Date of Visit: 8/10/23
This species list will be split into the four major areas of the aquarium: Marine Building- Lower Level, Marine Building- Upper Level, Cape Fear Conservatory, & Outdoor Exhibits. I will provide a total species count for each section, as well as the total number of species on display in the entire facility.
Species listed on lines that have no space between them share exhibits.
And as always...
Red Text: No-Show
Blue Text: Unsigned, but seen
Cape Fear Conservatory
Total # of species on display (including no-shows): 29
Species Seen 16
Raven Rock:
Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Bluehead Chub (Nocomis leptocephalus)
Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
Threadfin Shad (Dorosoma petenense)
Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)
Otter Exhibit:
Asian Small-Clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus)
Carolina Bay:
American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus)
Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon)
Bluespotted Sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus)
Dollar Sunfish (Lepomis marginatus)
Lined Topminnow (Fundulus lineolatus)
Small Cylindrical Tanks (next to Carolina Bay Exhibit):
Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis)
Rainbow Killifish (Nothobranchius rachovii)
Sailfin Molly (Poecilia latipinna)
Hidden Hunters:
Bowfin (Amia calva)
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus)
Roan Island:
Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)
Pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus)
Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
White Catfish (Ameiurus catus)
Alligator Exhibit:
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Small Terrarium Near Exit:
Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus)
Free-Roaming:
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) (also unsigned)
Marine Building- Upper Level
Total # of species on display (including no-shows): 43
Species Seen: 36
Buzzard Bay:
Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)
Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
Feather Blenny (Hypsoblennius hentz)
Irish Pompano (Diapterus auratus)
Lookdown (Selene vomer)
Sheepshead Minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus)
Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalus)
Sea Turtle Tank:
Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)
Tide Touch Pool:
Forbes' Sea Star (Asterias forbesi) (signed as Common Sea Star)
Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris tribuloides)
Thinstripe Hermit Crab (Clibanarius vittatus)
Warty Anemone (Bunodosoma cavernatum)
Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis)
Masonboro Inlet Jetty:
Black Drum (Pogonias cromis)
Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)
Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)
Striped Burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi)
Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus)
Pier Piling:
Bermuda Blue Angelfish (Holacanthus bermudensis)
Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)
Pygmy Angelfish (Centropyge argi)
Rock Beauty (Holacanthus tricolor)
Cape Fear Shoals (main tank; also viewable from downstairs):
Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)
Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus)
Bar Jack (Caranx ruber)
Bermuda Blue Angelfish (Holacanthus bermudensis)
Black Drum (Pogonias cromis)
Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger)
Blue Runner (Caranx crysos)
Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus)
Bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo)
Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)
Green Moray (Gymnothorax funebris)
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Horse-Eye Jack (Caranx latus)
Lookdown (Selene vomer)
Ocean Triggerfish (Canthidermis sufflamen)
Permit (Trachinotus falcatus)
Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio)
Sand Tiger Shark (Carcharias taurus)
Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus apodus)
Southern Stingray (Hypanus americanus)
White Grunt (Haemulon plumierii)
Marine Building- Lower Level
Total # of species on display (including no-shows): 94
Species Seen: 72
Sharktooth Ledge:
Atlantic Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus)
Atlantic Bumperfish (Chloroscombrus chrysurus)
Atlantic Thread Herring (Opisthonema oglinum)
Belted Sandfish (Serranus subligarius)
Blackbar Soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus)
Cubbyu (Pareques umbrosus)
Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus)
French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru)
Foureye Butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus)
Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)
Long-Spine Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)
Ocean Surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus)
Planehead Filefish (Stephanolepis hispidus)
Rock Beauty (Holacanthus tricolor)
Sand Tilefish (Malacanthus plumieri)
Sergeant Major (Abudefduf saxatilis)
Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus)
Smallmouth Grunt (Haemulon chrysargyreum)
Spanish Hogfish (Bodianus rufus)
Spotfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus)
Spotted Drum (Eques punctatus)
Squirrelfish (no english name) (Holocentrus adscensionis)
Caribbean Corals:
Atlantic Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus)
Beaugregory (Stegastes leucostictus)
Bent Sea Rod (Plexaurella flexuosa)
Blue Chromis (Chromis cyanea)
Caribbean Sharp-Nose Puffer (Canthigaster rostrata)
Cerith Snail (Cerithiidae sp.)
