Assomption

Assomption is a high limestone island 700 miles south of Mahe and 17 miles south of Aldabra. The island is 7 miles long by 2 1/2 miles wide, covering 4 1/2 square miles. It was home to a huge bird colony until a guano mine opened in 1840 which destroyed the vegetation. The originally abundant green sea turtle population was heavily exploited; only a remnant population survives. Assomption has a landing strip which is the closest access to Aldabra.

threadfin butterflyfish Threadfin butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga

school of bluestripe snappers bluestripe snappers Blue-striped snapper, Lutjanus kasmira

tridacna clam Giant clam, Tridacna gigas

black pyramid butterflyfish Black pyramid butterflyfish, Hemitaurichthys zoster

Mauritian anemonefish Mauritian anemonefish in carpet anemone Northern Indian anemonefish, Amphiprion sebae

emperor angelfish Emperor angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator

checkerboard wrasse Sunset (green moon, yellow-brown) Wrasse, Thalassoma lutescens

finger coral <TBS>

hawksbill turtle over staghorn coral Hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelus imbricata

guineafowl puffer Guineafowl puffer, Arothron meleagris

regal angelfish Royal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus

coral grouper Coral grouper, Cephalopholis miniata

potato grouper Potato grouper, Epinphelus tukula

crinoid Crinoid

sleeping ember parrotfish Steepheaded parrotfish, Scarus gibbus

coral wall with striped large-eye bream striped large-eye bream over coral Striped large-eye breams, Gnathodentex aureolineatus

raccoon butterflyfish Striped butterflyfish, Chaetodon fasciatus

coral and anthias Jewel fairy basslets, Pseudanthias squamipinnis

red firegobies Red fire goby, Nemateleotris magnifica

freckled hawkfish Forster's hawkfish (freckled hawkfish), Paracirrhites forsteri

black-spottted puffer Black-spotted pufferfish, Arothron nigropunctatus

Meyer's butterflyfish Meyer's butterflyfish, Chaetodon meyersi

checkerboard wrasse Checkerboard wrasse, Halichoeres hortulanus

humpnose bigeye bream Juvenile big-eye emperor, Monotaxis grandoculis

Indian doublebar goatfish Indian double-bar goatfish, Parupeneus trifasciatus

sub-adult oriental sweetlips Indian Ocean Oriental Sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus

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Last modified 12 December 2025