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AquaFrenzy

Species Guide

Tree of Life

Every animal in our guide, placed on the animal family tree. The closer two animals sit, the more recently they shared an ancestor: all the tangs share one twig, while gobies and clownfish grow from neighbouring branches of the same big fish limb.

  • Fish 49
  • Corals & anemones 20
  • Other invertebrates 26
Showing where the Green Star Polyps sits. Show the whole tree

Outline tap a branch to open it

  • Kingdom Animalia Animals 95

    Animals are living things made of many cells that must eat food to live. Fish, corals, crabs, snails and sea stars are all animals.

    • Phylum Arthropoda Arthropods 10

      Arthropods have jointed legs and a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton. To grow, they must crawl out of the old shell, which is called molting.

      • Subphylum Crustacea Crustaceans 10

        Crustaceans are arthropods with a hard shell and two pairs of feelers. Most live in water, like crabs, shrimps and lobsters.

        • Class Malacostraca Malacostracans 10

          This big class of crustaceans includes crabs, shrimps, lobsters and krill. Their bodies are built from about the same number of segments. Part of Multicrustacea

          • Order Decapoda Decapods 10

            Decapod means 'ten feet'. Crabs, shrimps, lobsters and hermit crabs all have ten legs, counting their claws. Part of Eumalacostraca › Eucarida

            • Suborder Pleocyemata Egg-carrying decapods 10

              In this group, the mother carries her eggs stuck under her tail until they hatch. It includes crabs, lobsters, hermit crabs and most shrimps.

              • Superfamily Alpheoidea Snapping, cleaner and anemone shrimps 4

                This group of shrimps includes snapping shrimps, cleaner shrimps and tiny anemone shrimps. Many live closely with other animals. Part of Caridea

              • Family Diogenidae Left-handed hermit crabs 1

                In many of these hermit crabs, the left claw is bigger than the right. They live in empty snail shells. Part of Anomura › Paguroidea

              • Superfamily Majoidea spider crabs 5

                Part of Brachyura › Eubrachyura › Heterotremata

    • Phylum Chordata Chordates 49

      Chordates have a stiff rod running down their back at some point in their lives. In fish and people, this rod is replaced by a backbone.

      • Subphylum Vertebrata Vertebrates 49

        Vertebrates are animals with a backbone and a skull. Fish, frogs, birds and people are all vertebrates.

        • Class Teleostei Teleost fishes 49

          Teleosts are bony fishes with thin, bendy fin rays and jaws that can push forward. Almost all of the fish in the world are teleosts. Part of Gnathostomata › Osteichthyes › Actinopterygii › Actinopteri

          • Order Acanthuriformes Surgeonfishes, angelfishes and kin 14

            This order of fishes includes surgeonfishes, marine angelfishes and rabbitfishes. Many have deep, flat bodies and graze on reefs.

          • Order Apogoniformes Cardinalfishes and nurseryfishes 2

            In this order of fishes, the parents carry their eggs. Male cardinalfish hold the eggs in their mouths until they hatch.

            • Family Apogonidae Cardinalfishes 2

              Cardinalfishes are small fish with big eyes that are most active at night. The males carry the eggs in their mouths.

              • Subfamily Apogoninae Typical cardinalfishes 2

                This is the largest group of cardinalfishes. Like their relatives, the males carry the eggs in their mouths.

          • Order Batrachoidiformes Toadfishes 1

            This order has only one family, the toadfishes. They are chunky fish that sit on the bottom, and many males hum to call a mate.

            • Family Batrachoididae Toadfishes 1

              Toadfishes have wide, flat heads and huge mouths, a bit like toads. The males make humming or whistling sounds to call females to their nests.

          • Order Blenniiformes Blennies and kin 4

            This order includes blennies and their relatives. Most are small fish that perch on the bottom and peek out of holes.

            • Family Blenniidae Combtooth blennies 4

              Combtooth blennies are small fish with rows of comb-like teeth and no scales. Many scrape algae and peek out from holes in rock.

          • Order Callionymiformes Dragonets and kin 1

            Dragonets are small, bottom-living fish with big heads and no scales. Many are very colorful, like the mandarin.

            • Family Callionymidae Dragonets 1

              Dragonets are small fish with big heads and slimy skin instead of scales. They hop along the bottom picking up tiny animals.

          • Order Eupercaria (unplaced) Unplaced eupercarian fishes 11

            Eupercaria is a huge group of fish with spiny fins. Scientists found it by studying DNA, and it holds wrasses, grunts, butterflyfishes and many more. 'Incertae sedis' means 'place not sure': scientists have not yet agreed which order wrasses belong in.

          • Order Gobiiformes Gobies and kin 4

            This order includes gobies and sleepers. Most are small fish that live on the bottom, and many share burrows or perch on rocks.

            • Family Gobiidae Gobies 4

              Gobies are one of the biggest families of fish. Most are small and live on the bottom, and many share burrows with shrimp. Part of Gobioidei

          • Order Ovalentaria (unplaced) Unplaced ovalentarian fishes 8

            Ovalentaria is a big group of fish with spiny fins. Scientists found it by studying DNA, and most of its fish lay eggs that stay stuck to the bottom. 'Incertae sedis' means 'place not sure': scientists have not settled which order damselfishes, dottybacks and basslets belong in.

