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At least 533 fish species are currently listed for the Dominican Republic in FishBase’s combined country checklist (accessed 2026). That is a database estimate, not a definitive national census. FishBase separately lists 493 marine and 50 freshwater species; those habitat counts should not be added together because the combined checklist uses its own accounting.
What the main counts mean
| Figure | What it counts | Scope and date |
|---|---|---|
| 533 species | Currently present fish | FishBase combined Dominican Republic checklist, accessed 2026 (combined checklist) |
| 493 species | Currently present marine fish | FishBase marine checklist, accessed 2026 (marine checklist) |
| 50 species | Currently present freshwater fish | FishBase freshwater checklist, accessed 2026 (freshwater checklist) |
| 540 species | National estimate, including 8 endemic and 52 Red List species | MARN 2014 figures reproduced in a 2025 U.S. biodiversity analysis (analysis PDF) |
FishBase’s combined page also records two species as possibly present and three as demonstrated absent, for 538 reported records in all. The marine page reports two possibly present and two absent records (497 reported), while the freshwater page reports one possibly present and one absent (52 reported). “Currently present” is therefore narrower than every record ever reported for the country.
Why 533 and 540 are both quoted
The figures use different dates, taxonomic treatments and record rules. FishBase is a continually maintained database; the 540 figure is an older Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN) estimate from 2014, reproduced by a later analysis. The available material does not establish a single, jointly maintained Dominican national checklist with one stated taxonomy and treatment of introduced, questionable and absent records. For a current general answer, cite the FishBase figure and name its source rather than presenting 533 as an exact census.
Marine fish versus freshwater fish
Most listed species are marine: 493 in the FishBase saltwater checklist. Freshwater waters account for 50 currently present species. These are habitat views of the database, not two independent totals to sum. Some country-level records and taxonomic decisions are handled in the combined list, so adding 493 and 50 would produce a misleading number.
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A reef sanctuary shows local diversity, not the national total
Surveys in the Southeastern Reefs Marine Sanctuary recorded 150 species from 86 genera and 47 families during 360 visual surveys conducted from 2013 to 2016. That checklist is useful for understanding southeastern reef communities, but it covers one sanctuary and cannot stand for all Dominican waters. The scientific article record is available from the institutional repository.
Do not confuse species counts with fish counted in a survey
A 2022 Ministry of Environment baseline report examined four herbivorous reef-fish families in nine coastal provinces and counted 4,563 individual fish: 2,911 parrotfish (Scaridae), 1,512 surgeonfish and doctorfish (Acanthuridae), five angelfish (Pomacanthidae), and 135 butterflyfish (Chaetodontidae). Those are observed individuals in selected groups and sites, not 4,563 species or all fish in the country. The government announcement is published by the Dominican Presidency.
The report described degraded reef conditions and many juveniles in the sampled groups. Its recommendations—responsible fisheries management, sustainable closures, monitoring, enforcement and education—apply to the surveyed context, not automatically to every Dominican fish population. Herbivorous fish help limit algae that can deprive coral reefs of light and oxygen, which is why their status matters for reef health.
What a museum collection can—and cannot—tell you
A Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute proceedings paper describes the National Museum of Natural History “Prof. Eugenio de Jesús Marcano” collection as containing more than 30,000 specimens representing 326 species across marine, estuarine, lacustrine and freshwater fish. Most collecting occurred in the Dominican Republic, but some specimens came from other countries and territories. The 326 represented species therefore describe the collection, not the country’s complete fauna. See the proceedings paper.
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How to interpret any answer you see online
- Geographic scope: Is it the whole country, territorial waters, a province or one reef?
- Habitat: Does it cover marine fish, freshwater fish or a combined checklist?
- Date: Older ministry estimates may not match a database accessed in 2026.
- Counting unit: “Species” is different from individual fish, specimens or survey sightings.
- Record status: Check whether the number includes possibly present, introduced, questionable or demonstrated-absent records.
What fish can you find in the Dominican Republic?
Depending on location, examples include reef herbivores such as parrotfish, surgeonfish, angelfish and butterflyfish, as well as many other marine and freshwater species represented in the national checklist. A regional identification guide can help with names, but photographs and local records should be checked against current taxonomy. Never collect reef fish, and confirm current local fishing and protected-species rules before handling or targeting any species.
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