Red Sea field guide
Marine life of Hurghada
212+ species you can actually meet on our reefs: fish, turtles, dolphins, dugongs, rays, and corals, with photos and where to find them.
The Red Sea around Hurghada and Makadi Bay is one of the richest easy access reef systems on the planet. Warm, clear water, 20 to 30 meter visibility, and reefs that start right at the shore mean you meet more animals per dive here than almost anywhere else. About one in ten Red Sea reef fish lives nowhere else on Earth.
This guide covers the 212 species our guides point out most often on Hurghada boat dives, the Makadi Bay house reef, and Marsa Alam day trips: from the endemic masked butterflyfish and Red Sea clownfish to Napoleon wrasse, spinner dolphins at Shaab El Erg, green turtles in the seagrass, and the soft coral gardens that make sites like Small Giftun and Abu Ramada famous. Use the search and filters, and ask your guide to help you tick species off on the surface interval.
Oceanic dolphinsSpinner dolphin
Stenella longirostris
The acrobat of the Red Sea, famous for spinning leaps. Resident pods rest in lagoons like Shaab El Erg near Hurghada.
Oceanic dolphinsIndo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin
Tursiops aduncus
Curious and social, often riding boat bow waves between the Hurghada reefs.
Oceanic dolphinsRisso's dolphin
Grampus griseus
A deep-water dolphin with a blunt head and scratched grey skin, seen on crossings to offshore reefs.
Sea cowsDugong
Dugong dugon
The Red Sea's gentle seagrass grazer. Regularly encountered at Marsa Mubarak and Abu Dabbab in Marsa Alam.
Sea turtlesGreen turtle
Chelonia mydas
The big seagrass eater. Grazes the bays of Makadi and Marsa Alam and rests under reef ledges.
Sea turtlesHawksbill turtle
Eretmochelys imbricata
A reef specialist with a beak-like mouth, usually seen nibbling soft corals and sponges on Giftun reefs.
Sea turtlesLoggerhead turtle
Caretta caretta
A powerful, big-headed turtle that passes through Hurghada waters on long migrations.
Requiem sharksWhitetip reef shark
Triaenodon obesus
A calm night hunter that naps under coral tables by day. A classic sighting at Small Giftun.
Requiem sharksGrey reef shark
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos
Patrols steep drop-offs and current points on the outer Hurghada reefs.
Requiem sharksBlacktip reef shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Recognized by black fin tips, often cruising shallow lagoon edges.
Requiem sharksOceanic whitetip shark
Carcharhinus longimanus
A bold open-water shark with huge rounded fins, met at offshore Red Sea reefs in autumn.
Hammerhead sharksScalloped hammerhead
Sphyrna lewini
Schools in the blue off deep Red Sea walls in summer, a bucket-list encounter.
Carpet sharksWhale shark
Rhincodon typus
The biggest fish in the sea, a harmless plankton feeder that visits Hurghada in early summer.
Carpet sharksZebra shark
Stegostoma fasciatum
A spotted, docile bottom shark that rests on sand patches near reefs.
Nurse sharksTawny nurse shark
Nebrius ferrugineus
A placid shark that wedges itself under ledges by day.
StingraysBluespotted ribbontail ray
Taeniura lymma
Electric-blue spots on a golden disc. Seen on nearly every sandy patch in Hurghada.
StingraysBluespotted stingray
Neotrygon kuhlii
A shy sand-dweller that buries itself with only the eyes showing.
Eagle raysSpotted eagle ray
Aetobatus narinari
Glides along reef walls like a bird, white spots on a dark back.
MantasReef manta ray
Mobula alfredi
An unforgettable visitor that sometimes barrel-rolls through plankton clouds off Hurghada.
StingraysFeathertail stingray
Pastinachus sephen
A large ray with a distinctive banner-like tail fold, resting on lagoon sand.
Electric raysPanther electric ray
Torpedo panthera
A round ray that can produce a defensive electric pulse. Look, do not touch.
GuitarfishesHalavi guitarfish
Glaucostegus halavi
Half shark, half ray in looks. Cruises sandy bays around Makadi.
Moray eelsGiant moray
Gymnothorax javanicus
The boss of the reef crevices. Opens and closes its mouth to breathe, not to threaten.
