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 NameTamil NameLongfin mako sharkIsurus paucus Maha mee moraa (මහ මී මෝරා)Shortfin mako sharkIsurus oxyrinchus Heen mee mora (හීන් මී මෝරා)
Threshers Family: Alopiidae Name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameCommon thresherAlopias vulpinus Kasa moraa (කස මෝරා) - banned
Requiem sharks Family: Carcharhinidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameSilky sharkCarcharhinus falciformis Bala moraa (බල මෝරා)Oceanic whitetip sharkCarcharhinus longimanus Polkola mora (පොල්කොල මෝරා)Blue sharkPrionace glauca Seeni mora (සීනි මෝරා)
Hammerhead sharks Family: Sphyrnidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameScalloped hammerheadSphyrna lewini Udalu mora (උදලු මෝරා)Great hammerheadSphyrna mokarran Udalu mora (උදලු මෝරා)Smooth hammerheadSphyrna zygaena Udalu mora (උදලු මෝරා)
Guitarfish Order: Rajiformes. Family: Rhinobatidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameCommon shovelnose rayGlaucostegus typus Baaloliyaa (බාලොලියා)
Stingrays Order: Myliobatiformes. Family: Dasyatidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameCommon stingrayDasyatis pastinaca Waeli maduwaa (වැලි මඩුවා)Pale-edged stingrayDasyatis zugei Waeli maduwaa (වැලි මඩුවා)
Rays Family: Myliobatidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameSpotted eagle rayAetobatus narinari Vavoi maduwaa (වවොයි මඩුවා)Pygmy devil rayMobula eregoodootenkee Ali maduwaa (අලි මඩුවා)Flapnose rayRhinoptera javanica Maduwaa (මඩුවා)
Numbfish Order: Torpediniformes. Family: Narcinidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameBlackspotted numbfishNarcine timlei Viduli maduwaa (විදුලි මඩුවා)
Bony fish Class: Actinopterygii
Scombrid fish Order: Perciformes. Family: Scombridae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameWahooAcanthocybium solandri Sawaraa (සවරා)Bullet tunaAuxis rochei Ragodu, Kombayaa (රගොඩු, කොම්බයා)Frigate tunaAuxis thazard Alagoduwaa (අලගොඩුවා)Mackerel tunaEuthynnus affinis Aetawallaa (ඇටවල්ලා)Skipjack tunaKatsuwonus pelamis Balayaa (බලයා)Indian mackerelRastrelliger kanagurta Kumbalawaa (කුම්බලවා)Narrow-barred Spanish mackerelScomberomorus commerson Thoraa (තෝරා)Yellowfin tunaThunnus albacares Kelawallaa (කෙලවල්ලා)Bigeye tunaThunnus obesus As-gedi Kelawallaa (ඇස් ගෙඩි කෙලවල්ලා)
Jacks and allies Family: Carangidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameBludgerCarangoides gymnostethus Vattiyaa (වට්ටියා)Yellowspotted trevallyCarangoides fulvoguttatus Thumba parau (තුම්බ පරාවා)Blacktip trevallyCaranx heberi Guru parau (ගුරු පරාවා)Giant trevallyCaranx ignobilis Parau (පරාවා)Indian ScadDecapterus russelli Linna (ලින්නා)Bigeye scadSelar crumenophthalmus Bollaa (බෝල්ලා)
Sailfish and allies Family: Istiophoridae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameIndo-Pacific sailfishIstiophorus platypterus Thalapath (තලපත්)Black marlinIstiompax indica Kalu kopparaa (කලු කොප්පරා)Striped marlinKajikia audax Iri kopparaa (ඉරි කොප්පරා)Atlantic blue marlinMakaira nigricans Nil koppara (නිල් කොප්පරා)
Swordfish Family: Xiphiidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameSwordfishXiphias gladius Sapparaa (සප්පරා)/Thalapath (තලපතා)
Emperors Family: Lethrinidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameTamil NameSpangled emperorLethrinus nebulosus Meevetiya, Atissaa (මීවෙටියා, අටිස්සා)Longface emperorLethrinus olivaceus Uru hotaa (ඌරු හොටා)
