The list of marine animals of Australia (temperate waters) is a list of marine and shore-based species that form a part of the fauna of Australia. This list includes animals which either live entirely marine lives, or which spend critical parts of their lives at sea.
The geographical range is south of Perth, Western Australia and the border of New South Wales and Queensland, including the whole of the coasts of South Australia and Tasmania and their offshore islands. Tropical species which are also found in this range may also be listed here.
The listed organisms are generally identifiable to the naked eye. Many microscopic animals also inhabit this region.
Ranges are generally given relating to Australian waters. If listed as endemic, they have been found only in the listed range. Others may have much greater ranges.
Phylum Porifera
Ancorina geodides (Carter, 1886) Grey ball sponge (Victoria and around Tasmania) Aplysilla rosea (Barrois, 1876), Encrusting rose sponge (Around Australia and Tasmania. Also widespread overseas) Aplysina lendenfeldi Bergquist, 1980, Lendenfeld's tube sponge (Victoria to central New South Wales and around Tasmania) Caulospongia biflabellata Fromont, 1998, Western staircase sponge (Northwest Cape to Albany, WA) Chondrilla australiensis Carter, 1873, Liver sponge (Houtman Abrolhos, WA to Sydney, NSW) Clathria (Thalysias) cactiformis (Lamarck, 1814), Orange palm sponge (Port Hedland, WA to Byron Bay, NSW and around Tasmania. Also Madagascar, east Africa and Seychelles) Cliona sp. Orange dimpled sponge (Eastern Tasmania) Dendrilla cactos (Selenka, 1867), Prickly rose sponge (Adelaide, SA to Sydney, NSW and around Tasmania. Also widespread in the Indo-West Pacific region) Darwinella sp. Darwin's yellow sponge (Northern Tasmania) Echinoclathria axinelloides (Dendy, 1896), Dendy's finger sponge (Port Phillip, Vic and northern Tasmania) Echinoclathria leporina (Lamarck, 1814), Orange fan sponge (Ceduna, SA to Sydney, NSW and south to Bicheno, Tasmania) Holopsamma arborea (Lendenfeld, 1888) Brown honeycomb sponge (Barrow Island, WA to Sydney, NSW and around Tasmania) Holopsamma laminaefavosa Carter, 1885, Cream honeycomb sponge (Fremantle, WA to Noosa, Qld and around Tasmania) Iophon sp. Orange pipe sponge (Central South Australia) Mycale (Arenochalina) mirabilis (Lendenfeld, 1887) Slimy lemon sponge (Around Australia and Tasmania. Also widespread in the Indo-West Pacific region) Polymastia sp. Purple pasta sponge (Central New South Wales) Rhizaxinella sp. Pumpkin sponge (Northern Tasmania) Spongia sp. Rubber sponge (New South Wales) Strepsichordaia caliciformis (Carter, 1885), Green plate sponge (Port Lincoln, SA to Sydney, NSW and around Tasmania) Strongylacidon sp. Papillate encrusting sponge (Eastern Tasmania) Sycon sp. 1 (South Australia to Victoria and round Tasmania) Sycon sp. 2 (Western Australia to Victoria and round Tasmania) Syphonochalina sp. Apricot tube sponge (Eastern Tasmania) Tedania (Tedania) anhelans (Lieberkühn, 1859) syn. T digitata Apricot bulbous sponge (Around Australia and Tasmania. Also widespread overseas) Tethya bergquistae Hooper in Hooper & Wiedenmayer, 1994, Southern golfball sponge (South Australia to Victoria, Northern Tasmania, also New Zealand) Tethya ingalli Bowerbank, 1858, Ingall's golfball sponge (Shark Bay to Albany, WA, and Port Philip, Vic to Sydney, NSW Also tropical Indian Ocean.) Thorecta sp. Cream columnar sponge (Eastern Tasmania)
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hydrozoa
Order Hydroida
Aequorea eurhodina Peron and Lesueur, 1809, Umbrella jelly (Eastern Tasmania to southern New South Wales) (possibly A. forskalea) Gymnangium ascidioides (Bale, 1882), Bale's feather hydroid (Victoria and eastern Tasmania) Gymnangium superbum (Bale, 1882), Superb feather hydroid (Southern WA to Victoria and around Tasmania) Halopteris campanula (Busk, 1852) Yellow feather hydroid (South Australia to Queensland and around Tasmania. Also widespread overseas) Nemertesia procumbens Spencer's hydroid (Spencer, 1891) (St Francis Island, SA to eastern Victoria and around Tasmania) Pennaria disticha Goldfuss, 1820, Salt and pepper feather hydroid (Perth, WA to New South Wales but absent from Victoria)(recorded as Halocordyle disticha) Porpita porpita (Linnaeus, 1758), Porpita sailor (Around Australia and Tasmania. Also widespread overseas.) Ralpharia magnifica Watson, 1980, Magnificent hydroid (South Australia to Victoria and around Tasmania) Solanderia fusca (Grey, 1868), Dusky hydroid (Western Australia to Queensland and northern Tasmania. Also Lord Howe Island.) Stereotheca elongata (Lamouroux, 1816), Elongate seagrass hydroid (Western Australia to New South Wales and around Tasmania. Also widespread overseas) Turritopsis nutricula (McCrady, 1857), Red thimble jelly (Western Australia to New South Wales and around Tasmania. Also widespread overseas.) Velella velella (Linnaeus, 1758). By-the-wind-sailor (Around Australia and Tasmania. Also widespread overseas.)
