DiveJourneyDiveJourney

Wildlife · Destination Guide

Okinawa

Japan's subtropical hub for reefs, caves, whales, and island hopping

Updated Nov 21, 2025 • 9 sources

View On Map

Wildlife In Okinawa

Browse the full species list linked to approved dive spots in Okinawa.

orange and white clown fish
saltwater-fishes

Clownfish

48 linked spots

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

Green Turtle

Chelonia mydas

33 linked spots

Photo of Nudibranch
molluscs

Nudibranch

33 linked spots

A fish that is sitting in the sand
saltwater-fishes

Butterfly Fish

27 linked spots

a blue and yellow fish on a coral reef
saltwater-fishes

Damselfish

19 linked spots

Photo of Snapper
saltwater-fishes

Snapper

19 linked spots

crab on rock
crustaceans

Crab

16 linked spots

brown turtle in sea
turtles

Hawksbill Turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

15 linked spots

Photo of Whitetip Reef Shark
sharks

Whitetip Reef Shark

Triaenodon obesus

14 linked spots

Photo of Shrimp
crustaceans

Shrimp

13 linked spots

Gestreifter Adlerrochen ( Pteromylaeus bovinus )
rays

Eagle Ray

12 linked spots

Photo of Jackfish
saltwater-fishes

Jackfish

11 linked spots

Photo of Scorpionfish
saltwater-fishes

Scorpionfish

Scorpaenidae

11 linked spots

a fish that is swimming in the water
saltwater-fishes

Barracuda

10 linked spots

Photo of Goatfish
saltwater-fishes

Goatfish

10 linked spots

Red lionfish (Pterois volitans) near Gilli Banta Island (near Komodo, Indonesia)
saltwater-fishes

Lionfish

10 linked spots

Photo of Octopus
molluscs

Octopus

10 linked spots

a close up of a sea anemone on the ocean floor
saltwater-fishes

Frogfish

9 linked spots

Photo of Tuna
saltwater-fishes

Tuna

9 linked spots

a fish swimming in water
saltwater-fishes

Parrotfish

8 linked spots

gray snake photography
rays

Moray Eel

7 linked spots

Photo of Wrasse
saltwater-fishes

Wrasse

7 linked spots

Photo of Grouper/Basslets
saltwater-fishes

Grouper/Basslets

6 linked spots

Photo of Loach Goby
freshwater-fishes

Loach Goby

Rhyacichthys aspro

6 linked spots

Photo of Pufferfish
saltwater-fishes

Pufferfish

Tetraodontidae

6 linked spots

Photo of Pygmy Seahorse
seahorses-and-pipefishes

Pygmy Seahorse

6 linked spots

Photo of Trumpetfish
saltwater-fishes

Trumpetfish

6 linked spots

brown octopus swimming under the sea
molluscs

Cuttlefish

5 linked spots

a fish that is swimming in some water
saltwater-fishes

Angelfish

4 linked spots

Photo of Eel
saltwater-fishes

Eel

4 linked spots

Photo of Leaf Scorpionfish
saltwater-fishes

Leaf Scorpionfish

Taenianotus triacanthus

4 linked spots

Photo of Loggerhead Turtle
turtles

Loggerhead Turtle

Caretta caretta

4 linked spots

Photo of Reef Manta Ray
rays

Reef Manta Ray

Mobula alfredi

4 linked spots

a yellow and black spotted fish in an aquarium
saltwater-fishes

Boxfish

Ostraciidae (family)

3 linked spots

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

3 linked spots

Photo of Pipefish
seahorses-and-pipefishes

Pipefish

3 linked spots

green and black fish in body of water
rays

Stingrays

3 linked spots

A moorish idol fish swims in dark water.
saltwater-fishes

Bannerfish

2 linked spots

Photo of Ribbon Moray Eel (Ghost Eel)
rays

Ribbon Moray Eel (Ghost Eel)

Rhinomuraena quaesita

2 linked spots

Photo of Soldierfish
saltwater-fishes

Soldierfish

Myripristinae

2 linked spots

Photo of Surgeonfish
saltwater-fishes

Surgeonfish

Acanthuridae

2 linked spots

A blacktip reef shark swims over sandy seabed.
sharks

Blacktip Reef Shark

Carcharhinus melanopterus

1 linked spots

Photo of Carp
freshwater-fishes

Carp

1 linked spots

Photo of Common Seahorse
seahorses-and-pipefishes

Common Seahorse

Hippocampus kuda

1 linked spots

Photo of Emperor
saltwater-fishes

Emperor

1 linked spots

Photo of Giant Oceanic Manta Ray
rays

Giant Oceanic Manta Ray

Mobula birostris

1 linked spots

Humpback Whale underwater shot
whales

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

1 linked spots

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 spots

gray shark in body of water
sharks

Nurse Shark

Ginglymostoma cirratum

1 linked spots

Photo of Oceanic Whitetip Shark
sharks

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Carcharhinus longimanus

1 linked spots

Photo of Scalloped Hammerhead
saltwater-fishes

Scalloped Hammerhead

Sphyrna lewini

1 linked spots

Photo of Seal
other-mammals

Seal

1 linked spots

Photo of Seamoth
saltwater-fishes

Seamoth

1 linked spots

Photo of Snake Eel
saltwater-fishes

Snake Eel

Ophichthidae

1 linked spots

Photo of Squid
molluscs

Squid

1 linked spots

Photo of Sweetlips and Grunts
saltwater-fishes

Sweetlips and Grunts

1 linked spots

a blue and white fish in an aquarium
saltwater-fishes

Triggerfish

1 linked spots

a whale swimming in the ocean with a lot of fish around it
sharks

Whale Shark

Rhincodon typus

1 linked spots