Snappers Family: Lutjanidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameSharptooth jobfishPristipomoides typus Kalmaee (කලමී)Mangrove red snapperLutjanus argentimaculatus Thabalayaa (තබලයා)Dory snapperLutjanus fulviflamma Rannaa (රන්නා)Blubberlip snapperLutjanus rivulatus Badawaa (බඩවා)
Groupers Family: Serranidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameCoral hindCephalopholis miniata Thabuwaa (තබුවා)Malabar grouperEpinephelus malabaricus Gas bola, Gal kossaa (ගස් බෝලා, ගල් කොස්සා)Wavy-lined grouperEpinephelus undulosus Lawayaa (ලවයා)
Sweetlips Family: Haemulidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameSri Lanka sweetlipsPlectorhinchus ceylonensis Boraluwaa (බොරලුවා)
Threadfin bream Family: Nemipteridae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameDelagoa threadfin breamNemipterus bipunctatus Sudhdhaa (සුද්දා)Fork-tailed threadfin breamNemipterus furcosus Sudhdhaa (සුද්දා)
Parrotfish Family: Scaridae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameEmber parrotfishScarus rubroviolaceus Girawaa (ගිරවා)Eclipse parrotfishScarus russelii Girawaa (ගිරවා)
Rabbitfish Family: Siganidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameBronze-lined rabbitfishSiganus insomnis Orawaa (ඔරවා)Streaked spinefootSiganus javus Orawaa (ඔරවා)Golden-lined spinefootSiganus lineatus Orawaa (ඔරවා)Vermiculated spinefootSiganus vermiculatus Orawaa (ඔරවා)
Barracudas Family: Sphyraenidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NamePickhandle barracudaSphyraena jello Jeelawaa (ජීලාවා)Obtuse barracudaSphyraena obtusata Jeelawaa (ජීලාවා)
Mullets Family: Mugilidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameLargescale mulletChelone macrolepis Godayaa (ගොඩයා)Flathead grey mulletMugil cephalus Godayaa (ගොඩයා)
Cutlassfish Family: Trichiuridae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameSavalani hairtailLepturacanthus savala Sevalayaa (සෙවලයා)
Mojarras Family: Gerreidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameDeep-bodied mojarraGerres erythrourus Thirali (තිරලි))Slender silver-biddyGerres oblongus Thirali (තිරලි)Common silver-biddyGerres oyena Thirali (තිරලි)
Ponyfish Family: Leiognathidae
Common name Binomial Sinhala NameBerber ponyfishLeiognathus berbis Kaarallaa (කාරල්ලා))Shortnose ponyfishLeiognathus brevirostris Kaarallaa (කාරල්ලා)Common ponyfishLeiognathus equulus Kaarallaa (කාරල්ලා)
Herrings and allies Order: Clupeiformes. Family: Clupeidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameBleeker's smoothbelly sardinellaAmblygaster clupeoides Gal hurulla (ගල් හුරුල්ලා)Smoothbelly sardinellaAmblygaster leiogaster Keeramin (කීරමින්)Spotted sardinellaAmblygaster sirm Hurulla (හුරුල්ලා)Rainbow sardineDussumieria acuta Thondayaa (තොන්ඩයා)White sardineEscualosa thoracata Wella sudaa (වැල්ල සුදා)Bloch's gizzard shadNematalosa nasus Koyyaa (කොය්යා)White sardinellaSardinella albella Sudayaa (සුදයා)Goldstripe sardinellaSardinella gibbosa Saalayaa (සාලයා)IlishTenualosa ilisha Puvaali (පුවාලි)
Anchovy Family: Engraulidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameCommerson's anchovyStolephorus commersonnii Haalmassaa (හාල්මැස්සා)Indian anchovyStolephorus indicus Handalla (හැදැල්ලා)False baelama anchovyThryssa encrasicholoides Laggaa (ලග්ගා)Gautama thryssaThryssa gautamiensis Laggaa (ලග්ගා)Malabar thryssaThryssa malabarica Laggaa (ලග්ගා)/ Balal parattaya (බළල් පරට්ටයා)Moustached thryssaThryssa mystax Ata Laggaa (ඇට ලග්ගා)
Garfish Order: Beloniformes. Family: Belonidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameFreshwater garfishXenentodon cancila Habarali (හබරලි)