Moray eelsYellowmouth moray
Gymnothorax nudivomer
Flashes a bright yellow mouth when it gapes from its hole.
Moray eelsGrey moray
Siderea grisea
A small, pale moray common in shallow Makadi house reef holes.
Moray eelsSnowflake moray
Echidna nebulosa
Prettily patterned in black and gold flecks, hunts crabs in the shallows.
Moray eelsZebra moray
Gymnomuraena zebra
Bold black-and-white bands, a gentle crab-crusher.
Moray eelsPeppered moray
Siderea picta
Speckled like pepper, often half out of its hole at night.
Moray eelsGeometric moray
Gymnothorax griseus
Neat rows of dark dots on the head. Frequently free-swimming at dusk.
Garden eelsSpotted garden eel
Heteroconger hassi
Colonies sway like grass from the sand and vanish when you get close.
GroupersCoral hind
Cephalopholis miniata
A jewel of the reef: scarlet body sprinkled with sapphire spots.
GroupersLyretail grouper
Variola louti
Yellow-edged fins and a moon-shaped tail; a handsome wall hunter.
GroupersRedmouth grouper
Aethaloperca rogaa
Dark and stocky with a red-lined mouth, loves wreck shadows.
GroupersMalabar grouper
Epinephelus malabaricus
A heavyweight that hangs in wrecks and under big coral heads.
GroupersSumman grouper
Epinephelus summana
A Red Sea endemic with white speckles, common on shallow reef flats.
GroupersBlacktip grouper
Epinephelus fasciatus
Reddish bands and black fin tips, always perched on a coral outpost.
GroupersPeacock grouper
Cephalopholis argus
Deep blue with brilliant spots, ambushes from the shade.
AnthiasSea goldie
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
The orange cloud above every Red Sea reef. Males are purple with a long fin ray.
AnthiasStriped anthias
Pseudanthias taeniatus
A Red Sea endemic in red and white, schooling deeper than the sea goldies.
ButterflyfishMasked butterflyfish
Chaetodon semilarvatus
Bright yellow with a blue-grey eye mask. Faithful pairs shelter under table corals, a Red Sea signature.
ButterflyfishDiagonal butterflyfish
Chaetodon fasciatus
The Red Sea raccoon butterflyfish, striped like sunset light through water.
ButterflyfishExquisite butterflyfish
Chaetodon austriacus
A coral-feeding endemic with bold black polka lines.
ButterflyfishCrown butterflyfish
Chaetodon paucifasciatus
Silver with a red crown patch; usually in pairs along reef edges.
ButterflyfishOrangeface butterflyfish
Chaetodon larvatus
Hooded in burnt orange with white chevrons, guards its coral patch fiercely.
ButterflyfishLined butterflyfish
Chaetodon lineolatus
The largest butterflyfish, elegant in white with fine black lines.
ButterflyfishThreadfin butterflyfish
Chaetodon auriga
Carries a trailing dorsal filament and a false eye spot to confuse predators.
ButterflyfishChevron butterflyfish
Chaetodon trifascialis
Lives its whole life around a single table coral.
ButterflyfishWhite-face butterflyfish
Chaetodon mesoleucos
A southern Red Sea special with a pale face and brown body.
ButterflyfishRed Sea bannerfish
Heniochus intermedius
The endemic 'poor man's Moorish idol' with a long white pennant fin.
ButterflyfishSchooling bannerfish
Heniochus diphreutes
Forms sociable mid-water schools off steep walls.
AngelfishEmperor angelfish
Pomacanthus imperator
Royal blue and yellow pinstripes. Juveniles wear a completely different swirl pattern.
AngelfishYellowbar angelfish
Pomacanthus maculosus
A big violet angelfish with a golden brushstroke on its side, often on wrecks.
AngelfishArabian angelfish
Pomacanthus asfur
Deep indigo with a crescent of gold. Shyer than its cousins, seen in lagoons.
AngelfishRoyal angelfish
Pygoplites diacanthus
Blue-and-orange candy stripes, patrolling ledges and cave mouths.
AngelfishZebra angelfish
Genicanthus caudovittatus
A plankton-eating angelfish of deeper walls; males wear zebra bars.
ParrotfishSteephead parrotfish
Chlorurus gibbus
A heavy green parrotfish whose beak crunches coral rock into future beach sand.
