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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.[1] 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.[2]

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.[3]

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

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)

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)

Flying fish

Family: Exocoetidae

Name Binomial Sinhala Name
Black-sail flyingfish

Cheilopogon nigricans Piyamassa (පියාමැස්සා)

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

  1. ^ "Ayubowan! (Welcome) to Sri Lankan fish finder." Sri Lankan Fish. Archived from the original on 9 February 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2019.
  2. ^ "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.
  3. ^ "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.
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