ANIMALS AND FISH OF BELIZE

This a list of the animals and fish of Belize. For further information on the animals and fish of Ambergris Caye, Belize, CLICK HERE!

MAMMALS:
In Belize, as in many places where strangers settle, many of the animals are called by names which range from inaccurate to humorous. This is the result of either mistaken identification of species similar to those at home or of nostalgia for familiar surroundings. This has occurred in Belize in conjunction with a blending of many languages and some imaginative translations. There are many animals which are known locally by odd names, a few of which are mentioned below.

Click for Caribbean Critters a column on the beasties of Belize

Click for AnimalZ of the Reef A-Z, animals of the Belize reef

Click for Belize Dive/Fish ID Cards Wonderful detailed imagery of Belize Reef and Sea Life

A social animal, the Black Howler lives in small troops of four to ten individuals. The leader, a dominant male, controls his family of females and young; they eat, sleep and live in a closely knit unit while keeping strict distance from nearby troops. - The characteristic roars that are heard in both the early morning and late evening are thought to be warnings and a device to place the positions of rival groups. Roaring appears also to be triggered by loud noises, including rain on the leaves of trees, and may thus give rise to the local belief that Howlers can predict rain. The only contact between groups is thought to be the intermittent migrations of young males seeking mates, though these may only form their own troops if space is available. Average territories are from 25 to 50 acres and forest cutting is reducing available land

One method of combating this problem is an experiment in grassroots conservation taking place at Bermudian Landing about thirty miles west of Belize City on the Belize River. This is called the Community Baboon Sanctuary (Baboon is the local name for the Black Howler Monkey). It is a voluntary effort on the part of local farmers and landowners, with help from the Belize Audubon Society, the World Wildlife Fund and others, including the Zoological Society of Milwaukee County. It was founded in February of 1985 with an initial enrollment of eleven landowners and incorporating three square miles. It protected about 150 individual monkeys. By 1987 the number of participating landowners had reached 70 and incorporated 18 square miles; 800 monkeys now fall within the protected area. The reserve is managed by a resident of Bermudian Landing. The movie, "Amate - the Fig Tree," filmed by Richard Foster and seen on PBS Television, documented life around the fig trees of this area.

BIRDS:
Click here for more on the birds of Belize

HERPTOFAUNA:

Many of the reptiles and amphibians of Belize were first collected and described in the 19th century. Due to confusion over regional and city names, some records listed as "Belize" may refer to the city or to the entire country. Also designation may have referred to the city from which specimens were shipped rather than the collection point.

This list included species on record as having been collected in "Belize" or "British Honduras" in the past and/or present literature and those species known from surrounding areas that could reasonably be expected to be found in similar habitats or Belize, for example, those from Peten district of Guatemala.

This list has been compiled from several sources. The primary source was from Henderson and Hoevers 1975, A Checklist and Key to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Belize Central America.. Contributions in Biology and Geology. No. 5, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

COMMON FISH OF THE CORAL REEF AND SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENTS:

SHARKS- Bull Shark, Hammerhead Shark, Blacktip Shark, Tiger Shark, Lemon Shark, Nurse Shark

RAYS - Rajiformes
Southern Stingray, Smalltooth Sawfish, Atlantic Manta, Spotted Eagle Ray, Caribbean Stingray, Lesser Electric Ray, Yellow Stingray

TARPON - Elopidae
Ladyfish, Bonefish

LIZARDFISHES - Synodontidae
Sand Diver, Red Lizardfish, Inshore Lizardfish, Bluestriped Lizardfish, Snakefish

MORAYS - Muraenidae
Green Moray, Chestnut Moray, Viper Moray, Spotted Moray, Backedge Moray, Chain Moray, Goldentail Moray, Purplemouth Moray, Garden Eel

SNAKE EELS - Ophichthidae
Spotted Snake Eel, Goldspotted Eel, Sharptail Eel

HERRINGS - Clupeidae
Redear Herring, Scaled Sardine, False Pilchard, Atlantic Thread Herring, Sheepshead Minnow, Dusky Anchovy,

SILVERSIDES - Atherinidae
Hardhead Silverside, Reef Silverside

HALFBEAKS - Exocoetidae
Balao, Ballyhoo, Halfbeak

TRUMPETFISH - Aulostomidae
Trumpetfish

NEEDLEFISHES - Belonidae
Redfin Needlefish, Keeltail Needlefish, Houndfish

PIPEFISHES & SEAHORSES- Syngnathidae
Sargassum Pipefish, Harlequin Pipefish, Lined Seahorse, Longsnout Seahorse

