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Sri Lanka is a tropical island situated close to the southern tip of India. It is situated in the middle of Indian Ocean. Because of being an island, Sri Lanka has many endemic freshwater fauna, as well as thousands of marine and brackish water fauna. Fishing is the way of life of most of coastal community. So, the marine fish fauna gives a greater commercial value to the country's economy, as well as well being of the coastal people.
Marine fish are strictly different from freshwater counterparts due to high salinity of sea water, which they live. Also, they are larger than most freshwater species and rich in proteins.
There are about 100+ species of common commercial fish around the country. Crustaceans such as, crabs, lobsters, prawns, and squids, cuttlefish, and sea cucumbers also added to this list instead of fish types due to their high value commercially.
Cartilage fish
Class: Chondrichthyes
Mackerel sharks
Order: Lamniformes. Family: Lamnidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Longfin mako shark
|
Isurus paucus | Maha mee moraa (මහ මී මෝරා) |
| Shortfin mako shark
|
Isurus oxyrinchus | Heen mee mora (හීන් මී මෝරා) |
Threshers
Family: Alopiidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Common thresher
|
Alopias vulpinus | Kasa moraa (කස මෝරා) - banned |
.jpg)
Requiem sharks
Family: Carcharhinidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Silky shark
|
Carcharhinus falciformis | Bala moraa (බල මෝරා) |
| Oceanic whitetip shark
|
Carcharhinus longimanus | Polkola mora (පොල්කොල මෝරා) |
| Blue shark
|
Prionace glauca | Seeni mora (සීනි මෝරා) |
Hammerhead sharks
Family: Sphyrnidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Scalloped hammerhead
|
Sphyrna lewini | Udalu mora (උදලු මෝරා) |
| Great hammerhead
|
Sphyrna mokarran | Udalu mora (උදලු මෝරා) |
| Smooth hammerhead
|
Sphyrna zygaena | Udalu mora (උදලු මෝරා) |
Guitarfish
Order: Rajiformes. Family: Rhinobatidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Common shovelnose ray
|
Glaucostegus typus | Baaloliyaa (බාලොලියා) |
Stingrays
Order: Myliobatiformes. Family: Dasyatidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Common stingray
|
Dasyatis pastinaca | Waeli maduwaa (වැලි මඩුවා) |
| Pale-edged stingray
|
Dasyatis zugei | Waeli maduwaa (වැලි මඩුවා) |
Rays
Family: Myliobatidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Spotted eagle ray
|
Aetobatus narinari | Vavoi maduwaa (වවොයි මඩුවා) |
| Pygmy devil ray
|
Mobula eregoodootenkee | Ali maduwaa (අලි මඩුවා) |
| Flapnose ray
|
Rhinoptera javanica | Maduwaa (මඩුවා) |
Numbfish
Order: Torpediniformes. Family: Narcinidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Blackspotted numbfish
|
Narcine timlei | Viduli maduwaa (විදුලි මඩුවා) |
Bony fish
Class: Actinopterygii
Scombrid fish
Order: Perciformes. Family: Scombridae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Wahoo
|
Acanthocybium solandri | Sawaraa (සවරා) |
| Bullet tuna
|
Auxis rochei | Ragodu, Kombayaa (රගොඩු, කොම්බයා) |
| Frigate tuna
|
Auxis thazard | Alagoduwaa (අලගොඩුවා) |
| Mackerel tuna | Euthynnus affinis | Aetawallaa (ඇටවල්ලා) |
| Skipjack tuna
|
Katsuwonus pelamis | Balayaa (බලයා) |
| Indian mackerel
|
Rastrelliger kanagurta | Kumbalawaa (කුම්බලවා) |
| Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel | Scomberomorus commerson | Thoraa (තෝරා) |
| Yellowfin tuna | Thunnus albacares | Kelawallaa (කෙලවල්ලා) |
| Bigeye tuna
|
