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Cozumel Marine Life Catalog, a Complete List With All Cozumel Animals

Cozumel Marine Life - Splended toadfish - Vida marina de Cozumel

We, divers, know Cozumel marine life never ceases to amaze us.

In a reef community as extensive and abundant as Cozumel has (we cannot forget that it is the second-largest barrier reef in the world), you can find marine life in hundreds of forms, species, and colors.

In addition, the southwestern end of the island is within the “Arrecifes de Cozumel” marine park. This is a protected area where fishing is not allowed, so the resident marine life enjoys the ecosystem and develops abundantly.

We apologize for upfront because, in these lines, it will not be possible to list the entire catalog of all the marine animals of Cozumel. Despite this fact, we will review the most spectacular.

1. Cozumel Corals

We cannot talk about the marine life of Cozumel without talking about the corals. They are the living beings that sustain the entire ecosystem. We will classify them into 6 large families.

Cozumel Branching Corals

cozumel marine life -Branching Corals

Cozumel Star Corals

cozumel marine life - Star Corals

Brain Corals

cozumel marine life - Brain corals

Fleshy Corals of Cozumel

cozumel marine life - Fleshy corals

Cozumel Lettuce Corals

cozumel marine life -Lettuce Corals

Fire Corals of Cozumel

cozumel marine life - Fire corals-s

Encrusting Corals

cozumel marine life -Encrusting corals

Cozumel Soft Corals

cozumel marine life - soft corals

2. Invertebrates of Cozumel

Invertebrates are intrinsic to coral reefs and are part of them, increasing their beauty. Among the most notable invertebrate families of Cozumel, we find the following ones.

Echinoids, Holothurids and Ophiuroids

cozumel marine life - Echinoids, Holothurids and Ophiuroids

Gastropods

cozumel marine life - Gastropods

Crustaceans

cozumel marine life - Crustaceans

Sponges

cozumel marine life - Sponges

Hydroids, Zoantharies and Actinaries

cozumel marine life - Hidroides, zoantarios and actinarios

Worms

cozumel marine life - worms

3. Cozumel reef fish

Some species of fish are exclusive to the reef that serves as their refuge, provides them with food, and they are a preferred breeding ground.

Among the reef fish of Cozumel, the following families predominate.

File fish

cozumel marine life - filefish - Vida marina de Cozumel

Parrot fish

cozumel marine life - parrot fish - Vida marina de Cozumel

Angel fish

cozumel marine life - angel fish - Vida marina de Cozumel

Cozumel butterflyfish

cozumel marine life - butterfly fish - Vida marina de Cozumel

Tangs

cozumel marine life - tang - Vida marina de Cozumel

Drum fish

cozumel marine life - drum fish - Vida marina de Cozumel

Grunts

cozumel marine life - grunts - Vida marina de Cozumel

Snappers

cozumel marine life - Snappers -Vida marina de Cozumel

Trigger fish

cozumel marine life - Trigger Fish

Groupers

cozumel marine life - grouper - Vida marina de Cozumel

Squirrel Fish

cozumel marine life - squirrel Fish

Box fish

cozumel marine life - box Fish - Vida marina de Cozumel

3.1. Cozumel Fish Experts in Mimicry

Some Cozumel fish are masters of disguise and experts at going unnoticed because of their color, body shape, or ability to camouflage themselves in the substrate. Below, we list some of these families. Are you able to see them?

Flounder

Scorpion fish

Trumpet fish

Seahorse

Blennies

3.2. Endemic Fish of Cozumel

Other fish can only be found on the reefs of Cozumel. That is the case of the endemic to the island Cozumel Splendid Toadfish.

cozumel marine life - Cozumel Splendid-Toadfish - 1
cozumel marine life - Cozumel Splendid-Toadfish - 2
cozumel marine life - Cozumel Splendid-Toadfish - 3

3.3. Types Of Cozumel Sharks and Stingrays

Nurse shark

cozumel marine life - nurse shark - Vida marina de Cozumel

Blue Shark

cozumel marine life - blue shark - Vida marina de Cozumel

Eagle Ray

cozumel marine life - eagle ray - Vida marina de Cozumel

Yellow Stingray

cozumel marine life - yellow stingray - Vida marina de Cozumel

3.4. Other predators of Cozumel

Barracuda

cozumel marine life - barracuda - Vida marina de Cozumel

Moray Eel

cozumel marine life - moray eel - Vida marina de Cozumel

Octopuses

cozumel marine life - octopus - Vida marina de Cozumel

4. Cozumel Turtles

In the waters of Cozumel, you can find the most important sea turtles in the Caribbean. You can learn more about them in the article Caribbean Sea Turtles: Meet Them and Freak Out.

Hawksbill Turtle

cozumel marine life - Hawksbill Turtle - Vida marina de Cozumel

Green Turtle

cozumel marine life - Green Turtle - Vida marina de Cozumel

Loggerhead Turtle

cozumel marine life - Loggerhead Turtle - Vida marina de Cozumel

5. Cozumel Mammals

Few marine mammals can be seen in Cozumel, but among them, we can highlight the following.

Dolphin

cozumel marine life - Dolphin

Caribbean Manatee

cozumel marine life - Caribbean manatee

Cozumel’s marine life is immense, but all divers have a favorite reef fish, or marine animal. Which is yours? Share it with us on Facebook .