ParrotfishBullethead parrotfish
Chlorurus sordidus
The everyday grazer of reef flats, changing colors as it matures.
ParrotfishRusty parrotfish
Scarus ferrugineus
Males glow teal and orange; sleeps in a mucus cocoon at night.
ParrotfishBicolour parrotfish
Cetoscarus bicolor
Begins life white with an orange band and ends it in psychedelic green.
ParrotfishLongnose parrotfish
Hipposcarus harid
Sandy-lagoon specialist with an elongated pale snout.
ParrotfishPurple-brown parrotfish
Scarus fuscopurpureus
A subtle beauty in wine and turquoise shades.
WrassesNapoleon wrasse
Cheilinus undulatus
The gentle giant of Red Sea reefs, with maze markings and a famous forehead hump.
WrassesKlunzinger's wrasse
Thalassoma rueppellii
A hyperactive endemic painted in green and pink scribbles, everywhere on the house reef.
WrassesBroomtail wrasse
Cheilinus lunulatus
Males show a ragged broom-like tail and emerald cheeks.
WrassesCheckerboard wrasse
Halichoeres hortulanus
A chessboard pattern behind the head; flips rubble looking for snacks.
WrassesBird wrasse
Gomphosus caeruleus
Uses its curved beak-snout to pluck prey from coral cracks; males are bottle green.
WrassesBluestreak cleaner wrasse
Labroides dimidiatus
Runs the reef's cleaning stations, picking parasites from anything that queues.
WrassesFourline wrasse
Larabicus quadrilineatus
A tiny endemic; juveniles clean bigger fish, adults nibble coral polyps.
WrassesSlingjaw wrasse
Epibulus insidiator
Shoots out a telescopic jaw to vacuum up shrimp in a blink.
WrassesCigar wrasse
Cheilio inermis
A torpedo-shaped seagrass hunter, often escorting goatfish.
WrassesRed Sea eightline flasher
Paracheilinus octotaenia
Males 'flash' electric fins in courtship displays over rubble slopes.
SurgeonfishSohal surgeonfish
Acanthurus sohal
The wave-zone warrior of Red Sea reef crests, striped like a racing car.
SurgeonfishYellowtail tang
Zebrasoma xanthurum
Royal purple body, lemon tail. A Red Sea classic around coral heads.
SurgeonfishSailfin tang
Zebrasoma desjardinii
Raises huge banded sails when it wants to look bigger.
SurgeonfishBrown surgeonfish
Acanthurus nigrofuscus
The humble lawn-mower keeping algae in check across every reef flat.
SurgeonfishStriated surgeonfish
Ctenochaetus striatus
Bristle-toothed detritus feeder with fine pinstripes.
UnicornfishOrangespine unicornfish
Naso elegans
Orange tail blades and a painter's palette face; no horn despite the name.
UnicornfishBluespine unicornfish
Naso unicornis
Carries a real horn and two fixed blue tail blades.
UnicornfishSpotted unicornfish
Naso brevirostris
A long-horned plankton eater hanging off the reef edge in groups.
TriggerfishTitan triggerfish
Balistoides viridescens
The reef's bulldozer. Give its nesting craters space in summer and enjoy the show from the side.
TriggerfishArabian picassofish
Rhinecanthus assasi
A Red Sea Picasso painting with blue lips, patrolling sandy lagoon edges.
TriggerfishOrange-striped triggerfish
Balistapus undulatus
Green with curved orange racing stripes; a feisty little guardian.
TriggerfishBlue triggerfish
Pseudobalistes fuscus
Blue lace over yellow, often blowing water jets into sand to find urchins.
TriggerfishYellowmargin triggerfish
Pseudobalistes flavimarginatus
A big sandy-lagoon nester with yellow-edged fins.
TriggerfishRedtoothed triggerfish
Odonus niger
Blue-black clouds of them feed on plankton above drop-offs, red fangs and all.
PufferfishMasked puffer
Arothron diadematus
A Red Sea endemic wearing a black bandit mask, dozing on coral by day.
PufferfishWhitespotted puffer
Arothron hispidus
A polka-dotted vacuum cleaner of sandy bottoms.
Pufferfish
PufferfishSharpnose puffer
Canthigaster margaritata
The Red Sea toby: tiny, curious, painted with pearl lines.
