Common name: Chordates

Chordata, commonly known as Chordates, is a diverse and fascinating phylum that includes animals possessing a notochord, a hollow dorsal nerve cord, pharyngeal slits, an endostyle, and a post-anal tail at some stage of their development. This phylum encompasses a wide array of animals, including vertebrates like fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, as well as some invertebrates such as tunicates and lancelets.

Chordates are characterized by their bilateral symmetry, segmented bodies, and a high degree of cephalization, meaning they have a distinct head region where sensory organs and the brain are concentrated. This phylum is of particular interest to reefkeeping hobbyists because it includes many fish species that are popular in marine aquariums, such as clownfish, tangs, and wrasses.

The biological adaptations of chordates have allowed them to thrive in a variety of environments, from the deepest oceans to the highest mountains. In an aquarium setting, maintaining the health and well-being of chordate species involves understanding their specific habitat needs, dietary requirements, and social behaviors. For instance, some chordate fish are known for their symbiotic relationships with other marine organisms, such as cleaner wrasses that help control parasites on larger fish.

Overall, the phylum Chordata represents a significant portion of the biodiversity found in marine ecosystems and offers endless opportunities for observation and study in both natural and artificial environments. Reef hobbyists interested in adding chordate species to their tanks should ensure they provide the appropriate conditions to support the complex life cycles and behaviors of these animals.

1. 
   Common name: Cockatoo Waspfish

   Scientific name: Ablabys taenianotus
2. Common name: Hawaiian Sergeant

   Scientific name: Abudefduf abdominalis
3. Common name: Bengal Sergeant

   Scientific name: Abudefduf bengalensis
4. Common name: Galapagos Sergeant Major

   Scientific name: Abudefduf conformis
5. Common name: African Sergeant

   Scientific name: Abudefduf hoefleri
6. 
   Common name: Canary Damsel

   Scientific name: Abudefduf luridus
7. Common name: Natal Sergeant

   Scientific name: Abudefduf natalensis
8. 
   Common name: Sergeant Major

   Scientific name: Abudefduf saxatilis
9. 
   Common name: Scissortail Sergeant

   Scientific name: Abudefduf sexfasciatus
10. Common name: Blackspot Sergeant

    Scientific name: Abudefduf sordidus
11. Common name: False-eye Sergeant

    Scientific name: Abudefduf sparoides
12. Common name: Night Sergeant

    Scientific name: Abudefduf taurus
13. 
    Common name: Indo-Pacific Sergeant

    Scientific name: Abudefduf vaigiensis
14. Common name: Barnacle Blenny

    Scientific name: Acanthemblemaria macrospilus
15. Common name: Indian Bandfish

    Scientific name: Acanthocepola indica
16. 
    Common name: Spiny Chromis

    Scientific name: Acanthochromis polyacanthus
17. Common name: Island Cowfish

    Scientific name: Acanthostracion notacanthus
18. 
    Common name: Honeycomb Cowfish

    Scientific name: Acanthostracion polygonius
19. 
    Common name: Scrawled Cowfish

    Scientific name: Acanthostracion quadricornis
20. 
    Common name: Achilles Tang

    Scientific name: Acanthurus achilles
21. 
    Common name: Whitefin Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus albipectoralis
22. 
    Common name: Ocean Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus bahianus
23. 
    Common name: Black-spot Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus bariene
24. 
    Common name: Ringtail Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus blochii
25. 
    Common name: Doctorfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus chirurgus
26. 
    Common name: Blue Tang

    Scientific name: Acanthurus coeruleus
27. 
    Common name: Eyestripe Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus dussumieri
28. 
    Common name: Fowler's Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus fowleri
29. 
    Common name: Black Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus gahhm
30. 
    Common name: Whitespotted Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus guttatus
31. 
    Common name: Powder Brown Tang

    Scientific name: Acanthurus japonicus
32. Common name: Pale-lipped Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus leucocheilus
33. Common name: Whitebar Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus leucopareius
34. 
    Common name: Powder Blue Tang

    Scientific name: Acanthurus leucosternon
35. 
    Common name: Lined Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus lineatus
36. 
    Common name: Spotted-face Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus maculiceps
37. 
    Common name: Elongate Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus mata
38. Common name: Monrovia Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus monroviae
39. 
    Common name: Whitecheek Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus nigricans
40. 
    Common name: Epaulette Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus nigricauda
41. 
    Common name: Brown Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus nigrofuscus
42. Common name: Bluelined Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus nigroris
43. Common name: Bluelined Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus nubilus
44. 
    Common name: Orange Shoulder Tang

    Scientific name: Acanthurus olivaceus
45. 
    Common name: Black-barred Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus polyzona
46. 
    Common name: Chocolate Tang

    Scientific name: Acanthurus pyroferus
47. 
    Common name: Sohal Tang

    Scientific name: Acanthurus sohal
48. 
    Common name: Doubleband Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus tennentii
49. 
    Common name: Thompson's Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus thompsoni
50. 
    Common name: Convict Tang

    Scientific name: Acanthurus triostegus
51. 
    Common name: Indian Ocean Mimic Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus tristis
52. 
    Common name: Yellowfin Surgeonfish