Thunnus obesus | As-gedi Kelawallaa (ඇස් ගෙඩි කෙලවල්ලා) |
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Jacks and allies
Family: Carangidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Bludger
|
Carangoides gymnostethus | Vattiyaa (වට්ටියා) |
| Yellowspotted trevally
|
Carangoides fulvoguttatus | Thumba parau (තුම්බ පරාවා) |
| Blacktip trevally
|
Caranx heberi | Guru parau (ගුරු පරාවා) |
| Giant trevally
|
Caranx ignobilis | Parau (පරාවා) |
| Indian Scad
|
Decapterus russelli | Linna (ලින්නා) |
| Bigeye scad
|
Selar crumenophthalmus | Bollaa (බෝල්ලා) |
Sailfish and allies
Family: Istiophoridae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Indo-Pacific sailfish
|
Istiophorus platypterus | Thalapath (තලපත්) |
| Black marlin | Istiompax indica | Kalu kopparaa (කලු කොප්පරා) |
| Striped marlin
|
Kajikia audax | Iri kopparaa (ඉරි කොප්පරා) |
| Atlantic blue marlin
|
Makaira nigricans | Nil koppara (නිල් කොප්පරා) |
Swordfish
Family: Xiphiidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Swordfish | Xiphias gladius | Sapparaa (සප්පරා)/Thalapath (තලපතා) |
Emperors
Family: Lethrinidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Spangled emperor
|
Lethrinus nebulosus | Meevetiya, Atissaa (මීවෙටියා, අටිස්සා) |
| Longface emperor
|
Lethrinus olivaceus | Uru hotaa (ඌරු හොටා) |
Snappers
Family: Lutjanidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Sharptooth jobfish | Pristipomoides typus | Kalmaee (කලමී) |
| Mangrove red snapper
|
Lutjanus argentimaculatus | Thabalayaa (තබලයා) |
| Dory snapper
|
Lutjanus fulviflamma | Rannaa (රන්නා) |
| Blubberlip snapper | Lutjanus rivulatus | Badawaa (බඩවා) |
Groupers
Family: Serranidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Coral hind
|
Cephalopholis miniata | Thabuwaa (තබුවා) |
| Malabar grouper
|
Epinephelus malabaricus | Gas bola, Gal kossaa (ගස් බෝලා, ගල් කොස්සා) |
| Wavy-lined grouper | Epinephelus undulosus | Lawayaa (ලවයා) |
Sweetlips
Family: Haemulidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka sweetlips | Plectorhinchus ceylonensis | Boraluwaa (බොරලුවා) |
Threadfin bream
Family: Nemipteridae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Delagoa threadfin bream
|
Nemipterus bipunctatus | Sudhdhaa (සුද්දා) |
| Fork-tailed threadfin bream
|
Nemipterus furcosus | Sudhdhaa (සුද්දා) |
Parrotfish
Family: Scaridae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Ember parrotfish
|
Scarus rubroviolaceus | Girawaa (ගිරවා) |
| Eclipse parrotfish | Scarus russelii | Girawaa (ගිරවා) |
Rabbitfish
Family: Siganidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Bronze-lined rabbitfish
|
Siganus insomnis | Orawaa (ඔරවා) |
| Streaked spinefoot
|
Siganus javus | Orawaa (ඔරවා) |
| Golden-lined spinefoot
|
Siganus lineatus | Orawaa (ඔරවා) |
| Vermiculated spinefoot
|
Siganus vermiculatus | Orawaa (ඔරවා) |
Barracudas
Family: Sphyraenidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Pickhandle barracuda
|
Sphyraena jello | Jeelawaa (ජීලාවා) |
| Obtuse barracuda
|
Sphyraena obtusata | Jeelawaa (ජීලාවා) |
Mullets
Family: Mugilidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Largescale mullet | Chelone macrolepis | Godayaa (ගොඩයා) |
| Flathead grey mullet
|
Mugil cephalus | Godayaa (ගොඩයා) |
Cutlassfish
Family: Trichiuridae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Savalani hairtail
|
Lepturacanthus savala | Sevalayaa (සෙවලයා) |
Mojarras
Family: Gerreidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Deep-bodied mojarra | Gerres erythrourus | Thirali (තිරලි)) |
