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■Scientific name：Rhincodon typusWatch video here. Gets its Japanese name from the spots on its body that are said to resemble a jinbei (Japanese casual summer clothing for men).Said to be the world's biggest fish, and is popular among divers. Bigger ones can grow to 12m long. Gentle and mainly eats plankton.Found at Richelieu Rock, Koh Tachai and Koh Bon.
■Scientific name：Manta birostrisWatch video here. Very popular among divers. Its Japanese name is oniitomakiei, but divers often call it a manta ray in Japanese too.The ones here are relatively bigger than those in Japan. Large ones can be over 4m. It's gentle and mainly eats plankton. Often seen at Koh Bon.
■Scientific name：Stegostoma variumWatch video here. Its English name comes from the spots on its body. Usually often found on sand. Popular among many divers for its graceful swimming.It's 2-3m long. Gentle and mainly eats crustaceans. Often seen off Similan Island 9, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai.
■Scientific name：Triaenodon obesusWatch video here. Whitetip refers to its white dorsal and tail fins.Can be seen in deeper waters early in the morning and is often under rocks during the day.It's 1.5m - 2.5m long and can be seen around Similan Island 9, Elephant Head Rock and Koh Bon.
■Scientific name：Cheilinus undulatusWatch video here. Named after a hump on the forehead of adults that looks like hats worn by the former French army.Popular among divers, but unlike places such as Australia and Palau, here it's not used to divers and doesn't approach.It's 1m - 2m long and is seen around Similan Island 9, Koh Bon and Koh Tachai.
■Scientific name：Sphyraena barracudaWatch video here. Adults in the Similan Islands often move around alone. They tend to have black tail fins and are white at the front. At 1m - 2m long, they can be seen around Similan Island 9, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock.
■Scientific name：Caranx ignobilisWatch video here. Tends to form small shoals off the Similan Islands rather than swim alone. Scenes of them feeding in the morning are particularly dramatic. At 1m - 1.5m long,they are seen around the Similan Islands, especially in the morning at Elephant Head Rock, where the feeding scenes can be very dramatic.
■Scientific name：Eretmochelys imbricataWatch video here. One distinct feature is its sharp beak. At Donald Duck Bay off the Similan Islands,it often approaches boats that are moored there. It's 1m - 1.5m long. Areas around the Similan Islands, especially North Point off Island 9, are particularly famous for sightings.
■Scientific name：Carcharhinus melanopteru Watch video here. Gets its name from its black dorsal and tail fins. Seen in relatively shallow waters. With a maximum body length of 2m, it's usually spotted off Koh Bon and the Surin Islands.
■Scientific name：Bolbometopon muricatumWatch video here. A huge species at 1.2m long. Gets its name because its shoals look like herds of buffalos. As it grows, humps develop on its forehead. Seen around the Similan Islands by itself at Shark Fin Reef off Island 3 and in shoals off the Surin Islands'Trinla Reef.
■Scientific name：Himantura faiWatch video here. Grows up to 1.4m long and is seen resting on the sand in deeper waters. Usually spotted around the Similan Islands off Three Trees at Island 9, Shark Fin Reef and Trinla Reef in the Surin Islands.
■Scientific name：Chelonia mydasWatch video here. One distinct feature is its round mouth. At Donald Duck Bay off the Similan Islands, it often visits boats that are moored there. It's 1m - 1.5m long. Areas around the Similan Islands, especially North Point off Island 9, are particularly famous for sightings.
■Scientific name：Gymnosarda unicolorWatch video here. Gets its name from its sharp teeth. Most tuna are migratory but this one is littoral and often fixes itself to rocks. Swims in from the open sea in search of food, not only to outer sites such as Shark Fin Reef and Elephant Head Rock, but also to points with coral reefs such as Anitas Reef and East of Eden.
■Scientific name：Aetobatus narinari Watch video here. Has a deep blue-grey back covered with white spots, and a white stomach. Its elegant swimming is a sight to behold but it's very nervous and quickly swims away when divers approach. Because it eats smaller creatures such as crustaceans and shells buried in the sand, it often digs sand up with its mouth.
■Scientific name：Ginglymostoma cirratumWatch video here. In Japanese, this species is called komorizame, but it's usually known as a Nurse Shark. It's nocturnal and often hides in relatively dark areas like rocks and caves. It's famous for growing big - some reach as much as 4m. Huge 3m species used to live in rock crevices at Richelieu Rock.