    Scientific name: Acanthurus xanthopterus
53. 
    Common name: Bristle-tail Filefish

    Scientific name: Acreichthys tomentosus
54. 
    Common name: Speckled shrimpfish

    Scientific name: Aeoliscus punctulatus
55. 
    Common name: Razorfish

    Scientific name: Aeoliscus strigatus
56. 
    Common name: Red-flushed rock-cod

    Scientific name: Aethaloperca rogaa
57. Common name: Robust cusk

    Scientific name: Alionematichthys riukiuensis
58. 
    Common name: Cherna

    Scientific name: Alphestes afer
59. 
    Common name: scrawled filefish

    Scientific name: Aluterus scriptus
60. Common name: Twospot hawkfish

    Scientific name: Amblycirrhitus bimacula
61. 
    Common name: Grannyfish

    Scientific name: Amblycirrhitus pinos
62. 
    Common name: Horse-shoe shrimp-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris arcupinna
63. 
    Common name: Pinkbar goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris aurora
64. 
    Common name: Diagonal shrimp-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris diagonalis
65. Common name: Shoulder-spot shrimp-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris downingi
66. 
    Common name: Red-barred shrimp-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris fasciata
67. 
    Common name: Giant shrimp-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris fontanesii
68. 
    Common name: Spotted prawn-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris guttata
69. 
    Common name: Barehead goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris gymnocephala
70. Common name: Harrison's Shrimp Goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris harrisorum
71. 
    Common name: Wide-barred shrimpgody

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris latifasciata
72. Common name: Neumann's Shrimp Goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris neumanni
73. Common name: New Caledonia Shrimp Goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris novaecaledoniae
74. 
    Common name: Redspotted shrimpgoby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris ogasawarensis
75. 
    Common name: Periophthalma prawn-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris periophthalma
76. 
    Common name: Randall's prawn-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris randalli
77. Common name: Volcano shrimpgoby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris rhyax
78. 
    Common name: Redmargin shrimpgoby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris rubrimarginata
79. 
    Common name: Steinitz' goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris steinitzi
80. 
    Common name: Magnus' goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris sungami
81. Common name: Triplespot shrimpgoby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris triguttata
82. 
    Common name: Gorgeous prawn-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris wheeleri
83. 
    Common name: Flag-tail shrimp-goby

    Scientific name: Amblyeleotris yanoi
84. 
    Common name: Golden damsel

    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon aureus
85. Common name: Green sergeant

    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon batunai
86. 
    Common name: clouded damselfish

    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon curacao
87. 
    Common name: Yellowfin damsel

    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon flavilatus
88. 
    Common name: White-belly damsel

    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon leucogaster
89. 
    Common name: Blackback Butterflyfish

    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon melanopterus
90. 
    Common name: Orbicular damsel

    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon orbicularis
91. 
    Common name: Ternate damsel

    Scientific name: Amblyglyphidodon ternatensis
92. 
    Common name: Whitelined goby

    Scientific name: Amblygobius albimaculatus
93. Common name: Bynoe goby

    Scientific name: Amblygobius bynoensis
94. 
    Common name: Pink-lined goby

    Scientific name: Amblygobius decussatus
95. 
    Common name: Nocturn goby

    Scientific name: Amblygobius nocturnus
96. 
    Common name: Banded goby

    Scientific name: Amblygobius phalaena
97. 
    Common name: Half-barred goby

    Scientific name: Amblygobius semicinctus
98. 
    Common name: Sphynx goby

    Scientific name: Amblygobius sphynx
99. 
    Common name: Black-banded demoiselle

    Scientific name: Amblypomacentrus breviceps
100. 
     Common name: Lord Howe Island butterflyfish

     Scientific name: Amphichaetodon howensis
101. Common name: Narrow-barred butterflyfish

     Scientific name: Amphichaetodon melbae
102. 
     Common name: Skunk Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion akallopisos
103. 
     Common name: Barrier Reef Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion akindynos
104. 
     Common name: Allard's Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion allardi
105. 
     Common name: Two-banded Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion bicinctus
106. 
     Common name: Chagos Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion chagosensis
107. 
     Common name: Mauritian Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion chrysogaster
108. 
     Common name: Orange-fin Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion chrysopterus
109. 
     Common name: Clarkii Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion clarkii
110. 
     Common name: Red Saddleback Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion ephippium
111. 
     Common name: Tomato Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion frenatus
112. 
     Common name: Seychelles Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion fuscocaudatus
113. 
     Common name: Wideband Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion latezonatus
114. Common name: Madagascar Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion latifasciatus
115. 
     Common name: Whitebonnet Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion leucokranos
116. Common name: Whitesnout Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion mccullochi
117. 
     Common name: Cinnamon Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion melanopus
118. 
     Common name: Blackfinned Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion nigripes
119. 
     Common name: Ocellaris Clownfish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion ocellaris
120. 
     Common name: Oman Anemonefish

     Scientific name: Amphiprion omanensis