Fauna

This article is about Fauna. You may be looking for Flora.

Read at own risk This article contains unmarked spoilers. Players new to the game would want to avoid or be cautious toward this article.

Fauna is the term for animals, in this case, the animals of Planet 4546B. Fauna in Subnautica can be found all over the planet, from the mysterious depths of the Crystal Caves to the vibrant Safe Shallows, and the fiery pits of the Lava Lakes.

Fauna on Planet 4546B comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms. Ranging from the tiny, cave-dwelling Rockgrub, to the colossal Sea Dragon Leviathan that spews molten minerals from its mouth. Fauna on Planet 4546B is capable of enduring and adapting to various environments, although previously unable to thrive due to the presence of the Kharaa Bacterium. Certain species of small fauna can sometimes be seen forming mostly non-interactive shoals. Fauna on 4546B also has yellow blood. The fact that the appearance of some species of the planet being similar to that of planet Earth species can be explained as a simple case of convergent evolution.

The player can scan Fauna with the Handheld Scanner, the same as they would with Flora and objects, allowing them to view information about creatures in their PDA.

In Subnautica additional scans after unlocking the Data Bank Entry for that particular species of Fauna alert the player as to whether or not the specimen is infected with Kharaa. As Kharaa has been eliminated from the wild in Below Zero this function is not present.

Reproduction

Most known fauna species on Planet 4546B are simultaneous hermaphrodites, meaning that they have a single-sex capable of playing the role of either the male or female in reproduction and every individual being able to lay eggs and fertilize them. Two parents are still required to fertilize the eggs once laid, making it sexual reproduction. At least one fauna species is exempt from this and reproduces entirely asexually, although the norm for the planet is sexual reproduction, as can be observed in all species that can be placed in an Alien Containment unit who will require two individuals of their species to produce eggs. The only species that does not reproduce is the Warper, as they are artificial constructs.

The only one of the complex fauna species on the planet known to be an exception to this rule is the Sea Emperor Leviathan species, which is entirely asexual and does not require a mate. The Sea Dragon Leviathan may share this method of reproduction as it is likely the closest living relative of the Sea Emperor Leviathan and was being studied by the Architects to learn more about the Sea Emperor's hatching process, which was apparently successful.

Fauna of The Crater

Carnivores

Fauna	Attitude	Biome
Ampeel	Aggressive	Blood Kelp Caves Blood Kelp Zone Bulb Zone
Biter	Aggressive	Crash Zone Mesas Grassy Plateaus Grassy Plateaus Caves Jellyshroom Cave Mountains Mountains Caves
Blighter	Aggressive	Blood Kelp Caves Blood Kelp Zone
Boneshark	Aggressive	Bulb Zone Crag Field Crash Zone Mesas Mushroom Forest Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Underwater Islands
Crabsnake	Aggressive	Jellyshroom Cave
Crabsquid	Aggressive	Deep Grand Reef Northern Blood Kelp Caves Northern Blood Kelp Zone Lost River Corridor Ghost Canyon
Crashfish	Defensive	Kelp Forest Caves Safe Shallows Caves
Lava Lizard	Aggressive	Inactive Lava Zone Corridor Inactive Lava Zone Lava Lakes Lava Castle
Mesmer	Aggressive	Bulb Zone Crag Field Kelp Forest Caves Lost River Bones Field Northeastern Mushroom Forest
River Prowler	Aggressive	Lost River Bone Fields Ghost Forest Junction Mountains Corridor
Sand Shark	Aggressive	Crash Zone Dunes Grassy Plateaus
Stalker	Aggressive	Crash Zone Kelp Forest Kelp Forest Caves Primary Containment Facility Aquarium
Warper	Aggressive (when target has Kharaa) Passive when target is not infected	Blood Kelp Caves Blood Kelp Zone Deep Grand Reef Dunes Grand Reef Inactive Lava Zone Inactive Lava Zone Corridor Lava Lakes Lost River Junction Mountain Island Quarantine Enforcement Platform Sea Treader's Path