Order Limnomedusae
Olindias phosphorica (Delle Chiage, 1841), Phosphorus jelly (Tropical Australia south to southern WA and to southern NSW. Also widespread overseas.) Olindias singularis Browne, 1905, Orange saucer jelly (Tropical Australia south to South Australia and to Southern New South Wales. Also widespread in the Indo-West Pacific region.)
Order Siphonophora
Physalia physalis(Linnaeus, 1766), Bluebottle, Portuguese man o' war (Around Australia and Tasmania.Also widespread overseas)
Order Stylasterina
Stylaster sp. Western pink hydrocoral (South western Western Australia) Stylaster brunneus Boschma, 1970, Lord Howe hydrocoral (Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island. Also New Caledonia and New Zealand)
Class Anthozoa
Order Actiniaria Actinia tenebrosa Farquhar, 1898, Waratah anemone (Shark Bay, WA to Heron Island, Queensland and around Tasmania. Also New Zealand) Actiniid sp.1 Bryozoan anemone, (Victoria to central New South Wales) Actiniid sp.2 Speckled seawhip anemone, (Central New South Wales) Actiniid sp.3 White striped anemone, (Gulfs region, South Australia) Actinothoe glandulosa Carlgren, 1954, White anemone, (Southwestern WA) Anthopleura aureoradiata (Stuckey, 1909), Mudflat anemone (Port Sinclair, SA to Mallacoota, Victoria and around Tasmania Also New Zealand) Anthothoe albocincta (Hutton, 1879), White-striped anemone, (Ceduna, South Australia to New South Wales and around Tasmania. Also new Zealand.) Aulactinia veratra (Drayton in Dana, 1846), Green anemone, (Rottnest Island, WA to southern Queensland and around Tasmania) Boloceroides sp? Seagrass anemone (Southeastern Tasmania) Dorfleinia armata (Wassilieff, 1908), Armed anemone, (Tropical Australia south to Perth, WA) Epiactis australiensis Carlgren, 1950, Pink tipped anemone, (Gulf St Vincent, SA to Victoria and northern Tasmania) Epiactis thompsoni (Coughtrey, 1875), Thompson's anemone, (South Australia) Heteractis malu (Haddon and Shackleton, 1893), Pink tipped sand anemone, (Tropical Australia south to Perth, WA. Also widespread in the Indo-West Pacific region) Oulactis mcmurrichi (Lager, 1911), Western shellgrit anemone, (Perth WA to Coffin Bay, SA) Oulactis muscosa (Drayton in Dana, 1846), Shellgrit anemone, (Spencer Gulf, SA to Southern Queensland and around Tasmania. Also New Zealand) Phlyctenactis tuberculosa (Quoy and Gaimard, 1833), Swimming anemone, (Southwestern WA to Byron Bay, NSW and around Tasmania) Phlyctenanthus australis Carlgren, 1950, Southern sea anemone, (Ceduna, SA to Sydney, NSW and around Tasmania) Tealia sp? Giant orange anemone, (Eastern and southern Tasmania)
Order Corallimorpharia (Jewel anemones)
Corynactis australis Haddon & Duerden, 1896, Southern jewel anemone, (Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, to New South Wales and around Tasmania.) Rhodactis indosinensis Carlgren, 1943, Hairy mushroom anemone, (Tropical Australia south to northern New South Wales.)