BIGEYES - Priacanthidae
Glasseye Snapper, Bigeye

SQUIRRELFISHES - Holocentridae
Cardinal Soldierfish, Dusky Squirrelfish, Longjaw Squirrelfish, Reef Squirrelfish, Longspine Squirrelfish, Blackbar Soldierfish

SNOOK - Centropomidae
Snook

GROUPERS - Serranidae
Rock Hind, Red Grouper, Red Hind, Nassau Grouper, Jewfish, Black Grouper, Snowy Grouper, Marbled Grouper, Yellowfin Grouper, Smallmouth Grouper, Comb Grouper, Scamp, Tiger Grouper, Coney, Graysby, Tobaccofish, Mutton Hamlet, Sand Perch, Aquavina, Barred Hamlet, Yellowtail Hamlet, Shy Hamlet, Blue Hamlet, Yellowbelly Hamlet, Golden Hamlet, Blacktail Hamlet, Indigo Hamlet, Black Hamlet, Butter Hamlet, Peppermint Bass, Candy Bass, Cave Bass, School Bass, Orangeback Bass, Two-spot Bass, Lantern Bass, Chalk Bass, Snow Bass, Harlequin Bass, Wrasse Bass

FAIRY BASSLETS - Grammidae
Fairy Basslets, Heliotrope Basslet, Blackcap Basslet, Yellowcheek Basslet, Threeline Basslet

SOAPFISHES - Grammistidae
Reef Bass, Greater Soapfish, Freckled Soapfish

CARDINALFISHES - Apogonidae
Bridle Cardinalfish, Sawcheek Cardinalfish, Twospot Cardinal, Sponge Cardinalfish, Bigtooth Cardinalfish, Whitestar Cardinalfish, Oddscale Cardinalfish, Freckled Cardinalfish, Dusky Cardinalfish, Pale Cardinalfish, Roughlip Cardinalfish, Mimic Cardinalfish, Broadsaddle Cardinalfish, Barred Cardinalfish, Belted, Flamefish, Conchfish

REMORAS - Echeneidae
Sharksucker, Whitefin Sharksucker

JACKS, SCADS & POMPANOS - Carangidae
Bar Jack, Blue Runner, Greater Amberjack, Yellow Jack, Almaco Jack, Rainbow Runner, Horse-eye Jack, Crevalle Jack, Black Jack, Scads, Lookdown, African Pompano, Palometa

SNAPPERS - Lutjanidae
Schoolmaster, Mahogany Snapper, Gray Snapper, Mutton Snapper, Lane Snapper, Dog Snapper, Yellowtail, Blackfin Snapper, Vermilion Snapper, Cubera Snapper

TRIPLETAIL - Lobotidae
Tripletail

MOJARRAS - Gerreidae
Bigeye Mojarra, Mottle Mojarra, Silver Jenny, Yellowfin Mojarra, Flagfin Mojarra, Spotfin Mojarra

GRUNTS - Pomadasyidae
French Grunt, Tomtate, Bluestriped, Black Grunt, Margate, Cottonwi, Spanish Grunt, White Grunt, Striped Grunt, Bronzestriped Grunt, Latin Grunt, Porkfish, Black Margate

PORGIES - Sparidae
Silver Porgy, Pluma, Sheepshead Porgy, Saucereye Porgy, Jolthead Porgy, Sheepshead, Pinfish, Sea Bream

SEA CHUBS - Kyphosidae
Bermuda Chub

DRUMS - Sciaenidae
San Drum, Reef Croaker, Jackknife Fish, Highhat, Spotted Drum

GOATFISHES - Mullidae
Yellow Goatfish, Spotted Goatfish

SWEEPERS - Pempheridae
Glassy Sweeper, Shortfin Sweeper

BUTTERFLYFISHES - Chaetodontidae
Banded Butterflyfish, Spotfin Butterflyfish, Reef Butterflyfish, Foureye Butterflyfish, Longsnout Butterflyfish, Flameback Pygmy Angelfish, Cherubfish, Grunt

ATLANTIC SPADEFISH - Ephippidae
Atlantic Spadefish

ANGELFISHES - Pomacanthidae
Rock Beauty, Queen Angelfish, Blue Angelfish, French Angelfish, Gray Angelfish

DAMSELFISHES - Pomacentridae
Yellowtail Damselfish, Bicolor Damselfish, Honey Damselfish, Dusky Damselfish, Longfin Damselfish, Beaugregory, Threespot Damselfish, Cocoa Damselfish, Sunshinefish, Brown Chromis, Blue Chromis, Redspotted Hawkfish, Sergeant Major, Yellowtail Reeffish, Purple Reeffish, Night Sergeant