| Slender silver-biddy | Gerres oblongus | Thirali (තිරලි) |
| Common silver-biddy | Gerres oyena | Thirali (තිරලි) |
Ponyfish
Family: Leiognathidae
| Common name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Berber ponyfish | Leiognathus berbis | Kaarallaa (කාරල්ලා)) |
| Shortnose ponyfish | Leiognathus brevirostris | Kaarallaa (කාරල්ලා) |
| Common ponyfish | Leiognathus equulus | Kaarallaa (කාරල්ලා) |
Herrings and allies
Order: Clupeiformes. Family: Clupeidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Bleeker's smoothbelly sardinella | Amblygaster clupeoides | Gal hurulla (ගල් හුරුල්ලා) |
| Smoothbelly sardinella
|
Amblygaster leiogaster | Keeramin (කීරමින්) |
| Spotted sardinella
|
Amblygaster sirm | Hurulla (හුරුල්ලා) |
| Rainbow sardine
|
Dussumieria acuta | Thondayaa (තොන්ඩයා) |
| White sardine | Escualosa thoracata | Wella sudaa (වැල්ල සුදා) |
| Bloch's gizzard shad | Nematalosa nasus | Koyyaa (කොය්යා) |
| White sardinella | Sardinella albella | Sudayaa (සුදයා) |
| Goldstripe sardinella
|
Sardinella gibbosa | Saalayaa (සාලයා) |
| Ilish
|
Tenualosa ilisha | Puvaali (පුවාලි) |
Anchovy
Family: Engraulidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Commerson's anchovy | Stolephorus commersonnii | Haalmassaa (හාල්මැස්සා) |
| Indian anchovy
|
Stolephorus indicus | Handalla (හැදැල්ලා) |
| False baelama anchovy | Thryssa encrasicholoides | Laggaa (ලග්ගා) |
| Gautama thryssa | Thryssa gautamiensis | Laggaa (ලග්ගා) |
| Malabar thryssa | Thryssa malabarica | Laggaa (ලග්ගා)/ Balal parattaya (බළල් පරට්ටයා) |
| Moustached thryssa
|
Thryssa mystax | Ata Laggaa (ඇට ලග්ගා) |
Garfish
Order: Beloniformes. Family: Belonidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Freshwater garfish
|
Xenentodon cancila | Habarali (හබරලි) |
-1.JPG)
Flying fish
Family: Exocoetidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Black-sail flyingfish
|
Cheilopogon nigricans | Piyamassa (පියාමැස්සා) |
_preserved_specimen.jpg)
Halfbeaks
Family: Hemiramphidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Jumping halfbeak | Hemiramphus archipelagicus | Morallaa (මොරල්ලා) |
| Congaturi halfbeak | Hyporhamphus limbatus | Morallaa (මොරල්ලා) |
River garfish
Family: Zenarchopteridae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Feathered river garfish | Zenarchopterus dispar | Habarali (හබරලි) |
Crustaceans
Class: Malacostraca
Order: Decapoda
Family: Palaemonidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Giant river prawn
|
Macrobrachium rosenbergii | Karadu issaa (කරඩු ඉස්සා) |
Family: Penaeidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Indian prawn | Fenneropenaeus indicus - syn. Penaeus indicus | Kiri issaa (කිරි ඉස්සා) |
| Asian tiger shrimp
|
Penaeus monodon | Karawadu issaa (කරවදු ඉස්සා) |
| Green tiger prawn | Penaeus semisulcatus | Kurutu issaa (කුරු‍ටු ඉස්සා) |
Family: Palinuridae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Scalloped spiny lobster
|
Panulirus homarus | Waeli issaa (වැලි ඉස්සා) |
| Ornate rock lobster
|
Panulirus ornatus | Devi issaa (දෙවි ඉස්සා) |
| Pronghorn spiny lobster
|
Panulirus penicillatus | Gal issaa (ගල් ඉස්සා) |
| Slipper lobster
|
Panulirus polyphagus | Mada issaa (මඩ ඉස්සා) |
| Painted rock lobster
|
Panulirus versicolor | Bathik issaa (බතික් ඉස්සා) |
Family: Scyllaridae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Slipper lobster | Bathyarctus rubens - syn. Scyllarus rubens | Sapaththu issaa (සපත්තු ඉස්සා) |
