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Wildlife · Country Guide

United States of America

Two oceans, a thousand microclimates, and a dive plan for every style

Updated Dec 16, 2025 • 14 sources

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Wildlife In United States of America

Browse the full species list linked to approved dive spots across United States of America.

Green sea turtle ( Chelonia mydas ), Moorea, French Polynesia
Turtles

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas

24 linked spots

Saltwater Fishes

Grouper/Basslets

11 linked spots

gray snake photography
Rays

Moray Eel

9 linked spots

gray shark in body of water
Sharks

Nurse Shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

7 linked spots

Molluscs

Octopus

7 linked spots

Photo of Hypsypops rubicundus (garibaldi) at the Birch Aquarium in San Diego
Saltwater Fishes

Garibaldi Damselfish

Hypsypops rubicundus

6 linked spots

green and black fish in body of water
Rays

Stingrays

4 linked spots

Sharks

Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

4 linked spots

Gestreifter Adlerrochen ( Pteromylaeus bovinus )
Rays

Eagle Ray

3 linked spots

Molluscs

Nudibranch

3 linked spots

a fish swimming in water
Saltwater Fishes

Parrotfish

3 linked spots

Other Mammals

Sea Lion

3 linked spots

Saltwater Fishes

Snapper

3 linked spots

Saltwater Fishes

Wrasse

3 linked spots

a fish that is swimming in some water
Saltwater Fishes

Angelfish

2 linked spots

a fish that is swimming in the water
Saltwater Fishes

Barracuda

2 linked spots

Freshwater Fishes

Bass

2 linked spots

crab on rock
Crustaceans

Crab

2 linked spots

Saltwater Fishes

Eel

2 linked spots

Rays

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

2 linked spots

brown turtle in sea
Turtles

Hawksbill Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

2 linked spots

Saltwater Fishes

Jackfish

2 linked spots

Red lionfish (Pterois volitans) near Gilli Banta Island (near Komodo, Indonesia)
Saltwater Fishes

Lionfish

2 linked spots

Saltwater Fishes

Porcupinefish

2 linked spots

a large group of fish swimming around a coral reef
Saltwater Fishes

Pufferfish

Tetraodontidae

2 linked spots

Other Mammals

Seal

2 linked spots

Shark swimming with striped fish underwater
Sharks

Bull Shark

Carcharhinus leucas

1 linked spot

a large group of sea lions on the beach
Other Mammals

Fur Seal

1 linked spot

Great white shark at Isla Guadalupe, Mexico, August 2006. Shot with Nikon D70s in Ikelite housing, in natural light. Animal estimated at 11-12 feet (3.3 to 3.6 m) in length, age unknown.
Sharks

Great White Shark

Carcharodon carcharias

1 linked spot

Grey reef shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) Image ID: corl0207, NOAA's Coral Kingdom Collection Location: Pacific Remote Islands, Kingman Reef Photo Date: 2015 Photographer: Kevin Lino NOAA/NMFS/PIFSC/ESD
Sharks

Grey Reef Shark

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

1 linked spot

Shovelnose guitarfish
Rays

Guitarfish

1 linked spot

Scientific name: Dermochelys coriacea Common name Spanish: Tinglar Photo by Claudia Lombard, USFWS Location, Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, US Virgin Islands More information: [1]
Turtles

Leatherback Turtle

Dermochelys coriacea

1 linked spot

Rays

Ribbon Moray Eel (Ghost Eel)

Rhinomuraena quaesita

1 linked spot

Saltwater Fishes

Scorpionfish

Scorpaenidae

1 linked spot

Jellyfish

Sea Nettle

Chrysaora

1 linked spot

Jellyfish

Sea Wasp

1 linked spot

Crustaceans

Shrimp

1 linked spot

Sharks

Silvertip Shark

Carcharhinus albimarginatus

1 linked spot

Rays

Skate Fish

1 linked spot

Saltwater Fishes

Snake Eel

Ophichthidae

1 linked spot

Sharks

Tiger Shark

Galeocerdo cuvier

1 linked spot

Freshwater Fishes

Trout

1 linked spot

Saltwater Fishes

Tuna

1 linked spot

Freshwater Fishes

Walleye

Sander vitreus

1 linked spot

Seahorses and Pipefishes

Weedy Seadragon

Phyllopteryx taeniolatus

1 linked spot

Saltwater Fishes

Wolf Eel

Anarrhichthys ocellatus

1 linked spot