          • Order Perciformes Perch-like fishes 2

            These fish have sharp spines in the front part of the fin on their back. The name means 'perch-like', and this order holds perches, groupers and soapfishes.

            • Suborder Percoidei 2
              • Family Epinephelidae Groupers 1

                Groupers are big-mouthed hunting fish that swallow their food whole. Most start life as girls, and some turn into boys when they grow big.

              • Family Grammistidae Soapfishes 1

                Soapfishes are cousins of the groupers with slimy, poisonous skin. The slime helps keep other fish from eating them.

          • Order Syngnathiformes Pipefishes, seahorses and kin 1

            These skinny fish have small, tube-shaped mouths and bony rings around their bodies. In many of them, the dads carry the eggs.

            • Family Syngnathidae Pipefishes and seahorses 1

              Pipefishes and seahorses have long snouts, armor plates and no belly fins. The males carry the eggs until the babies are born.

          • Order Tetraodontiformes Pufferfishes, triggerfishes and allies 1

            This order holds puffers, triggerfish, filefish and boxfish. Many have strong teeth or beaks for crunching shells.

            • Family Tetraodontidae Pufferfishes 1

              Puffers can gulp water and blow up like a ball when they are scared. Their teeth are joined into a strong beak, and many have poison in their bodies. Part of Tetraodontoidei

    • Phylum Cnidaria Cnidarians 20

      Cnidarians are soft animals with tentacles. The tentacles have tiny stinging cells. Corals, sea anemones and jellyfish all belong here.

      • Subphylum Anthozoa Corals and sea anemones 20

        These cnidarians spend their whole lives as polyps: a tube with a mouth ringed by tentacles. Unlike jellyfish, they never swim around as a bell-shaped medusa.

        • Class Hexacorallia Hexacorals 17

          In this group the tentacles and body parts come in sixes or multiples of six. It includes stony corals, sea anemones, mushroom corals and zoanthids.

          • Order Actiniaria Sea anemones 1

            Sea anemones are single, soft polyps with no skeleton. They catch food with stinging tentacles, and some give clownfish a home.

            • Family Actiniidae Actiniid sea anemones 1

              This is the biggest family of sea anemones. Many have sticky bumps on their column, and the bubble-tip anemone belongs here. Part of Enthemonae › Actinioidea

          • Order Corallimorpharia Mushroom corals 2

            Mushroom corals, or corallimorphs, look like flat, soft discs. They are close cousins of stony corals but never build a hard skeleton.

            • Family Discosomidae Disc mushroom corals 1

              These mushroom corals form smooth, flat discs that stick to rocks. They come in many colors, and new discs can split off old ones.

            • Family Ricordeidae Ricordea mushrooms 1

              These mushroom corals have bumpy discs. The bumps are short tentacles that look like little bubbles.

              • Genus Ricordea Ricordea mushrooms 1

                Ricordea are mushroom corals covered in tiny tentacles that look like bubbles. One kind lives in the Caribbean, and one lives in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

          • Order Scleractinia Stony corals 13

            Stony corals build hard skeletons out of limestone under their soft polyps. Over many years, these skeletons pile up and make coral reefs.

            • Suborder Refertina Complex corals 7

              Complex corals are one of the two big branches of stony corals, found by studying their DNA. They usually have lighter, more porous skeletons than robust corals.

              • Family Acroporidae Acroporid corals 2

                This is the biggest family of stony corals and includes some of the fastest growers on the reef. Branching staghorns and plating Montipora belong here.

              • Family Dendrophylliidae Dendrophylliid corals 1

                This stony coral family includes Duncan corals, cup corals and orange sun corals. Many have big, colorful polyps, and some have no algae inside them.

                • Genus Duncanopsammia Duncan corals 1

                  Duncan corals grow tubes topped with big, round polyps that look like little flowers. They are a popular, easy aquarium coral.

              • Family Euphylliidae Euphylliid corals 4

                These stony corals have long, fleshy polyps that stay out during the day. They include torch, hammer and frogspawn corals.

            • Suborder Vacatina Robust corals 6

              Robust corals are one of the two big branches of stony corals, found by studying their DNA. They usually build heavier, more solid skeletons than complex corals.

          • Order Zoantharia Zoanthids 1

            Zoanthids are small polyps that live in mats or colonies and have no hard skeleton. They look a bit like tiny sea anemones joined together.

            • Family Zoanthidae Button polyps 1

              This family of zoanthids has smooth polyps joined at the base, like a carpet of colorful buttons. Unlike some cousins, they do not stick sand into their skin. Part of Brachycnemina

        • Class Octocorallia Octocorals 3

          Each octocoral polyp has exactly eight feathery tentacles. Soft corals, sea fans and sea pens belong here.

          • Order Malacalcyonacea Soft corals and sea fans 2

            This order holds most soft corals, such as leather corals and Kenya trees, plus many sea fans. Scientists named it in 2022 after studying octocoral DNA.