Order Zoanthiniaria (Zoanthids)
Epizoanthus sabulosus Cutress, 1971, Encrusting grey zoanthid, (Esperance, Western Australia, to Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, and Flinders Island, Tasmania.) Isaurus cliftoni Gray, 1857, Clifton's zoanthid, (Tropical Australia south to Esperance, Western Australia.) Palythoa heideri Carlgren, 1954, Heider's zoanthid, (Kalbarri to Rottnest Island, Western Australia.) Parazoanthus sp.1 Yellow zoanthid (Cape Northumberland, South Australia, to Jervis Bay, New South Wales, and around Tasmania.) ?Parazoanthus anguicomus. Encrusting white zoanthid (Southern Tasmania.) Zoanthus praelongus Carlgren, 1954, Finger zoanthid, (Perth to Esperance, Western Australia.) Zoanthus robustus Carlgren, 1950, Robust zoanthid, (Ceduna, South Australia, to central Victoria.)
Order Scleractinia (Stony corals)
Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) bairdiana Milne Edwards & Haime, 1848, Orange solitary coral, (Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, to southern Queensland and around Tasmania.) Coscinaraea mcneilli Wells, 1962, McNeill's coral, (Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia, to Byron Bay, New South Wales.) Coscinaraea marshae Wells, 1962, Marsh's coral, (Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia, to Pearson Island, South Australia.) Culicia tenella Dana, 1846, Little coral, (Perth, Western Australia, to Solitary Islands, New South Wales, and around Tasmania.) Homophyllia australis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1846), Green solitary coral, reported as Scolymia australis, (Rottnest Island, Western Australia, to Port Phillip Bay, Victoria, and Flinders Island, Tasmania. Also Qld and Lord Howe Island.) Plesiastrea versipora (Lamarck, 1816), Green coral, (Around Australia and northern Tasmania. Also widespread in the Indo-West Pacific region.) Turbinaria reniformis Bernard, 1896, Kidney-shaped coral, (Tropical Australia south to Recherche Archipelago, Western Australia. Also widespread in the Indo-West Pacific region.)
Order Ceriantharia (Tube anemones)
Pachycerianthus sp. Purple-tipped tube anemone (Southwestern Western Australia.) Pachycerianthus delwynae Carter, 1995, Banded tube anemone, (Central New South Wales.) Pachycerianthus longistriatus Carter, 1995, Striped tube anemone, (Central New South Wales.)
Order Antipatheria (Black corals)
Antipathes sp. Lord Howe black coral (Lord Howe Island)
Order Alcyonacea (Octocorals, soft corals, gorgonians, sea whips)
Acabaria sp. Fragile bramble coral (Tasmania) Asperaxis karenae Alderslade, 2006, Bramble coral, (Southern Tasmania.) Capnella sp.1 Western soft coral (Mullaloo to Rottnest Island, Western Australia.) Capnella sp.2 Granular grey soft coral (Canal Rocks, Western Australia.) Capnella erecta Verseveldt, 1977, Erect soft coral, (Cape Jaffa, South Australia, to Gabo Island, Victoria, and around Tasmania.) Capnella gaboensis Verseveldt, 1977, Gabo Island soft coral (Waldegrave Island), South Australia, to Port Stephens, New South Wales, and Erith Island, Tasmania.) Capnella johnstonei Verseveldt, 1977, Johnstone's soft coral, (Portland, Victoria, to Eden, New South Wales, and around Tasmania.) Carijoa sp.1 Jetty octocoral (Southern Western Australia to Gulf St Vincents, South Australia, and New South Wales to Queensland.) Carijoa sp.2 Smith's octocoral (South Australia to New South Wales and northern Tasmania.) Clavularia sp. Delicate soft coral (Tasmania) Dendronephthya sp. Red Lord Howe octocoral (Lord Howe Island.) Erythropodium hicksoni (Utinomi, 1972), Encrusting soft coral, (Victoria to central New South Wales and around Tasmania.) Melithaea klunzingeri (Kükenthal, 1908), Klunzinger's sea fan, recorded as Mopsella klunzingeri, (Houtman Abrolhos, Western Australia, to Portsea, Victoria.) Melithaea zimmeri (Kükenthal, 1908), Zimmer's sea fan, recorded as Mopsella zimmeri, (Western Australia to New South Wales and northern Tasmania.) Mopsella sp. Eastern red sea fan (New South Wales)