PorcupinefishSpotted porcupinefish
Diodon hystrix
Big soulful eyes by day, spiky balloon only if truly threatened.
BoxfishYellow boxfish
Ostracion cubicus
Juveniles are yellow dice with black dots, putt-putting around coral heads.
BoxfishBluetail trunkfish
Ostracion cyanurus
An endemic jewel-box: navy body, yellow back, sapphire tail.
SnappersTwinspot snapper
Lutjanus bohar
The red bass of the Red Sea, shadowing divers along steep walls.
SnappersBluestripe snapper
Lutjanus kasmira
Sunny yellow schools with four electric blue stripes, a photographer's gift.
SnappersEhrenberg's snapper
Lutjanus ehrenbergii
Gathers in silver-yellow clouds around jetties and seagrass.
SnappersHumpback snapper
Lutjanus gibbus
Paddle-tailed schools drift over the reef by day and hunt by night.
SnappersBlack snapper
Macolor niger
Juveniles are striking black-and-white flags on the current points.
EmperorsBigeye emperor
Monotaxis grandoculis
Silver tanks with huge eyes, hovering in polite formations.
EmperorsSpangled emperor
Lethrinus nebulosus
A sandy-flats hunter glittering with blue freckles.
EmperorsYellowlip emperor
Lethrinus xanthochilus
Watch for the yellow lips and a red dot at the pectoral base.
PorgiesDoublebar bream
Acanthopagrus bifasciatus
Two bold black head bars; loves jetty pylons and wrecks.
SweetlipsBlackspotted rubberlip
Plectorhinchus gaterinus
Polka-dot schools hang motionless under Giftun's coral overhangs by day.
- Sweetlips
Painted sweetlips
Diagramma pictum
Big silver adults drift near wrecks; juveniles wear dramatic stripes.
FusiliersLunar fusilier
Caesio lunaris
Blue rivers of them stream along the reef, feeding on plankton.
FusiliersSuez fusilier
Caesio suevica
The endemic fusilier with white-tipped tail lobes, in dazzling schools.
FusiliersStriated fusilier
Caesio striata
Slim striped torpedoes pouring over the drop-off at Abu Ramada.
AnemonefishRed Sea clownfish
Amphiprion bicinctus
The two-banded endemic clownfish, snug in magnificent anemones on every Hurghada reef.
DamselfishDomino damsel
Dascyllus trimaculatus
Black velvet with three white dots; juveniles cuddle into anemones beside clownfish.
DamselfishSergeant major
Abudefduf saxatilis
Striped like a referee, mobbing snorkelers near jetties.
DamselfishSulphur damsel
Pomacentrus sulfureus
Little lemon drops defending coral heads on the house reef.
DamselfishWhitebelly damsel
Amblyglyphidodon leucogaster
Silvery with a clean white belly, always in the coral's ante-room.
DamselfishBlue-green chromis
Chromis viridis
Shimmering green confetti above branching corals in the shallows.
DamselfishHalf-and-half chromis
Chromis dimidiata
Two-tone chocolate-and-cream midwater clouds along every wall.
DamselfishRoyal damsel
Neoglyphidodon melas
Jet-black adults guard soft corals; juveniles wear blue and yellow trim.
DamselfishMiry's damsel
Neopomacentrus miryae
A Red Sea endemic swarming in mid-water over patch reefs.
GoatfishYellowsaddle goatfish
Parupeneus cyclostomus
Hunts in golden packs, its whiskers flushing gobies from the rubble.
GoatfishForsskal's goatfish
Parupeneus forsskali
The Red Sea goatfish with a bold black side stripe, digging up the sand.
GoatfishYellowfin goatfish
Mulloidichthys vanicolensis
Rests in tight lemon-striped schools under table corals by day.
GoatfishCinnabar goatfish
Parupeneus heptacanthus
A rosy sand-forager with a small red cheek spot.
SquirrelfishSabre squirrelfish
Sargocentron spiniferum
The giant of its family, red armor and a defensive cheek sabre, staring from caves.
SquirrelfishCrown squirrelfish
Sargocentron diadema
Neat red-and-white pinstripes under every overhang.
SoldierfishBlotcheye soldierfish
Myripristis murdjan
Big-eyed night feeders packing wreck holds and caverns by day.
SoldierfishYellowfin soldierfish
Myripristis xanthacra
Glows crimson in torchlight on night dives.
