List of fishes of the Black Sea

The list of fishes of the Black Sea consists of indigenous, and also introduced species.

List

[edit]

The following tags are used to indicate the conservation status of species by IUCN's criteria:

EX Extinct
CR Critically endangered
EN Endangered
VU Vulnerable
NT Near threatened
LC Least concern
DD Data deficient
NE Not evaluated

All the listed species are classified by their origin as native, introduced, invasive, and species found accidentally (difficult to characterize as native or invasive).

Scientific name Taxa authority English name Origin Country of occurrence IUCN status Image
Ordo: Petromyzontiformes
Family: Petromyzontidae
Eudontomyzon mariae (Berg, 1931) Ukrainian brook lamprey Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Ordo: Rajiformes
Family: Rajidae
Raja clavata Linnaeus, 1758 Thornback ray Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Near threatened
Ordo: Myliobatiformes
Family: Dasyatidae
Dasyatis pastinaca Linnaeus, 1758 Common stingray Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Family: Gymnuridae
Gymnura altavela (Linnaeus, 1758) Spiny butterfly ray Accidental  Turkey
Vulnerable
Ordo: Carcharhiniformes
Family: Scyliorhinidae
Scyliorhinus canicula (Linnaeus, 1758) Small-spotted catshark Accidental  Bulgaria,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Family: Sphyrnidae
Sphyrna zygaena (Linnaeus, 1758) Smooth hammerhead Accidental  Bulgaria,  Romania
Vulnerable
Ordo: Lamniformes
Family: Alopiidae
Alopias vulpinus (Bonnaterre, 1788) Common thresher Accidental  Bulgaria,  Turkey
Vulnerable
Ordo: Squaliformes
Family: Squalidae
Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758 Spiny dogfish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Vulnerable
Squalus blainville (Risso, 1827) Longnose spurdog Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Ordo: Squatiniformes
Family: Squatinidae
Squatina squatina Linnaeus, 1758 Angelshark Accidental  Bulgaria,  Turkey
Critically endangered
Ordo: Acipenseriformes
Family: Acipenseridae
Acipenser gueldenstaedtii (Brandt & Ratzeburg, 1833) Russian sturgeon Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Critically endangered
Acipenser nudiventris Lovetsky, 1828 Bastard sturgeon Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Critically endangered
Acipenser persicus Borodin, 1897 Persian sturgeon Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia
Critically endangered
Acipenser ruthenus Linnaeus, 1758 Sterlet Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Vulnerable
Acipenser stellatus Pallas, 1771 Starry sturgeon Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Critically endangered
Acipenser sturio Linnaeus, 1758 European sea sturgeon Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Critically endangered
Huso huso Linnaeus, 1758 Beluga Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Critically endangered
Ordo: Anguilliformes
Family: Anguillidae
Anguilla anguilla Linnaeus, 1758 European eel Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Critically endangered
Family: Congridae
Conger conger Linnaeus, 1758 European conger Accidental  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ordo: Clupeiformes
Family: Engraulidae
Engraulis encrasicolus Linnaeus, 1758 European anchovy Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Family: Clupeidae
Alosa caspia (Eichwald, 1838) Caspian shad Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Alosa fallax Lacépède, 1800 Twait shad Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Alosa immaculata Bennett, 1835 Pontic shad Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Vulnerable
Alosa maeotica Grimm, 1901 Black Sea shad Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Alosa tanaica (Grimm, 1901) Azov shad Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Clupeonella cultriventris (Nordmann, 1840) Black Sea sprat Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Sardina pilchardus Walbaum, 1792 European pilchard Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Sardinella aurita Valenciennes, 1847 Round sardinella Accidental  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Sprattus sprattus (Linnaeus, 1758) European sprat Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ordo: Salmoniformes
Family: Salmonidae
Salmo labrax Pallas, 1814 Black Sea salmon Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758 Brown trout Introduced species  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Ordo: Gadiformes
Family: Gadidae
Merlangius merlangus Linnaeus, 1758 Whiting Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Micromesistius poutassou (Risso, 1827) Blue whiting Accidental  Bulgaria,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Family: Lotidae
Gaidropsarus mediterraneus (Linnaeus, 1758) Shore rockling Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Family: Merlucciidae
Merluccius merluccius (Linnaeus, 1758) European hake Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Ordo: Ophidiiformes
Family: Ophidiidae
Ophidion rochei Müller, 1845 Roche's snake blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Ordo: Lophiiformes