| Pygmy slipper lobster | Biarctus sordidus - syn. Scyllarus sordidus | Sapaththu issaa (සපත්තු ඉස්සා) |
Order: Stomatopoda
Family: Odontodactylidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Peacock mantis shrimp
|
Odontodactylus scyllarus - very few used as a food. mostly as an aquarium species. | Monara issaa (මොණර ඉස්සා) |
Family: Portunidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Smooth-shelled swimming crab | Charybdis affinis | Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා) |
| Crucifix crab | Charybdis feriata | Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා) |
| Indo Pacific swimming crab
|
Charybdis hellerii | Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා) |
| Ridged swimming crab
|
Charybdis natator | Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා) |
| Indian swimming crab | Charybdis smithii | Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා) |
| Blunt-toothed crab | Charybdis truncata | Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා) |
| Flower crab
|
Portunus pelagicus | Mal kakuluwaa (මල් කකුලුවා) |
| Three-spot swimming crab
|
Portunus sanguinolentus | Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා) |
| Mangrove crab
|
Scylla serrata | Kalapu kakuluwaa (කලපු කකුලුවා) |
Molluscs
Class: Cephalopoda
Order: Teuthida
Family: Loliginidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Indian squid | Uroteuthis duvauceli - syn. Loligo duvauceli | Ahin daellaa (අහින් දැල්ලා) |
| Long barrel squid | Uroteuthis singhalensis - syn. Loligo singhalensis | Bothal daellaa (බෝතල් දැල්ලා) |
Order: Sepiida
Family: Sepiidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name | Tamil Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| Needle cuttlefish | Sepia aculeata | Pothu daellaa (පොතු දැල්ලා) | Oosi Kanawa (ஊசி கணவாய்) |
| Pharaoh cuttlefish
|
Sepia pharaonis | Daellaa (දැල්ලා) | Kanawa (கணவாய்) |
Echinoderms
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Holothuriida
Family: Holothuriidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Harry blackfish | Actinopyga miliaris | Kalu attayaa (කලු අට්ටයා) |
| Brown sandfish
|
Bohadschia marmorata | Nul attayaa (නූල් අට්ටයා) |
| Lollyfish
|
Holothuria atra | Nari attayaa (නරි අට්ටයා) |
| Edible sea cucumber | Holothuria edulis | Rathu attayaa (රතු අට්ටයා) |
| White Teatfish | Holothuria fuscogilva | Ham attayaa (හම් අට්ටයා) |
| Black Teatfish | Holothuria nobilis | Polon attayaa (පොලොන් අට්ටයා) |
| Golden Sandfish | Holothuria scabra | Waeli attayaa (වැලි අට්ටයා) |
Order: Synallactida
Family: Stichopodidae
| Name | Binomial | Sinhala Name |
|---|---|---|
| Greenfish sea cucumber
|
Stichopus chloronotus | Dambalayaa (දබලයා) |
| Pineapple sea cucumber
|
Thelenota ananas | Annaasi attayaa (අන්නාසි අට්ටයා) |
| Giant sea cucumber | Thelenota anax | Pun attayaa (පන් අට්ටයා) |
References
- "Ayubowan! (Welcome) to Sri Lankan fish finder." Sri Lankan Fish. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- "Common Commercial Fish Types of Sri Lanka". Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
- "COMMERCIAL ORNAMENTAL FISH PRODUCTION" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Production and Development, Industries, Fisheries and Tourism. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 June 2014. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
| Fauna of Sri Lanka | |||||||||||
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| Invertebrates |
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| Vertebrates | |||||||||||