WRASSES - Labridae
Puddingwife, Clown Wrasse, Yellowhead Wrasse, Rainbow Wrasse, Slippery Dick, Blackear Wrasse, Yellowsheek Wrass, Spotfin Hogfish, Spanish Hogfish, Hogfish, Creole Wrasse, Dwarf Wrasse, Rosy Razorfish, Bluehead

RAZORFISHES-
Green Razorfish, Pearly Razorfish

PARROTFISHES - Scaridae
Blue Parrotfish, Midnight Parrotfish, Queen Parrotfish, Rainbow Parrotfish, Stoplight Parrotfish, Redtail Parrotfish, Yellowtail Parrotfish, Princess Parrotfish, Striped Parrotfis,h Bucktooth Parrotfish, Greenblotch Parrotfish, Slender Parrotfish, Emerald Parrotfish, Redband Parrotfish

MULLETS - Mugilidae
White Mullet, Fantail, Striped Mullet

BARRACUDAS - Sphyraenidae
Great Barracuda

STARGAZERS - Dactyloscopidae
Sand Stargazer, Saddle Stargazer, Lancer Dragonet

JAWFISHES - Opistognathidae
Yellow Jawfish, Spotfin Jawfish, Mottled Jawfish, Banded Jawfish, Dusky Jawfish, Swordtail Jawfish, Moustache Jawfish, Yellowhead Jawfish

BLENNIES - Clinidae, Blenniidae, Tripterygiidae
Checkered Blenny, Coral Blenny, Banded Blenny, Redeye Triplefin, Longhorn Blenny, Secretary Blenny, Saddle Blenny, Goldline Blenny, Molly Miller, Wrasse Blenny, Redlip Blenny

GOBIES - Gobiidae
Spotfin Gobby, Orange Spot Gobby, Crested Gobby, Rusty Gobby, Quillfin Gobby, Yellowline Gobby, Salty Gobby, Barsnout Gobby, Sharksnose Gobby, Broadstripe Gobby, Cleaning Gobby, Neon Gobby

TOADFISHES - Batrachoididae
Sargassumfish

FROGFISHES - Antennarfdae
Longlure Frogfish, Island Frogfish

TUNAS AND MACKERELS- Scombridae
Tuna, Spanish Mackerel, King Mackerel, Cero

SEAROBIN - Triglidae
Bandtail Searobin

SCORPIONFISHES- Scorpaenidae
Spotted Scorpionfish, Reef Scorpionfish, Plumed Scorpionfish

FLOUNDERS - Bothidae and Pleuronectidae
Eyed Flounder, Peacock Flounder, Gulf Flounder, Tropical Flounder

TRIGGERFISHES - Balistidae
Ocean Triggerfish, Black Durgon, Gray Triggerfish, Sargassum Triggerfish, Queen Triggerfish

SURGEONFISHES - Acanthuridae
Blue Tang, Ocean Surgeonfish, Doctorfish

FILEFISHES - Monacanthidae
Slender Filefish, Whitespotted Filefish, Scrawled Filefish, Orange Filefish, Pygmy Filefish, Fringed Filefish, Orangespotted Filefish

BOXFISHES - Ostraciidae
Honeycomb Cowfish, Scrawled Cowfish, Smooth Trunkfish, Spotted Tninkfish, Tnunkfish

PUFFERS - Tetraodontidae
Bandtail Puffer, Southern Puffer, Caribbean Puffer, Sharpbnose Puffer, Checkered Puffer

PORCUPINE FISHES - Diodontidae
Web Burrfish, Striped Burrfish, Spotted Burrfish, Balloonfish, Porcupinefish

This a list of the animals and fish of Belize. For further information on the animals and fish of Ambergris Caye, Belize, CLICK HERE!

The Geography of Fishing in British Honduras and Adjacent Coastal Areas. 1966, by Alan Knowlton Craig, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Click here for a illustrated guide to the reef species of Belize.

For an incredible resource of Belizean Beasties, visit the Belize Biodiversity Information System by CLICKING HERE!

List of Endangered Plant and Animal Species in Belize: People have asked about a list of endangered species for Belize. Stuart Longhorn has made a spreadsheet for Belizean wildlife that are listed in either the endangered or critically endangered categories of the IUCN Redlis. Those are international assessments - any national lists might be quite different. Within my list from IUCN, are 43 plants, and 49 animals. Note, the lists are very biased towards certain creatures, particularly large conpicuous plants, mammals and fish - often because those select few are well studied. Many others are either neglected or overlooked so please be aware of that bias. RIGHT CLICK HERE and select "download linked file" to download the file

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