Clown Wrasse (Halichoeres maculipinna)
Encrusting Gorgonian (Erythropodium caribaeorum)
Flame Cardinalfish (Apogon maculatus)
Florida Fighting Conch (Strombus alatus)
Green Clinging Crab (Mithraculus sculptus)
Grooved-Blade Sea Whip (Pterogorgia guadalupensis)
Jewel Damselfish (Microspathodon chrysurus)
Knobby Sea Rod (Eunicea sp.)
Molly Miller Blenny (Scartella cristata)
Ocean Surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus)
Purple Sea Plume (Muriceopsis flavida)
Redspotted Hawkfish (Amblycirrhitus pinos)
Reef Urchin (Echinometra viridis)
Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto)
Saddled Blenny (Malacoctenus triangulatus)
Sailfin Blenny (Emblemaria pandionis)
Slitpore Sea Rod (Plexaurella sp.)
Swissguard Basslet (Liopropoma rubre)
Tobacco Basslet (Serranus tabacarius)
Blockade Runner:
Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)
Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)
Spottail Pinfish (Diplodus holbrookii)
Cylindrical Jellyfish Tank:
Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)
Shadows On The Sand Tank:
Atlantic Stingray (Hypanus sabinus)
Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera bonasus)
Ladyfish (Elops saurus)
Lookdown (Selene vomer)
Southern Stingray (Hypanus americanus)
Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis)
Seahorse Exhibit:
Brown Spiny Sea Star (Echinaster spinulosus)
Dragon Sea Moth (Eurypegasus draconis)
Gulf Pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli)
Jointed Razorfish (Aeoliscus strigatus)
Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus)
Little Dragonfish (Eurypegasus draconis)
Messmate Pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus)
Ocellated Dragonet (Neosynchiropus ocellatus)
Ringed Pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus)
Scarlet Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)
Thinstripe Hermit Crab (Clibanarius vittatus)
Tiger Tail Seahorse (Hippocampus comes)
Rocky Shores:
Giant Green Anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica)
Painted Greenling (Oxylebius pictus)
Sand-Rose Anemone (Urticina columbiana)
Poison Dart Frog Terrarium:
Blue Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius "azureus")
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius)
Yellow-Banded Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
Pacific Reef:
Bangaii Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)
Bubble-Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)
Dwarf Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys falco)
Foxface Rabbitfish (Siganus vulpinus)
Green Chromis (Chromis viridis)
Indigo Dottyback (hybrid) (Pseudochromis fridmani x sankeyi)
Lemonpeel Angelfish (Centropyge flavissima)
Pacific Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma velifer)
Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion percula)
Redtail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare)
Royal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)
Scaly Clam (Tridacna squamosa)
Sixline Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
Swallowtail Angelfish (Genicanthus caudovittatus)
Tomini Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus tominiensis)
Lobster Tank:
Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)
Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans)
Shrimp Tank:
White Shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus)
Outdoor Exhibits
Total # of species on display: 2
Species Seen: 2
Eagle Exhibit:
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Small Yard:
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Total Number Of Species On Display: 168
Species Present On Visit: 126
This species list will be split into the four major areas of the aquarium: Marine Building- Lower Level, Marine Building- Upper Level, Cape Fear Conservatory, & Outdoor Exhibits. I will provide a total species count for each section, as well as the total number of species on display in the entire facility.
Species listed on lines that have no space between them share exhibits.
And as always...
