The deep sea

Squids, fishes, and creatures of the deep. Te Papa holds the largest and most comprehensive collection in the country, and the largest collection of New Zealand fishes anywhere in the world.

Colossal squid
Colossal squid

All you’d want to know about the colossal squid – from its anatomy, to how it was found.
Quiz: New Zealand’s ugliest fish

Quiz: New Zealand’s ugliest fish

There are some bizarre looking fish that live in the depths of New Zealand's waters. Take the quiz and expand your ugly fish knowledge.
Fish on Collections Online

Fish on Collections Online

Te Papa holds New Zealand’s national reference collection of fishes: the National Fish Collection. It is the largest and most comprehensive collection in the country, and it is also the largest collection of New Zealand fishes anywhere in the world.
Discovering the mola tecta, a new species of sunfish

Discovering the mola tecta, a new species of sunfish

Read the story about how a sunfish washing up on our beaches and lying in our store rooms, has become the first new species of sunfish to be described in 100 years.
Crabeater seals and their mysterious attraction to the Hutt River (the sequel)

Crabeater seals and their mysterious attraction to the Hutt River (the sequel)

About three years ago, vertebrate curator Colin Miskelly made the ‘rash’ claim that the best bet for seeing a crabeater seal in New Zealand was to visit the mouth of the Hutt River in Wellington Harbour – and wait approximately 25 years.
The Fishes of New Zealand

The Fishes of New Zealand

Explore, discover and identify every known species of New Zealand fish in this encyclopaedic and beautifully illustrated guide.
Sunfish: Dissecting and preserving an ocean giant

Sunfish: Dissecting and preserving an ocean giant

A series of photographs showing our fish scientists carry out research on a 243kg sunfish.
How big is a sunfish?

How big is a sunfish?

Sunfish are the heaviest bony fish species alive today. Find out how large different species grow and how to weigh one.

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The deep sea

Colossal squid

Quiz: New Zealand’s ugliest fish

Fish on Collections Online

Discovering the mola tecta, a new species of sunfish

Crabeater seals and their mysterious attraction to the Hutt River (the sequel)

The Fishes of New Zealand

Sunfish: Dissecting and preserving an ocean giant

How big is a sunfish?