Fauna of the Solomon Sea

An inter-island sea in the Pacific Ocean between the Solomon Islands, New Britain and New Guinea. It is home to 494 species of coral and 1,019 species of reef fish. Its waters are home to dolphins, sharks, sea turtles and many pelagic fish.

Common Inhabitants of the Solomon Sea

The main resources in this region are fish, trochus, lobster, giant clams and turbo. The Solomon Sea is home to a variety of seafood including flounder, tuna, wrasse, tarpon, grouper, giant trevally, shrimp and crab. The sea is rich in marine life. The colorful coral reefs are home to a large number of invertebrates. The local fauna includes octopuses, sea urchins, starfish, sponges and mollusks. Indo-Pacific sailfish, Japanese pufferfish, giant oceanic manta rays and sixgill stingrays swim in the ocean waters. The open branches of Alcyonacea hide the amazing Pontoh's pygmy seahorse, colorful sea lilies, cuttlefish, lobsters and rare transparent shrimp. 

Mammals of the Solomon Sea

Dugong can be found in seaweed-covered grasslands and coastal waters. Other marine life in the region include the striped dolphin, the rough-toothed dolphin, the pygmy killer whale, the curious and intelligent bottlenose dolphin, the fast and agile Californian and Steller sea lions, and the minke whale. 

Reptiles of the Solomon Sea

The official national animal of the Solomon Islands is the hawksbill turtle. This sea turtle spends its life in the deep ocean, shallow tidal pools and coral reefs. It can grow up to 3 feet long and weigh up to 180 pounds. The Leatherback Turtle, the largest turtle in the world, the Green Turtle, the Loggerhead Turtle, and the most beautiful of all turtles, the Hawksbill Turtle, still inhabit the Solomon Sea.

Sharks in the Solomon Sea

Two species of sharks are most commonly seen in the Solomon Sea: Scalloped Hammerhead and Silky Shark. But you can also see blacktip reef sharks, omnivorous tiger sharks, great hammerheads, oceanic whitetip sharks, bull sharks, the fastest shark - shortfin mako sharks, lemon sharks, bulky silvertip sharks, whitetip reef sharks, nurse sharks, the rarest Japanese wobbegong, nocturnal zebra sharks and gray reef sharks.

Diving in the Solomon Sea

In the Solomon Sea there are schools of green humphead parrotfish, bluefin trevally, mobula soar. If you are lucky you may see Reef Manta Ray, Ocean Sunfish, Dwarf Black Stingray, Dwarf Seahorse, Spiny Seahorse, Wolf Eel, Yellowface Angelfish, Fourspot Butterflyfish, Ocellaris Clownfish, Western Scorpionfish, Clearfin Lionfish, Oyster Toadfish, Cubera Snapper, Doubleband Surgeonfish, Harlequin Sweetlips, Greenblotched Parrotfish, Titan Triggerfish, Long-spined Porcupinefish, Yellow Boxfish, Garibaldi, Chinese Trumpetfish, Pennant Coralfish, Emperor Angelfish, Leopard Moray Eel, Exotic Leaf Scorpionfish and Nudibranch. The underwater world is characterized by an unusually high biodiversity, even compared to other regions of the South Pacific, and much of it is still undiscovered.

Jellyfish in the Solomon Sea

The Australian box jellyfish, which has a powerful venom, is common in the Solomon Sea. This species causes death within three minutes of stinging and is the most venomous marine animal known to man. The Lives of the Sommon Jellyfish is one of the most common and well-known jellyfish in the world, but one of the few that does not sting humans. The jellyfish has relatively short tentacles that hang down from the sides of the bell. Lion's mane jellyfish, the largest jellyfish species in the world, are common. These gelatinous creatures are easy to spot due to their large size, dark yellow or reddish hue, and bioluminescence, which helps them stand out from the water.