Snake Cays (Ref. 128811). Reported in the continental waters of Mexico and enters rivers in Colombia (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Gobiidae |
Awaous banana
|
(Valenciennes, 1837) | Fr, Br
| native | River goby (English) | | 30.00 cm SL male/unsexed ;24.38 cm SL female | | Mainly in freshwater rivers and streams; feeds on the aquatic insects (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Gobiidae |
Ctenogobius claytonii
|
(Meek, 1902) | Fr
| native | | | 5.80 cm SL male/unsexed | | | No picture yet. |
| Gobiidae |
Evorthodus lyricus
|
(Girard, 1858) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Lrye goby (English) | | 15.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Common in muddy estuarine environments and along the entire coast of Belize; found also in the Sibun river (Ref.30499) |  |
| Gobiidae |
Gobioides broussonnetii
|
Lacepède, 1800 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Violet goby (English) | | 55.30 cm TL male/unsexed | | Found in the muddy marsh habitats and areas of low salinity (Ref.30499). |  |
| Gobiidae |
Gobiosoma yucatanum
|
Dawson, 1971 | Fr, Br
| native | Yucatan goby (English) | | 2.60 cm SL male/unsexed | | Found in the mangrove channels near St. John's College, Belize city, Gales Point on southern lagoon, Manatee and Sibun river 0.8 km from Freetown (Ref. 30499). Also Ref. 50190. |  |
| Gobiidae |
Lophogobius cyprinoides
|
(Pallas, 1770) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Crested goby (English) | scarce (very unlikely) | 10.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Found in the mouths of rivers and inland lagoons of Belize. Reported from Río Papaloápan, Alvarado, Veracruz and Mexico (Ref. 30499). Also known from Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, Turneffe Atoll, South Water Cay Marine Reserve, Sapodilla Cays and Snake Cays. This was observed as a rare species in Belize (Ref. 128811). |  |
| Haemulidae |
Rhonciscus crocro
|
(Cuvier, 1830) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Burro grunt (English) | | 38.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Recorded from Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Colombia and Mexico (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Heptapteridae |
Rhamdia laticauda
|
(Kner, 1858) | Fr
| native | Cave chulín (English), Filespine chulín (English) | | 29.40 cm SL male/unsexed | | Type locality: A cave in the Mountain Pine Ridge of Belize, Central America (Ref. 27299). Also Ref. 36914. |  |
| Heptapteridae |
Rhamdia quelen
|
(Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) | Fr
| native | Guatemalan chulín (English) | | 61.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Also Ref. 30499. |  |
| Ictaluridae |
Ictalurus meridionalis
|
(Günther, 1864) | Fr
| native | | | 73.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Known from the Hondo basin (Ref. 87780). | No picture yet. |
| Lepisosteidae |
Atractosteus tropicus
|
Gill, 1863 | Fr
| native | | | 125 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Megalopidae |
Megalops atlanticus
|
Valenciennes, 1847 | Fr, Br, M, Fi, Sp
| native | Tarpon (English) | occasional (usually not seen) | 250 cm TL male/unsexed | | Threatened and unprotected (Ref. 26840). Known from Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, Turneffe Atoll, South Water Cay Marine Reserve, Sapodilla Cays and Snake Cays (Ref. 128811). Occurs in Lake Nicaragua and Costa Rica (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Mugilidae |
Dajaus monticola
|
(Bancroft, 1834) | Fr
| native | Mountain mullet (English) | | 36.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Reported in Honduras (Ref.30499). |  |
| Mugilidae |
Joturus pichardi
|
Poey, 1860 | Fr, Br
| native | | | 61.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Mugilidae |
Mugil liza
|
Valenciennes, 1836 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Liza (English), Mullet (English) | | 80.00 cm TL male/unsexed ;69.00 cm TL female | | |  |
| Mugilidae |
Mugil trichodon
|
Poey, 1875 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Fantail mullet (English) | | 46.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Found along its coastline (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Belonesox belizanus
|
Kner, 1860 | Fr, Br, M
| native | Pike killifish (English) | | 20.00 cm TL male/unsexed ;15.00 cm TL female | | Abundant in shallow water and areas of heavy vegetation; adults and young reported 20 km offshore from Belize City (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Carlhubbsia stuarti
