Arutanga Passage

Arutanga Passage sits off the western side of Aitutaki, a coral atoll in the southern Cook Islands, near the village of Arutanga where the island's main wharf and boat channel cut through the reef. The passage forms the primary entrance through the barrier reef into Aitutaki's lagoon, connecting the open Pacific waters to the shallow enclosed lagoon inside. Divers and snorkelers here have reported blue Linckia stars, blue-black urchins, greenfish sea cucumbers, Indo-Pacific rock-boring urchins, lollyfish sea cucumbers, money cowries, small giant clams, and surf redfish scattered across the reef and passage floor.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Lollyfish Sea CucumberHolothuria atraReported here · unconfirmed
• Indo-Pacific Rock-boring UrchinEchinometra mathaeiReported here · unconfirmed
• Greenfish Sea CucumberStichopus chloronotusReported here · unconfirmed
• Blue LinckiaLinckia laevigataReported here · unconfirmed
• Small Giant ClamTridacna maximaReported here · unconfirmed
• Blue-black UrchinEchinothrix diademaReported here · unconfirmed
• Surf RedfishActinopyga mauritianaReported here · unconfirmed
• Money CowryMonetaria monetaReported here · unconfirmed