HawkfishLongnose hawkfish
Oxycirrhites typus
A crosshatched beauty perched in gorgonian fans on deeper walls.
HawkfishFreckled hawkfish
Paracirrhites forsteri
Sits on coral heads like a sniper, freckles on its cheeks.
HawkfishPixy hawkfish
Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus
A tiny blotched ambusher hopping between coral branches.
HawkfishStocky hawkfish
Cirrhitus pinnulatus
Holds its ground in the crashing surge zone.
ScorpionfishCommon lionfish
Pterois miles
The Red Sea's own devil firefish, fanning venomous plumes at dusk. Admire, never touch.
ScorpionfishClearfin lionfish
Pterois radiata
Elegant white whip-rays and clear fins, hiding under ledges by day.
ScorpionfishDevil scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis diabolus
A false stonefish with shocking orange inner pectorals it flashes when moving.
ScorpionfishBearded scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis barbata
Master of disguise on rubble bottoms; spot the frowning mouth.
ScorpionfishTassled scorpionfish
Scorpaenopsis oxycephala
Fringed like an old carpet, waiting decades-still on sponges.
StonefishesStonefish
Synanceia verrucosa
The world's most venomous fish, indistinguishable from rock. One more reason for good buoyancy.
FrogfishesGiant frogfish
Antennarius commerson
A sponge with eyes and a fishing-rod lure. Finding one makes any dive.
JacksBluefin trevally
Caranx melampygus
Electric blue hunters strafing the reef in pairs at dawn.
JacksGiant trevally
Caranx ignobilis
The reef's apex bruiser, patrolling wrecks and current points.
JacksOrangespotted trevally
Carangoides bajad
Often all-gold in the Red Sea, escorting divers along walls.
JacksGolden trevally
Gnathanodon speciosus
Juveniles pilot in front of big rays and even whale sharks.
JacksRainbow runner
Elagatis bipinnulata
Slim blue-and-yellow speedsters flashing past in open water.
BarracudasGreat barracuda
Sphyraena barracuda
A silver missile with an underbite, hanging motionless near wrecks like the Salem Express.
BarracudasBlackfin barracuda
Sphyraena qenie
Forms slow tornado schools on offshore reefs at dawn.
BarracudasYellowtail barracuda
Sphyraena flavicauda
Smaller schooling barracuda glinting over seagrass and jetties.
TunasDogtooth tuna
Gymnosarda unicolor
A deep-reef predator that materializes out of the blue on drop-offs.
MackerelsNarrow-barred Spanish mackerel
Scomberomorus commerson
A barred silver blade cruising the reef edge for sardines.
BatfishesOrbicular batfish
Platax orbicularis
Dinner-plate fish with puppy-dog curiosity, adoring wrecks and moorings.
BatfishesLongfin batfish
Platax teira
Trailing fins and calm schools beneath the boat at Abu Nugar.
RemorasLive sharksucker
Echeneis naucrates
Hitchhikes on turtles and sharks; sometimes tries a diver's tank for size.
Moorish idolsMoorish idol
Zanclus cornutus
The elegant banner-finned icon that inspired a thousand aquarium dreams.
NeedlefishesHoundfish
Tylosurus crocodilus
A crocodile-jawed silver arrow just under the surface.
CornetfishesBluespotted cornetfish
Fistularia commersonii
A drifting glass tube that shadow-hunts behind bigger fish.
TrumpetfishesTrumpetfish
Aulostomus chinensis
Hangs vertically among sea whips pretending to be one of them.
PipefishesNetwork pipefish
Corythoichthys flavofasciatus
A pencil-thin crawler tracing lace patterns over coral rock.
PipefishesBluestripe pipefish
Doryrhamphus excisus
A tiny cleaner flying its banner tail inside urchin crevices.
SeahorsesThorny seahorse
Hippocampus histrix
A rare, spiny treasure of the seagrass meadows around Makadi.
Ghost pipefishesRobust ghost pipefish
Solenostomus cyanopterus
Floats like a drifting seagrass blade next to the real thing.
DartfishesFire dartfish
Nemateleotris magnifica
A white-and-flame dart hovering over its burrow, gone in a blink.
DartfishesDecorated dartfish
Nemateleotris decora
The deeper, purple-crowned cousin of the fire dartfish.