Family: Lophiidae
Lophius budegassa (Spinola, 1807) Blackbellied angler Native  Bulgaria,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Lophius piscatorius Linnaeus, 1758 Sea devil Native  Bulgaria,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ordo: Atheriniformes
Family: Atherinidae
Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810 Big-scale sand smelt Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Atherina hepsetus Linnaeus, 1758 Mediterranean sand smelt Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ordo: Beloniformes
Family: Belonidae
Belone belone (Linnaeus, 1761) Garfish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ordo: Cyprinodontiformes
Family: Poeciliidae
Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859 Eastern mosquitofish Introduced species  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Ordo: Zeiformes
Family: Zeidae
Zeus faber Linnaeus, 1758 John Dory Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ordo: Gasterosteiformes
Family: Gasterosteidae
Gasterosteus aculeatus Linnaeus, 1758 Three-spined stickleback Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Pungitius platygaster (Kessler, 1859) Ukrainian stickleback Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Ordo: Syngnathiformes
Family: Syngnathidae
Hippocampus guttulatus (Cuvier, 1829) Long-snouted seahorse Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Nerophis ophidion (Linnaeus, 1758) Straightnose pipefish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Syngnathus abaster Risso, 1826 Black-striped pipefish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Syngnathus acus Linnaeus, 1758 Greater pipefish Accidental  Bulgaria, Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Syngnathus schmidti Popov, 1927 Black Sea pelagic pipefish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Syngnathus tenuirostris Rathke, 1837 Narrow-snouted pipefish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Syngnathus typhle Linnaeus, 1758 Broadnosed pipefish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Syngnathus variegatus Pallas, 1814 Thickly snouted pipefish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ordo: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Scorpaenidae
Scorpaena notata Rafinesque, 1810 Small red scorpionfish Native  Russia,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Scorpaena porcus Linnaeus, 1758 Black scorpionfish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Family: Dactylopteridae
Dactylopterus volitans Linnaeus, 1758 Flying gurnard Accidental  Bulgaria,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Family: Triglidae
Chelidonichthys cuculus (Linnaeus, 1758) Red gurnard Accidental  Bulgaria,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Chelidonichthys lucerna (Linnaeus, 1758) Tub gurnard Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Eutrigla gurnardus (Linnaeus, 1758) Grey gurnard Accidental  Bulgaria,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Ordo: Gobiesociformes
Family: Gobiesocidae
Apletodon dentatus (Facciolà, 1887) Small-headed clingfish Native  Bulgaria,  Romania
Not evaluated
Diplecogaster bimaculata (Bonnaterre, 1788) Two-spotted clingfish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Lepadogaster candolii Risso, 1810 Connemarra clingfish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Lepadogaster lepadogaster (Bonnaterre, 1788) Shore clingfish Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ordo: Perciformes
Family: Blenniidae
Aidablennius sphynx (Valenciennes, 1836) Sphinx blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Blennius ocellaris Linnaeus, 1758 Butterfly blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Coryphoblennius galerita (Linnaeus, 1758) Montagu's blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Microlipophrys adriaticus (Steindachner & Kolombatovic, 1883) Adriatic blenny Accidental  Bulgaria,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Parablennius gattorugine (Linnaeus, 1758) Tompot blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Parablennius incognitus Bath, 1968 Mystery blenny Invasive  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Parablennius sanguinolentus (Pallas, 1814) Rusty blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Parablennius tentacularis (Brünnich, 1768) Tentacled blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Parablennius zvonimiri Kolombatovic, 1892 Zvonimir's blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Salaria pavo (Risso, 1810) Peacock blenny Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Family: Tripterygiidae
Tripterygion tripteronotus (Risso, 1810) Red-black triplefin Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Family: Callionymidae
Callionymus fasciatus Valenciennes, 1837 Banded dragonet Native  Bulgaria,  Russia,  Turkey
Least concern
Callionymus lyra Linnaeus, 1758 Common dragonet Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Russia,  Turkey
Not evaluated