Herbivores

Fauna	Attitude	Biome
Bladderfish	Passive	Crash Zone Mesas Dunes Grand Reef Grassy Plateaus Kelp Forest Lost River Tree Cove Mushroom Forest Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Safe Shallows
Boomerang	Passive	Bulb Zone Crag Field Crash Zone Deep Grand Reef Dunes Grand Reef Grassy Plateaus Kelp Forest Mountains Mountains Caves Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Safe Shallows Safe Shallows Caves Sea Treader's Path Sea Treader's Tunnel Caves Underwater Islands
Crimson Ray	Passive	Inactive Lava Zone Lava Lakes
Cuddlefish	Passive	Eggs Deep Grand Reef Degasi Base Dunes Sinkhole Lost River Laboratory Cache Mushroom Forest Caves
Eyeye	Passive	Bulb Zone Bulb Zone Caves Crash Zone Dunes Grand Reef Jellyshroom Cave Kelp Forest Kelp Forest Caves Sea Treader's Path Sea Treader's Tunnel Caves
Garryfish	Passive	Crash Zone Mesas Dunes Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Safe Shallows Safe Shallows Caves Underwater Islands
Gasopod	Defensive	Crash Zone Mesas Dunes Safe Shallows
Ghostray	Passive	Lost River Bone Fields Ghost Canyon Ghost Forest Tree Cove Junction Mountains Corridor
Holefish	Passive	Bulb Zone Caves Crash Zone Mushroom Forest Caves Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Safe Shallows Safe Shallows Caves
Hoopfish	Passive	Bulb Zone Crag Field Dunes Grand Reef Grassy Plateaus Kelp Forest Kelp Forest Caves Mountains Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Sea Treader's Path Sea Treader's Tunnel Caves Underwater Islands
Hoverfish	Passive	Crash Zone Crash Zone Mesas Kelp Forest Primary Containment Facility Aquarium
Jellyray	Passive	Deep Grand Reef Mushroom Forest
Magmarang	Passive	Inactive Lava Zone Inactive Lava Zone Corridor Lava Lakes
Oculus	Passive	Jellyshroom Cave Primary Containment Facility Aquarium
Peeper	Passive	Bulb Zone Crash Zone Crash Zone Mesas Deep Sparse Reef Dunes Grand Reef Grassy Plateaus Kelp Forest Mountains Mushroom Forest Safe Shallows Sea Treader's Path Sparse Reef Primary Containment Facility Aquarium
Rabbit Ray	Passive	Crash Zone Crash Zone Mesas Kelp Forest Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Safe Shallows
Red Eyeye	Passive	Inactive Lava Zone Inactive Lava Zone Corridor Lava Lakes
Reginald	Passive	Crash Zone Crash Zone Mesas Deep Sparse Reef Grand Reef Grand Reef Caves Grassy Plateaus Lost River Ghost Canyon Ghost Forest Junction Mountains Corridor Mountains Caves Mountains Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Sea Treader's Path Sparse Reef
Skyray	Passive	Crash Zone Floating Island Mountain Island Lifepod 5
Spadefish	Passive	Deep Sparse Reef Dunes Grand Reef Grassy Plateaus Mushroom Forest Mushroom Forest Caves Sea Treader's Path Sea Treader's Tunnel Caves Sparse Reef Underwater Islands
Spinefish	Passive	Blood Kelp Caves Blood Kelp Zone Lost River Bone Fields Corridor Ghost Canyon Ghost Forest Junction Mountains Corridor Bone Fields Caves

Scavengers and Parasites

Fauna	Attitude	Biome
Amoeboid	Passive	Disease Research Facility Lost River Bone Fields Ghost Canyon Ghost Forest Junction Mountains Corridor Lost River Laboratory Cache
Ancient Floater	Passive	Floating Island Northern Blood Kelp Zone Underwater Islands
Bleeder	Aggressive	Aurora Deep Sparse Reef Kelp Forest Kelp Forest Caves Lost River Bone Fields
Blood Crawler	Aggressive	Blood Kelp Zone Blood Kelp Caves Lost River Ghost Forest
Cave Crawler	Aggressive	Aurora Dunes Dunes Caves Floating Island Mountain Island Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Underwater Islands Caves
Floater	Defensive	Grassy Plateaus Safe Shallows
Lava Larva	Passive	Inactive Lava Zone Inactive Lava Zone Corridor Lava Lakes
Rockgrub	Passive	Bulb Zone Caves Deep Sparse Reef Dunes Dunes Caves Grassy Plateaus Caves Mountains Caves
Shuttlebug	Passive	Bulb Zone Crag Field Crash Zone Deep Sparse Reef Dunes Dunes Caves Grassy Plateaus Caves Mountains Mountains Caves Mushroom Forest Caves Primary Containment Facility Aquarium Safe Shallows Caves Sea Treader's Path Sea Treader's Tunnel Caves Sparse Reef

