List of fishes of Ireland

This article gives a list of all species of fish found in the waters of Ireland. A separate list of freshwater fish is given at the bottom.

EX Extinct No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died.
EW Extinct in the wild Known only to survive in captivity or as a naturalized populations well outside its previous range.
CR Critically endangered The species is in imminent risk of extinction in the wild.
EN Endangered The species is facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
VU Vulnerable The species is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.
NT Near threatened The species does not meet any of the criteria that would categorise it as risking extinction but it is likely to do so in the future.
LC Least concern There are no current identifiable risks to the species.
DD Data deficient There is inadequate information to make an assessment of the risks to this species.

Class Myxini (hagfish)

Order Myxiniformes

Family Myxinidae

The Atlantic hagfish

Hyperoartia

The European river lamprey, Lampetra fluviatilis

Order Petromyzontiformes (lampreys)

Family Petromyzontidae

Infraphylum Gnathostomata (jawed vertebrates)

Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish)

Subclass Elasmobranchii

Superorder Selachimorpha (sharks and dogfish)
Order Squatiniformes (angelsharks)

Family Squatinidae (angelsharks)

Order Squaliformes (dogfishes and relatives)

Family Centrophoridae (gulper sharks)

Family Dalatiidae

Family Echinorhinidae (bramble and prickly sharks

Family Etmopteridae (lantern sharks)

Family Oxynotidae (rough sharks)

Family Somniosidae (sleeper sharks)

Family Squalidae (spiny dogfishes)

Hexanchus griseus
Order Hexanchiformes (frilled and cow sharks)

Family Chlamydoselachidae (frilled sharks)

Family Hexanchidae (sixgill sharks)

Scyliorhinus canicula in the Natural History Museum, London
Order Carcharhiniformes (ground sharks)

Family Carcharhinidae (requiem sharks)

Family Scyliorhinidae (catsharks)

Family Sphyrnidae (hammerhead sharks)

Family Triakidae (houndsharks)

Order Lamniformes (mackerel sharks)

Family Alopiidae (thresher sharks)

Family Cetorhinidae (basking sharks)

Comparison between a shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrhinchus) above, and porbeagle (Lamna nasus) below

Family Lamnidae (mackerel sharks)

Superorder Batoidea (rays, skates and sawfishes)
Order Torpediniformes (electric rays)
Order Myliobatiformes (rays)

Family Dasyatidae (whiptail stingrays)

Family Myliobatidae (eagle rays)

Family Mobulidae (devil rays)

Order Rajiformes (skates)
Raja clavata

Family Rajidae (skates)

Subclass Holocephali

Order Chimaeriformes (chimaeras)

Family Rhinochimaeridae (longnose chimaeras)

Family Chimaeridae (shortnose chimaeras)

Superclass Osteichthyes (boned fish) - Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fish)

Subclass Chondrostei

Order Acipenseriformes (sturgeons)

Family Acipenseridae (sturgeons)

European sea sturgeon

Subclass Neopterygii

Infraclass Holostei

Superorder Clupeomorpha
Order Clupeiformes (herring and anchovies)

Family Clupeidae (herring and sardines)

Family Engraulidae (Anchovies)

Superorder Elopomorpha
Order Anguilliformes (true eels)
Moray eel

Family Anguillidae (freshwater eels)

Family Congridae (conger eels)

Family Muraenidae (moray eels)

Family Nettastomatidae (duckbill eels)

Family Synaphobranchidae (cutthroat eels)

Order Notacanthiformes (halosaurs, spiny eels)

Family Halosauridae (halosaurs)

Family Notacanthidae (spiny eels)

Order Saccopharyngiformes (gulper eels)

Family Eurypharyngidae (pelican eels)

Family Saccopharyngidae (gulper eels)

Superorder Ostariophysi
Order Cypriniformes

Family Cyprinidae (carp and relatives)

Family Nemacheilidae (stone loaches)

Superorder Protacanthopterygii
Order Alepocephaliformes

Family Platytroctidae (tubeshoulders)

Family Alepocephalidae (slickheads)

Order Argentiniformes

Family Microstomatidae (pencil smelts)