Callionymus pusillus Delaroche, 1809 Sailfin dragonet Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Callionymus risso Le Sueur, 1814 Risso's dragonet Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Family: Gobiidae
Aphia minuta (Risso, 1810) Transparent goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Babka gymnotrachelus (Kessler, 1857) Racer goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Benthophiloides brauneri Beling & Iljin, 1927 Beardless tadpole goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Benthophilus nudus Berg, 1898 Black Sea tadpole-goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Ukraine
Least concern
Caspiosoma caspium (Kessler, 1877) Caspiosoma Native  Bulgaria,  Ukraine
Least concern
Chromogobius quadrivittatus (Steindachner, 1863) Chestnut goby Native  Bulgaria,  Russia,  Turkey
Least concern
Gammogobius steinitzi (Bath, 1971) Steinitz's goby Native  Bulgaria,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Gobius bucchichi Steindachner, 1870 Bucchich's goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Gobius cobitis Pallas, 1814 Giant goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Gobius cruentatus Gmelin, 1789 Red-mouthed goby Invasive  Bulgaria,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Gobius niger Linnaeus, 1758 Black goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Gobius paganellus Linnaeus, 1758 Rock goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Gobius xanthocephalus Heymer & Zander, 1992 Yellow-headed goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Ukraine
Least concern
Knipowitschia cameliae Nalbant & Otel, 1995 Danube delta dwarf goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania
Critically endangered
Knipowitschia caucasica (Berg, 1916) Caucasian dwarf goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Knipowitschia longecaudata (Berg, 1916) Longtail dwarf goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Ukraine
Least concern
Mesogobius batrachocephalus (Pallas, 1814) Toad goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Millerigobius macrocephalus (Kolombatovic, 1891) Large-headed goby Invasive  Bulgaria,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Neogobius fluviatilis (Pallas, 1814) Monkey goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Neogobius melanostomus (Pallas, 1814) Round goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Pomatoschistus bathi (Miller, 1982) Bath's goby Invasive  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Russia,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Pomatoschistus marmoratus (Risso, 1810) Marbled goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Pomatoschistus minutus (Pallas, 1770) Sand goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Pomatoschistus pictus Malm, 1865 Painted goby Accidental  Bulgaria,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ponticola cephalargoides (Pinchuk, 1976) Pinchuk's goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ponticola eurycephalus (Kessler, 1874) Mushroom goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Ponticola kessleri (Günther, 1861) Bighead goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Ponticola platyrostris (Pallas, 1814) Flatsnout goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Ponticola ratan (Nordmann, 1840) Ratan goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Ponticola syrman (Nordmann, 1840) Syrman goby Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Russia,  Ukraine
Least concern
Proterorhinus marmoratus (Pallas, 1814) Marine tubenose goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Tridentiger trigonocephalus (Gill, 1859) Chameleon goby Invasive  Bulgaria,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Zebrus zebrus (Risso, 1827) Zebra goby Accidental  Turkey
Least concern
Zosterisessor ophiocephalus (Pallas, 1814) Grass goby Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Data deficient
Family: Labridae
Coris julis (Linnaeus, 1758) Mediterranean rainbow wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Turkey
Least concern
Ctenolabrus rupestris (Linnaeus, 1758) Goldsinny wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Not evaluated
Labrus bergylta Linnaeus, 1758 Ballan wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Turkey
Least concern
Labrus merula Linnaeus, 1758 Brown wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Turkey
Least concern
Labrus viridis Linnaeus, 1758 Green wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Romania,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Vulnerable
Symphodus cinereus (Bonnaterre, 1788) Grey wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Symphodus ocellatus Forsskål, 1775 Ocellated wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Symphodus roissali (Risso, 1810) Five-spotted wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Symphodus rostratus (Bloch, 1791) Pointed-snout wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Symphodus tinca (Linnaeus, 1758) East Atlantic peacock wrasse Native  Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine
Least concern
Family: Pomacentridae
Chromis chromis (