|
Rosen & Bailey, 1959 | Fr
| native | Barred livebearer (English) | | 5.50 cm SL male/unsexed ;4.50 cm female | | Reported only from Mafredi swamp (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Gambusia luma
|
Rosen & Bailey, 1963 | Fr, Br
| native | Sleek mosquitofish (English) | | 4.20 cm SL male/unsexed ;4.00 cm female | | |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Gambusia nicaraguensis
|
Günther, 1866 | Fr, Br
| native | Nicaraguan mosquitofish (English) | | 3.00 cm SL male/unsexed ;4.08 cm SL female | | Found in undiluted seawter in a lagoon at Middle Snake Cay in southern Belize and St. Georges Cay (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Gambusia sexradiata
|
Hubbs, 1936 | Fr, Br
| native | Teardrop mosquito (English) | | 2.60 cm SL male/unsexed ;3.51 cm SL female | | Recorded from the Mojo river drainage. Most abundant in the northern half of the country, at localities distant from the ocean. Of all Belizean species of Gambusia, it is found to be the least tolerant to seawater. |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Gambusia yucatana
|
Regan, 1914 | Fr
| native | | | 5.50 cm TL male/unsexed ;8.00 cm TL female | | |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Phallichthys fairweatheri
|
Rosen & Bailey, 1959 | Fr
| native | Picotee livebearer (English) | | 3.75 cm SL male/unsexed ;4.50 cm female | | |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Poecilia kykesis
|
Poeser, 2002 | Fr
| native | | | 13.00 cm SL male/unsexed ;10.00 cm SL female | | Found in the Mussel creek drainage (Ref. 30499). Also known from Hondo and New rivers (Ref. 35631). |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Poecilia mexicana
|
Steindachner, 1863 | Fr, Br
| native | Shortfin molly (English) | | 11.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Poecilia orri
|
Fowler, 1943 | Fr, Br
| native | Mangrove molly (English) | | 5.60 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Poecilia teresae
|
Greenfield, 1990 | Fr
| endemic | Mountain molly (English) | | 4.98 cm SL male/unsexed | | Type locality: Macal R. on Mountain Pine Ridge, trib. of e. branch of Belize R., Belize, 16°52'N, 89°01'W. | No picture yet. |
| Poeciliidae |
Pseudoxiphophorus bimaculatus
|
(Heckel, 1848) | Fr
| native | Twospot livebearer (English) | | 7.00 cm TL male/unsexed ;15.00 cm female | | |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Xiphophorus hellerii
|
Heckel, 1848 | Fr, Br
| native | Green swordtail (English) | | 14.00 cm TL male/unsexed ;16.00 cm TL female | | Found in Belize River. |  |
| Poeciliidae |
Xiphophorus maculatus
|
(Günther, 1866) | Fr
| native | Southern platyfish (English) | occasional (usually not seen) | 4.00 cm TL male/unsexed ;6.00 cm TL female | | Also Ref. 129076. |  |
| Profundulidae |
Profundulus guatemalensis
|
(Günther, 1866) | Fr
| native | | | 7.50 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Rivulidae |
Cynodonichthys tenuis
|
Meek, 1904 | Fr
| native | Dogtooth rivulus (English) | | 6.50 cm TL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Rivulidae |
Kryptolebias marmoratus
|
(Poey, 1880) | Fr
| native | Mangrove rivulus (English) | | 7.50 cm TL male/unsexed | | Can be found in standing water that fills burrows of mangrove (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Sparidae |
Archosargus probatocephalus
|
(Walbaum, 1792) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Southern sheeps head (English) | | 91.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | Most common in estuaries, bays, brackish and freshwater(Ref. 30499). |  |
| Synbranchidae |
Ophisternon aenigmaticum
|
Rosen & Greenwood, 1976 | Fr
| native | Obscure swamp eel (English) | | 80.00 cm TL male/unsexed | | | No picture yet. |
| Syngnathidae |
Pseudophallus mindii
|
(Meek & Hildebrand, 1923) | Fr
| native | | | 16.00 cm SL male/unsexed | | Caught at the Río Hondo at San Antonio and at Hector Creek, a tributary of the Sibun River (Ref. 30499). |  |
| Syngnathidae |
Syngnathus scovelli
|
(Evermann & Kendall, 1896) | Fr, Br, M
| native | Gulf pipefish (English) | | 18.30 cm SL male/unsexed | | |  |
| Tripterygiidae |
Enneanectes quadra
|
Victor, 2017 | Fr, M
| native | | | 2.35 cm SL male/unsexed | | Collectedf from Glover’s Reef, wreck of Alps and Carrie Bow Cay (Ref. 116142). |  |
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