Family Opisthoproctidae (barreleyes)

Order Osmeriformes (smelts, etc.)
Order Salmoniformes (salmon, trout, whitefish)

Family Salmonidae (salmon, trout, whitefish)

Superorder Stenopterygii
Order Stomiiformes
Stomias and Grammatostomias species

Family Gonostomatidae (bristlemouths)

Family Sternoptychidae (hatchefishes and relatives)

Family Phosichthyidae (lightfishes)

Family Stomiidae (dragonfishes)

Superorder Cyclosquamata
Order Aulopiformes (grinners, lizardfishes)

Family Notosudidae (waryfishes)

Family Paralepididae (barracudinas)

Superorder Scopelomorpha
Order Myctophiformes (lanternfishes)

Family Myctophidae (lanternfishes)

Acanthomorpha
Order Lampriformes

Family Lampridae (opahs)

  • Opah, Lampris guttatus

Family Trachipteridae (ribbonfishes)

Order Zeiformes (dories, etc.)

Family Zeidae (dories)

John Dory

Family Oreosomatidae (oreos)

Order Gadiformes (cod and relatives)
Melanogrammus aeglefinus

Family Gadidae (cod and relatives)

Pollachius pollachius

Family Lotidae (lings)

Family Macrouridae (grenadiers or rattails)

Macrourus berglax

Family Merlucciidae (hakes)

Family Moridae (codlings)

Family Phycidae (forkbeard hakes)

Family Trachyrincidae

Superorder Acanthopterygii
Order Beryciformes (alfonsinos, bigscales, ridgeheads)

Family Berycidae (alfonsinos)

Family Melamphaidae (bigscales)

Oder Trachichthyiformes (spinyfins, roughies and relatives)

Family Diretmidae (spinyfins)

Silver spinyfin, Diretmus argenteus

Family Trachichthyidae (roughies and slimeheads)

Clade Percomorpha
Series Ophidiimorpharia
Order Ophidiiformes (cusk-eels, brotulas and relatives)

Family Aphyonidae

Family Bythitidae (viviparous brotulas)

Family Carapidae (pearlfishes)

Family Ophidiidae (cusk-eels)

Series Gobiomorpharia
Order Gobiiformes (gobies and relatives)

Family Gobiidae (gobies)

Series Scombrimorpharia
Order Syngnathiformes (pipefishes, seahorses, dragonettes and relatives)

Family Callionymidae (dragonettes)

Family Mullidae (goatfishes)

Family Syngnathidae (seahorses and pipefishes)

Order Scombriformes (tuna, mackerel and relatives; sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016)[1]

Family Bramidae (pomfrets)

Family Centrolophidae (medusafishes)

Family Gempylidae (snake mackerels)

Family Nomeidae (driftfishes) Family Scombridae (tuna, mackerel and bonitos)

Family Trichiuridae (cutlassfishes and scabbardfishes)

Series Carangimorpharia
Order Istiophoriformes (billfishes)

Family Xiphiidae (swordfish)

Order Carangiformes (jacks and relatives)

Family Carangidae (jacks and relatives)

Order Pleuronectiformes (flatfishes)

Family Pleuronectidae (righteye flounders)

Turbot

Family Scophthalmidae (turbots)

Family Soleidae (true soles)

Order Beloniformes

Family Belonidae (needlefishes)

Family Scomberesocidae (sauries)

Order Atheriniformes (silversides)

Family Atherinidae (silversides)

Order Mugiliformes (mullets)

Family Mugilidae (mullets)

Order Gobiesociformes (clingfishes)

Family Gobiesocidae (clingfishes)

Order Blenniiformes (blennies and relatives)

Family Blenniidae (combtooth blennies)

Order Uranoscopiformes (weevers, stargazers and relatives; sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016)[1]

Family Ammodytidae (sandlances)

Family Trachinidae (weeverfishes)

Family Uranoscopidae (stargazers)

Order Labriformes (wrasses sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016)[1]

Family Labridae (wrasses)

Order Pempheriformes (sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016[1])

Family Epigonidae (deepwater cardinalfishes)

Family Polyprionidae (wreckfishes)