            • Family Capnellidae Kenya tree corals and kin 1

              This family of soft corals was named in 2022. It joins tree-shaped Kenya tree corals with some soft corals from cold northern seas.

            • Family Sarcophytidae Leather corals 1

              These soft corals feel tough and rubbery, like leather. They include toadstool and devil's hand leathers, and many make strong chemicals.

          • Order Scleralcyonacea Sea pens, blue corals and kin 1

            This order of octocorals includes sea pens, blue coral, red precious coral and star polyps. It was named in 2022, when scientists studied octocoral DNA.

            • Family Briareidae Briareid soft corals 1

              This family of octocorals forms rubbery mats or fingers on rock. Its polyps can pull back into the mat when they are touched.

              • Genus Briareum Star polyps 1

                Star polyps form a purple or brown mat covered in little star-shaped polyps. Green star polyps are a common aquarium coral.

    • Phylum Echinodermata Echinoderms 7

      Echinoderms are sea animals whose bodies are usually built in five matching parts. They move on hundreds of tiny tube feet, and many have spiny skin.

      • Subphylum Asterozoa Sea stars and brittle stars 3

        These echinoderms have star-shaped bodies with arms spreading out from the middle. The group includes sea stars and brittle stars.

        • Class Asteroidea Sea stars 3

          Sea stars, or starfish, usually have five arms joined to a central disc. Most can grow back an arm they lose.

          • Infraclass Neoasteroidea 3

            Part of Ambuloasteroidea

            • Order Spinulosida 1

              Part of Spinulosacea

            • Superorder Valvatacea Biscuit stars, sand stars and kin 2

              This big group of sea stars includes cushion stars, biscuit stars and sand-burrowing stars. Many have rows of large plates around the edge of their arms.

              • Order Paxillosida Burrowing sea stars 1

                These sea stars live on sand and mud and often dig in. Their tube feet are pointed instead of having suckers.

                • Family Astropectinidae Comb stars 1

                  Comb stars are flat sea stars with stiff spines along the edges of their arms, like a comb. They bury in sand and swallow small animals whole.

              • Order Valvatida Cushion and biscuit stars 1

                This order of sea stars includes cushion stars, biscuit stars and blue Linckia stars. Many have stiff bodies covered in neat plates.

                • Family Goniasteridae Biscuit stars 1

                  Biscuit stars have stiff, flat bodies edged with big, neat plates, a bit like a cookie. Many are brightly colored.

      • Subphylum Echinozoa Sea urchins and sea cucumbers 4

        These echinoderms have no arms. Their bodies are shaped like a ball or a sausage, as in sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

        • Class Echinoidea Sea urchins 3

          Sea urchins have a round shell covered in spines. They chew food with five teeth set in a jaw called Aristotle's lantern.

          • Order Camarodonta Common sea urchins 3

            This order holds many of the round, spiny sea urchins people see most often, from rocky shores to reefs. Part of Euechinoidea › Carinacea › Echinacea

            • Superfamily Odontophora 2

              Part of Echinidea

            • Family Temnopleuridae Temnopleurid urchins 1

              These sea urchins are usually small and have little pits or grooves on their shells. The tuxedo urchin belongs here. Part of Temnopleuridea

              • Genus Mespilia Tuxedo urchins 1

                These small sea urchins have bands of short spines with bare, colorful stripes between them. They often carry bits of shell or algae on their backs.

        • Class Holothuroidea sea cucumbers 1
    • Phylum Mollusca Molluscs 9

      Molluscs are soft-bodied animals, and many of them grow a hard shell. Snails, clams and octopuses are all molluscs.

      • Class Gastropoda Snails and slugs 9

        Gastropods crawl on one big, slimy foot. Most carry a single coiled shell, but sea slugs have lost theirs.

        • Subclass Caenogastropoda 4
          • Order Caenogastropoda (unplaced) 1
          • Order Littorinimorpha Periwinkles, conchs, cowries and kin 1

            This is a huge group of sea snails. It includes periwinkles, cowries and the jumping conchs.

            • Family Strombidae True conchs 1

              True conchs have eyes on long stalks. They move by jumping with a hooked foot, and most of them eat algae. Part of Stromboidea

          • Order Neogastropoda Whelks, cone snails and kin 2

            These sea snails have a long tube, or siphon, that they use to smell the water. Many hunt other animals or eat dead ones.

            • Superfamily Buccinoidea whelks 2
              • Family Fasciolariidae spindle shells and tulip shells 1
              • Family Nassariidae Nassa snails 1

                Nassa snails are small sea snails that live in sand and mud. They sniff out dead animals with a long breathing tube and rush in to eat them.

                • Genus Phrontis American nassa snails 1

                  Phrontis is a group of small nassa snails from the Americas. They live in sand and quickly find leftover food. Part of Nassariinae

        • Order Cycloneritida 1

          Part of Neritimorpha

        • Order Trochida Top and turban snails 4

          These sea snails have shells shaped like a spinning top or a turban. Many graze on algae on rocks. Part of Vetigastropoda