Red Text: No-Show
Blue Text: Unsigned, but seen
Cape Fear Conservatory
Total # of species on display (including no-shows): 29
Species Seen 16
Raven Rock:
Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)
Bluehead Chub (Nocomis leptocephalus)
Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas)
Threadfin Shad (Dorosoma petenense)
Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis)
Otter Exhibit:
Asian Small-Clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus)
Carolina Bay:
American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
Banded Sunfish (Enneacanthus obesus)
Blackbanded Sunfish (Enneacanthus chaetodon)
Bluespotted Sunfish (Enneacanthus gloriosus)
Dollar Sunfish (Lepomis marginatus)
Lined Topminnow (Fundulus lineolatus)
Small Cylindrical Tanks (next to Carolina Bay Exhibit):
Eastern Newt (Notophthalmus viridescens)
Western Mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis)
Rainbow Killifish (Nothobranchius rachovii)
Sailfin Molly (Poecilia latipinna)
Hidden Hunters:
Bowfin (Amia calva)
Channel Catfish (Ictalurus punctatus)
Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)
Longnose Gar (Lepisosteus osseus)
Roan Island:
Black Crappie (Pomoxis nigromaculatus)
Bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus)
Flathead Catfish (Pylodictis olivaris)
Pumpkinseed Sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus)
Redear Sunfish (Lepomis microlophus)
White Catfish (Ameiurus catus)
Alligator Exhibit:
American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Small Terrarium Near Exit:
Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus)
Free-Roaming:
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) (also unsigned)
Marine Building- Upper Level
Total # of species on display (including no-shows): 43
Species Seen: 36
Buzzard Bay:
Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)
Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin)
Feather Blenny (Hypsoblennius hentz)
Irish Pompano (Diapterus auratus)
Lookdown (Selene vomer)
Sheepshead Minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus)
Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalus)
Sea Turtle Tank:
Loggerhead Sea Turtle (Caretta caretta)
Tide Touch Pool:
Forbes' Sea Star (Asterias forbesi) (signed as Common Sea Star)
Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris tribuloides)
Thinstripe Hermit Crab (Clibanarius vittatus)
Warty Anemone (Bunodosoma cavernatum)
Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis)
Masonboro Inlet Jetty:
Black Drum (Pogonias cromis)
Red Drum (Sciaenops ocellatus)
Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)
Striped Burrfish (Chilomycterus schoepfi)
Summer Flounder (Paralichthys dentatus)
Pier Piling:
Bermuda Blue Angelfish (Holacanthus bermudensis)
Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)
Pygmy Angelfish (Centropyge argi)
Rock Beauty (Holacanthus tricolor)
Cape Fear Shoals (main tank; also viewable from downstairs):
Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)
Atlantic Tarpon (Megalops atlanticus)
Bar Jack (Caranx ruber)
Bermuda Blue Angelfish (Holacanthus bermudensis)
Black Drum (Pogonias cromis)
Black Triggerfish (Melichthys niger)
Blue Runner (Caranx crysos)
Bluestriped Grunt (Haemulon sciurus)
Bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo)
Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)
Green Moray (Gymnothorax funebris)
Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Horse-Eye Jack (Caranx latus)
Lookdown (Selene vomer)
Ocean Triggerfish (Canthidermis sufflamen)
Permit (Trachinotus falcatus)
Red Grouper (Epinephelus morio)
Sand Tiger Shark (Carcharias taurus)
Schoolmaster Snapper (Lutjanus apodus)
Southern Stingray (Hypanus americanus)
White Grunt (Haemulon plumierii)
Marine Building- Lower Level
Total # of species on display (including no-shows): 94
Species Seen: 72
Sharktooth Ledge:
Atlantic Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus)
Atlantic Bumperfish (Chloroscombrus chrysurus)
Atlantic Thread Herring (Opisthonema oglinum)
Belted Sandfish (Serranus subligarius)
Blackbar Soldierfish (Myripristis jacobus)
Cubbyu (Pareques umbrosus)
Doctorfish (Acanthurus chirurgus)
French Angelfish (Pomacanthus paru)
Foureye Butterflyfish (Chaetodon capistratus)
Gray Angelfish (Pomacanthus arcuatus)
Long-Spine Porcupinefish (Diodon holocanthus)
Ocean Surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus)
Planehead Filefish (Stephanolepis hispidus)
Rock Beauty (Holacanthus tricolor)
Sand Tilefish (Malacanthus plumieri)
Sergeant Major (Abudefduf saxatilis)
Slippery Dick (Halichoeres bivittatus)
Smallmouth Grunt (Haemulon chrysargyreum)
Spanish Hogfish (Bodianus rufus)
Spotfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ocellatus)
Spotted Drum (Eques punctatus)
Squirrelfish (no english name) (Holocentrus adscensionis)
Caribbean Corals:
Atlantic Blue Tang (Acanthurus coeruleus)
Beaugregory (Stegastes leucostictus)
Bent Sea Rod (Plexaurella flexuosa)
Blue Chromis (Chromis cyanea)
Caribbean Sharp-Nose Puffer (Canthigaster rostrata)
Cerith Snail (Cerithiidae sp.)