Order Perciformes (sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016[1])
Suborder Percoidei (sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016[1])

Family Percidae (perches)

Suborder Triglioidei (searobins and gurnards)

Family Triglidae (searobins and gurnards)

Suborder Scorpaenoidei (scorpionfish, rockfishes and relatives)

Family Sebastidae (rockfishes)

Suborder Cottoidei (sculpins, eelpouts, sticklebacks and relatives)
Infraorder Zoarcales (eelpouts, wolffishes and relatives)
Atlantic wolf fish

Family Anarhichadidae (wolffishes)

Family Pholidae (gunnels)

Family Stichaeidae (pricklebacks)

Family Zoarcidae (eelpouts)

Infraorder Gasterosteales (sticklebacks, etc.)

Family Gasterosteidae (sticklebacks)

Infraorder Cottales (sculpins, snailfishes, lumpfishes and relatives)

Family Cottidae (sculpins)

Family Cyclopteridae (lumpsuckers)

Lumpsucker, Cyclopterus lumpus

Family Liparidae (snailfishes)

Family Psychrolutidae (fatheads and blobfishes)

Order Moroniformes (temperate basses sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016[1])

Family Moronidae (temperate basses)

Order Spariformes (seabreams and relatives sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016[1])

Family Sparidae (seabreams and progies)

Order Priacanthiformes (bigeyes and bandfishes sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016[1])

Family Cepolidae (bandfishes)

Order Caproiformes (boarfishes sensu Betancur-Rodriguez et al. 2016[1])

Family Caproidae (boarfishes)

Order Lophiiformes (anglerfishes)
Suborder Lophoidei (monkfishes)

Family Lophiidae (monkfishes)

Monkfish
Suborder Ceratioidei

Family Oneirodidae (dreamers)

Order Tetraodontiformes (pufferfishes, triggerfishes, molas)

Family Molidae (molas)

Family Tetraodontidae (pufferfishes)

Freshwater fish

It has been argued that only nine species of freshwater fish are truly native to Ireland — five char species, pollan, eel, brown trout and Atlantic salmon — as Ireland's fresh water was entirely frozen during the last glacial period, only diadromous fish could repopulate Irish waters after the Ice Age. All other freshwater species were introduced, mostly from the Middle Ages onwards.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Betancur-Rodriguez, R.; Wiley, E.; Bailly, N.; Acero, A.; Miya, M.; Lecointre, G. & Ortí, G. (2016). Phylogenetic Classification of Bony Fishes - Version 4
  2. ^ "Freshwater Fish Species". Inland Fisheries Ireland.
  • FishBase Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, (June 2018)
  • Irish Natural History Literature Online
  • Went, A. E. J. (1957). List of Irish Fishes. Department of Lands, Fisheries Division, Dublin. 31 p.
  • Went, A. E. J. (1973). Supplement to List of Irish Fishes, Irish Fisheries Leaflet, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Fisheries Division)
  • Went, A. E. J. & Kennedy, M. (1976). List of Irish Fishes Stationery Office, Dublin ISBN 0707600243
  • Whitehead, P. J. P.; Bauchot, M.-L.; Hureau, J.-C.; Nielsen, J. & Tortonese, E. (eds.) (1986). Fishes of the North-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vols. I-III:1473 p.
  • Whitehead, P. J. P. (1985). FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (suborder Clupeoidei). An Annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of the Herrings, Sardines, Pilchards, Sprats, Shads, Anchovies and Wolf-Herrings. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/1): 1–303. Rome: FAO.
  • Quigley, D. T. G. series of papers in Irish Naturalists' Journal and records of rare marine fish species taken in Irish waters by fishing vessels and sea anglers from 1786 to 2008. National Biodiversity Data Centre data set online
  • Wheeler, A. (1992). A list of the common and scientific names of fishes of the British Isles. Journal of Fish Biology. 41 (Suppl. A).
  • Wheeler, A. C.; Merrett, N. R. & Quigley, T. G. (2004). Additional records and notes for Wheeler's (1992) List of the Common and Scientific Names of Fishes of the British Isles Journal of Fish Biology. December 2004 doi:10.1111/j.0022-1112.2004.0prelims.x