Leviathan Class

Fauna	Attitude	Biome
Ghost Leviathan	Aggressive	Crater Edge Grand Reef Northern Blood Kelp Zone
Ghost Leviathan Juvenile	Aggressive	Bones Field Ghost Forest Mountains Corridor
Reaper Leviathan	Aggressive	Bulb Zone Crash Zone Crash Zone Mesas Dunes Mountains
Reefback Leviathan	Passive	Blood Kelp Zone Bulb Zone Crag Field Grassy Plateaus Mushroom Forest Sparse Reef Underwater Islands
Reefback Leviathan Juvenile	Passive	Blood Kelp Zone Bulb Zone Crag Field Grassy Plateaus Mushroom Forest Sparse Reef Underwater Islands
Sea Dragon Leviathan	Aggressive	Inactive Lava Zone Lava Lakes
Sea Emperor Leviathan	Passive	Primary Containment Facility Aquarium
Sea Emperor Leviathan Baby	Passive	Primary Containment Facility Aquarium
Sea Emperor Leviathan Juvenile	Passive	Northern Blood Kelp Zone Crag Field Dunes Grand Reef Mountains
Sea Treader Leviathan	Defensive	Grand Reef Sea Treader's Path Sea Treader's Tunnel Caves

Extinct Species

Species	Location of Remains	Age
Alpha Peeper Species	N/A	Unknown
Alpha Ray Species	N/A	Unknown
Ancient Skeleton	Lost River Laboratory Cache	~1,000,000 years
Gargantuan Fossil	Lost River Bones Field Lost River Ghost Forest	~3,000,000 years
Research Specimen	Disease Research Facility	~1000 years

Fauna of Sector Zero

Carnivores

Fauna	Attitude	Biome
Brinewing	Aggressive	Sparse Arctic
Brute Shark	Aggressive	Lilypad Islands Tree Spires Twisty Bridges
Crashfish	Defensive	Arctic Kelp Caves Crystal Castle Purple Vents Twisty Bridges Caves
Cryptosuchus	Aggressive	Purple Vents Thermal Spires
Noot Fish	Passive	Lilypad Islands
Pengling	Passive	Arctic Kelp Forest East Arctic Glacial Basin Ice Floes Sparse Arctic West Arctic
Pengwing	Defensive	Arctic Kelp Forest East Arctic Delta Island Glacial Basin Ice Floes Sparse Arctic West Arctic
Pinnacarid	Passive	Arctic Kelp Forest East Arctic West Arctic
Rock Puncher	Aggressive	Crystal Caves Koppa Mining Site Thermal Spires
Snow Stalker	Aggressive	Arctic Spires Glacial Basin
Snow Stalker Baby	Passive	Glacial Basin
Spikey Trap	Aggressive	Deep Lilypads Cave Deep Twisty Bridges Lilypads Crevice
Squidshark	Aggressive	Deep Lilypads Cave Deep Twisty Bridges Lilypad Islands
Symbiote	Aggressive	Sparse Arctic