GobiesSteinitz' shrimpgoby
Amblyeleotris steinitzi
Stands guard while its blind shrimp roommate bulldozes their shared burrow.
- Gobies
Magnus' shrimpgoby
Amblyeleotris sungami
A Red Sea endemic partnership on every sandy slope.
GobiesCitron goby
Gobiodon citrinus
A lemon jellybean living its whole life inside one acropora coral.
BlenniesBluestriped fangblenny
Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos
Mimics cleaner wrasse, then steals a nip of scale instead. The reef's con artist.
BlenniesMidas blenny
Ecsenius midas
Golden and doe-eyed, peeking from a hole then joining anthias swarms.
BlenniesRed Sea combtooth blenny
Ecsenius dentex
An endemic character with comical eyes on every shallow rock.
BlenniesLeopard blenny
Exallias brevis
A spotted coral-polyp specialist among fire coral branches.
BlenniesLance blenny
Aspidontus dussumieri
A slender tail-flagging blenny of lagoon rubble.
CardinalfishesGolden cardinalfish
Apogon aureus
Copper schools with a black tail bar, packed into caves by day.
CardinalfishesIridescent cardinalfish
Apogon kallopterus
A mouthbrooder: males carry the eggs between their jaws.
SweepersGlassfish
Parapriacanthus ransonneti
Golden glass curtains filling wrecks and caves, parting around your bubbles.
SweepersVanikoro sweeper
Pempheris vanicolensis
Copper shields schooling in the Salem Express holds.
SilversidesHardyhead silverside
Atherinomorus lacunosus
The shimmering bait balls that make jetty snorkels magical.
LizardfishesVariegated lizardfish
Synodus variegatus
A grinning ambusher propped on coral, launching at passing silversides.
SandperchesSpeckled sandperch
Parapercis hexophtalma
Curious sand-sitter that follows divers in hops.
FloundersPanther flounder
Bothus pantherinus
Both eyes on one side, gliding over sand like a living carpet.
SolesMoses sole
Pardachirus marmoratus
A Red Sea sole whose skin secretes a natural shark repellent.
FlatheadsCrocodilefish
Papilloculiceps longiceps
The tentacled flathead: a dragon-faced ambusher with lace-curtain eyes. A Hurghada favorite.
RabbitfishesRivulated rabbitfish
Siganus rivulatus
Silvery seagrass grazers in fast-moving schools.
RabbitfishesSquaretail rabbitfish
Siganus luridus
An olive algae-eater with venomous fin spines, handle nothing.
RabbitfishesStellate rabbitfish
Siganus stellatus
Honeycomb-spotted pairs mowing the reef flat.
OctopusesDay octopus
Octopus cyanea
A shape-shifting genius that changes color and texture mid-thought.
CuttlefishesPharaoh cuttlefish
Sepia pharaonis
Hypnotizes crabs with rippling color waves down its body.
SquidsBigfin reef squid
Sepioteuthis lessoniana
Night-dive royalty, hovering in shimmering formation under the torch beam.
NudibranchsSpanish dancer
Hexabranchus sanguineus
A crimson nudibranch that swims by flamenco-flaring its skirts at night.
NudibranchsPyjama nudibranch
Chromodoris quadricolor
The Red Sea's striped pin-up slug, grazing sponges on shaded walls.
NudibranchsAnna's chromodoris
Chromodoris annae
Sky-blue with gold trim, a macro photographer's prize.
ClamsGiant clam
Tridacna maxima
Iridescent electric lips embedded in the coral, each one uniquely colored.
ShrimpsBanded coral shrimp
Stenopus hispidus
Candy-cane boxer shrimp waving white antennae from cleaning stations.
ShrimpsDurban dancing shrimp
Rhynchocinetes durbanensis
Red-and-white camel shrimp bouncing in cave entrances.
ShrimpsAnemone shrimp
Periclimenes brevicarpalis
A glass shrimp with white saddles, immune to its host's sting.
LobstersPainted spiny lobster
Panulirus versicolor
Blue-and-white antennae poking from ledges; walks the reef at night.
Hermit crabsRed reef hermit crab
Dardanus lagopodes
Hairy scarlet legs in a borrowed shell, tidying the reef floor.