Clown Wrasse (Halichoeres maculipinna)
Encrusting Gorgonian (Erythropodium caribaeorum)
Flame Cardinalfish (Apogon maculatus)
Florida Fighting Conch (Strombus alatus)
Green Clinging Crab (Mithraculus sculptus)
Grooved-Blade Sea Whip (Pterogorgia guadalupensis)
Jewel Damselfish (Microspathodon chrysurus)
Knobby Sea Rod (Eunicea sp.)
Molly Miller Blenny (Scartella cristata)
Ocean Surgeonfish (Acanthurus bahianus)
Purple Sea Plume (Muriceopsis flavida)
Redspotted Hawkfish (Amblycirrhitus pinos)
Reef Urchin (Echinometra viridis)
Royal Gramma (Gramma loreto)
Saddled Blenny (Malacoctenus triangulatus)
Sailfin Blenny (Emblemaria pandionis)
Slitpore Sea Rod (Plexaurella sp.)
Swissguard Basslet (Liopropoma rubre)
Tobacco Basslet (Serranus tabacarius)
Blockade Runner:
Atlantic Spadefish (Chaetodipterus faber)
Sheepshead (Archosargus probatocephalus)
Spottail Pinfish (Diplodus holbrookii)
Cylindrical Jellyfish Tank:
Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia aurita)
Shadows On The Sand Tank:
Atlantic Stingray (Hypanus sabinus)
Cownose Ray (Rhinoptera bonasus)
Ladyfish (Elops saurus)
Lookdown (Selene vomer)
Southern Stingray (Hypanus americanus)
Yellow Stingray (Urobatis jamaicensis)
Seahorse Exhibit:
Brown Spiny Sea Star (Echinaster spinulosus)
Dragon Sea Moth (Eurypegasus draconis)
Gulf Pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli)
Jointed Razorfish (Aeoliscus strigatus)
Lined Seahorse (Hippocampus erectus)
Little Dragonfish (Eurypegasus draconis)
Messmate Pipefish (Corythoichthys haematopterus)
Ocellated Dragonet (Neosynchiropus ocellatus)
Ringed Pipefish (Dunckerocampus dactyliophorus)
Scarlet Hermit Crab (Paguristes cadenati)
Thinstripe Hermit Crab (Clibanarius vittatus)
Tiger Tail Seahorse (Hippocampus comes)
Rocky Shores:
Giant Green Anemone (Anthopleura xanthogrammica)
Painted Greenling (Oxylebius pictus)
Sand-Rose Anemone (Urticina columbiana)
Poison Dart Frog Terrarium:
Blue Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius "azureus")
Dyeing Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius)
Yellow-Banded Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates leucomelas)
Pacific Reef:
Bangaii Cardinalfish (Pterapogon kauderni)
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)
Bubble-Tip Anemone (Entacmaea quadricolor)
Copperband Butterflyfish (Chelmon rostratus)
Dwarf Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys falco)
Foxface Rabbitfish (Siganus vulpinus)
Green Chromis (Chromis viridis)
Indigo Dottyback (hybrid) (Pseudochromis fridmani x sankeyi)
Lemonpeel Angelfish (Centropyge flavissima)
Pacific Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma velifer)
Pajama Cardinalfish (Sphaeramia nematoptera)
Percula Clownfish (Amphiprion percula)
Redtail Butterflyfish (Chaetodon collare)
Royal Blue Tang (Paracanthurus hepatus)
Scaly Clam (Tridacna squamosa)
Sixline Wrasse (Pseudocheilinus hexataenia)
Swallowtail Angelfish (Genicanthus caudovittatus)
Tomini Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus tominiensis)
Lobster Tank:
Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)
Red Lionfish (Pterois volitans)
Shrimp Tank:
White Shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus)
Outdoor Exhibits
Total # of species on display: 2
Species Seen: 2
Eagle Exhibit:
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Small Yard:
Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)
Total Number Of Species On Display: 168
Species Present On Visit: 126
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