Herbivores

Fauna	Attitude	Biome
Arctic Peeper	Passive	Arctic Kelp Forest East Arctic Glacial Bay Shallow Twisty Bridges Sparse Arctic Thermal Spires Twisty Bridges Underwater Caves West Arctic
Arctic Ray	Passive	Glacial Bay East Arctic Twisty Bridges West Arctic
Arrow Ray	Passive	Lilypad Islands Tree Spires
Bladderfish	Passive	Crystal Caves Deep Purple Vents East Arctic Glacial Bay Lilypad Islands Marguerit Maida's Base Purple Vents Shallow Twisty Bridges Thermal Spires Twisty Bridges Underwater Caves West Arctic
Boomerang	Passive	East Arctic Arctic Kelp Forest Deep Purple Vents Fabricator Caverns Lilypad Islands Main Lilypad Islands Shallow Twisty Bridges Thermal Spires Twisty Bridges West Arctic
Discus Fish	Passive	Deep Lilypads Cave Tree Spires
Eye Jelly	Defensive	Glacial Bay Glacial Connection West Arctic
Feather Fish	Passive	Lilypad Islands Purple Vents Thermal Spires Tree Spires
Red Feather Fish	Passive	Koppa Mining Site Crystal Caves Deep Purple Vents Fabricator Caverns Mercury II Tree Spires
Hivemind	Passive	Lilypads Crevice
Hoopfish	Passive	Arctic Kelp Caves Arctic Kelp Forest Lilypad Islands Main Lilypad Islands Shallow Twisty Bridges Tree Spires Twisty Bridges
Lily Paddler	Defensive	Deep Lilypads Cave Large Tree Spire Lilypads Crevice Lilypad Islands
Sea Monkey	Passive	Arctic Kelp Caves Arctic Kelp Forest Lilypads Crevice Lilypad Islands
Sea Monkey Baby	Passive	Eggs Sea Monkey Nest
Skyray	Passive	Glacial Bay Glacial Basin Delta Island
Spinefish	Passive	Crystal Caves Deep Lilypads Cave Deep Twisty Bridges Fabricator Caverns Mercury II
Spinner Fish	Passive	Arctic Kelp Caves Deep Lilypads Cave Lilypads Crevice Lilypad Islands
Titan Holefish	Passive	East Arctic Sparse Arctic West Arctic
Triops	Passive	Koppa Mining Site Crystal Caves Deep Lilypads Cave Deep Twisty Bridges Fabricator Caverns Tree Spires
Trivalve	Passive	Eggs Arctic Spires Deep Lilypads Cave West Arctic

Scavengers & Parasites

Fauna	Attitude	Biome
Rockgrub	Passive	Crystal Caves East Arctic Koppa Mining Site West Arctic

Leviathans

Fauna	Attitude	Biome
Chelicerate	Aggressive	East Arctic Purple Vents Tree Spires
Glow Whale	Passive	East Arctic Lilypad Islands
Ice Worm	Aggressive	Arctic Spires
Juvenile Ventgarden	Passive	Tree Spires
Shadow Leviathan	Aggressive	Crystal Caves Fabricator Caverns
Ventgarden	Passive	Tree Spires
Void Chelicerate	Aggressive	World Edge

Extinct Species

Fauna	Location of Remains	Age
Frozen Leviathan	Phi Excavation Site	~1000 years at most

Gallery

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  Subnautica fauna Sheet 1

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  Subnautica fauna Sheet 2

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  Various fauna & flora renders

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  Various fauna renders

Trivia

• As of the Dangerous Creatures update, all fauna have yellow blood. Before this update, all fauna had red blood. This is due to the ESRB giving Subnautica a higher rating than expected due to red blood.
  • Scientifically speaking, the fauna of planet 4546B might have high concentrations of vanabin in their blood.
• Fauna were once intended to possess inherent attributes, that would have caused them to exhibit unique behaviors. These included, e.g., "Fertile" (occasionally lay eggs that can be hatched), "Alpha" (attacked the player if other creatures were killed by the player in the immediate vicinity), "Complex" (specimens take longer to scan), "Greater" (specimens are of larger size and weight). This, however, was scrapped upon the final release.
• There are some Fauna that are unknown creatures that only exist as ambience sounds. These include the Big Snake, Docile Whale (possibly a glow whale), Screecher, Echolocator, Sounds of birds and insects, Kaiju, and a few more. These are only in Subnautica Below Zero.
• In the very early stages of Subnautica, there were many unused and cut fauna.
  • An unused creature named the Sandworm could only be found in the Entity Gallery. It was intended to stay in one place under the ground, and when the player or an NPC was right above it, it would spring up and would do 1 damage at a very fast rate. It only had animations for shooting out of the ground, going back into its hole, and an idle animation.
  • The unused Grabcrab creature would leave its burrow and search for items to drag back to its hole. These items included small resources and even small fish. Its burrow also had the same model as the Grabcrab.
  • Unused clusters of Bloom Plankton can be spawned in the game, and react to light. They will glow red if a Flare is shining on them, and white if a Flashlight or Vehicle's light is shining on them.
  • In the Early Access Release trailer, the Large Bird can be seen flying among the Skyrays. They were cut entirely out of the game sometime before Early Access, making their appearance in the trailer the last time they were seen.