Hermit crabsAnemone hermit crab
Dardanus pedunculatus
Plants stinging anemones on its shell as bodyguards.
Tube wormsChristmas tree worm
Spirobranchus giganteus
Twin spiral firs in every color, vanishing at the flick of a shadow.
Sea anemonesMagnificent sea anemone
Heteractis magnifica
The flowing purple-based home of the Red Sea clownfish.
Sea anemonesBubble-tip anemone
Entacmaea quadricolor
Grape-tipped tentacles sheltering clownfish families.
StarfishCrown-of-thorns starfish
Acanthaster planci
A venomous coral predator; our guides monitor and report outbreaks.
StarfishEgyptian sea star
Gomophia egyptiaca
A knobbly red star of rubble slopes and lagoon floors.
StarfishCushion star
Culcita novaeguineae
A starfish inflated into a pentagon pillow.
Sea urchinsSlate pencil urchin
Heterocentrotus mamillatus
Thick rosy spines like sticks of chalk wedged in reef holes.
Sea urchinsDiadema urchin
Diadema setosum
Needle-spined night grazer with a glowing orange ring. Mind your fins.
FlatwormsRed Sea flatworm
Pseudoceros splendidus
A ruffled crimson ribbon rippling across the reef.
Sea cucumbersSea apple
Pseudocolochirus violaceus
A technicolor filter-feeding cucumber fanning the current.
Sea cucumbersGraeffe's sea cucumber
Pearsonothuria graeffei
The reef's janitor, hoovering sand through feathery lips.
Fire coralsNet fire coral
Millepora dichotoma
Mustard lattice fans that pack a sting: the number one reason to keep good buoyancy.
Stony coralsRaspberry coral
Pocillopora verrucosa
Pink cauliflower heads hosting guard crabs and damselfish.
Stony coralsTable coral
Acropora pharaonis
Vast plates sheltering sweetlips, masked butterflyfish, and napping whitetips.
Stony coralsSalad coral
Turbinaria reniformis
Layered lettuce whorls glowing yellow-green in the shallows.
Stony corals
Stony coralsBubble coral
Plerogyra sinuosa
Clusters of pearly balloons that retract to blades at night.
Soft coralsBroccoli soft coral
Litophyton arboreum
Fluffy green forests swaying on current-swept corners.
Soft coralsKlunzinger's soft coral
Dendronephthya klunzingeri
Glass-spiculed trees in neon pink and purple, the jewel of Red Sea walls.
Sea fansGorgonian fan
Annella mollis
Giant filigree fans set across the current, hiding longnose hawkfish.
Black coralsWhip coral
Cirrhipathes anguina
Single spiral wires reaching into the blue, each with its own goby.
Species photos via Wikimedia Commons contributors. Sizes and depths are typical adult values in the Red Sea.
Good to know
Marine life questions, answered
Hurghada reefs hold over 200 commonly seen species: clouds of anthias and butterflyfish, Napoleon wrasse, moray eels, bluespotted rays, turtles, and reef sharks at sites like Small Giftun and Abu Ramada. Dolphins are seen year round, especially at Shaab El Erg.
Resident spinner dolphins rest in the Shaab El Erg lagoon north of Hurghada, and bottlenose dolphins often visit reefs and bow ride the boats. Sightings are wild and natural, so they are frequent but never forced.
Green turtles graze the seagrass bays of Makadi and Marsa Alam, and hawksbill turtles feed right on the Hurghada reefs. Dugongs are seen at Marsa Mubarak and Abu Dabbab in Marsa Alam.
Whitetip and grey reef sharks are calm reef residents that avoid divers, and summer can bring a whale shark, a harmless plankton feeder. Our guides brief every encounter, and normal diving around Hurghada is very safe.
The Red Sea dives well all year. Water is 21 to 29 degrees, visibility is typically 20 to 30 meters, dolphins and turtles are resident year round, and early summer raises the chance of whale sharks and mantas.
No. We follow strict no touch and no feed reef rules: some species like lionfish, stonefish, and fire coral can hurt you, and touching harms the animals. Good buoyancy keeps you and the reef safe.
Want to meet them in person? Start with a Discover Scuba dive if you are new, or join a daily boat trip to the Hurghada reefs if you are certified.
Meet the Red Sea face to face
210+ of these species live minutes from our two bases. Your guide knows exactly where.
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