Flying fish Family: Exocoetidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameBlack-sail flyingfishCheilopogon nigricans Piyamassa (පියාමැස්සා)
Halfbeaks Family: Hemiramphidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameJumping halfbeakHemiramphus archipelagicus Morallaa (මොරල්ලා)Congaturi halfbeakHyporhamphus limbatus Morallaa (මොරල්ලා)
River garfish Family: Zenarchopteridae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameFeathered river garfishZenarchopterus dispar Habarali (හබරලි)
Crustaceans Class: Malacostraca Order: Decapoda
Family: Palaemonidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameGiant river prawnMacrobrachium rosenbergii Karadu issaa (කරඩු ඉස්සා)
Family: Penaeidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameIndian prawnFenneropenaeus indicus - syn. Penaeus indicus Kiri issaa (කිරි ඉස්සා)Asian tiger shrimpPenaeus monodon Karawadu issaa (කරවදු ඉස්සා)Green tiger prawnPenaeus semisulcatus Kurutu issaa (කුරු‍ටු ඉස්සා)
Family: Palinuridae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameScalloped spiny lobsterPanulirus homarus Waeli issaa (වැලි ඉස්සා)Ornate rock lobsterPanulirus ornatus Devi issaa (දෙවි ඉස්සා)Pronghorn spiny lobsterPanulirus penicillatus Gal issaa (ගල් ඉස්සා)Slipper lobsterPanulirus polyphagus Mada issaa (මඩ ඉස්සා)Painted rock lobsterPanulirus versicolor Bathik issaa (බතික් ඉස්සා)
Family: Scyllaridae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameSlipper lobsterBathyarctus rubens - syn. Scyllarus rubens Sapaththu issaa (සපත්තු ඉස්සා)Pygmy slipper lobsterBiarctus sordidus - syn. Scyllarus sordidus Sapaththu issaa (සපත්තු ඉස්සා)
Order: Stomatopoda Family: Odontodactylidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NamePeacock mantis shrimpOdontodactylus scyllarus - very few used as a food. mostly as an aquarium species. Monara issaa (මොණර ඉස්සා)
Family: Portunidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameSmooth-shelled swimming crabCharybdis affinis Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා)Crucifix crabCharybdis feriata Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා)Indo Pacific swimming crabCharybdis hellerii Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා)Ridged swimming crabCharybdis natator Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා)Indian swimming crabCharybdis smithii Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා)Blunt-toothed crabCharybdis truncata Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා)Flower crabPortunus pelagicus Mal kakuluwaa (මල් කකුලුවා)Three-spot swimming crabPortunus sanguinolentus Mudu kakuluwaa (මුදු කකුලුවා)Mangrove crabScylla serrata Kalapu kakuluwaa (කලපු කකුලුවා)
Molluscs Class: Cephalopoda Order: Teuthida
Family: Loliginidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameIndian squidUroteuthis duvauceli - syn. Loligo duvauceli Ahin daellaa (අහින් දැල්ලා)Long barrel squidUroteuthis singhalensis - syn. Loligo singhalensis Bothal daellaa (බෝතල් දැල්ලා)
Order: Sepiida Family: Sepiidae
Name Binomial Sinhala Name Tamil NameNeedle cuttlefishSepia aculeata Pothu daellaa (පොතු දැල්ලා) Oosi Kanawa (ஊசி கணவாய்)Pharaoh cuttlefishSepia pharaonis Daellaa (දැල්ලා) Kanawa (கணவாய்)
Echinoderms Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Holothuriida Family: Holothuriidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameHarry blackfishActinopyga miliaris Kalu attayaa (කලු අට්ටයා)Brown sandfishBohadschia marmorata Nul attayaa (නූල් අට්ටයා)LollyfishHolothuria atra Nari attayaa (නරි අට්ටයා)Edible sea cucumberHolothuria edulis Rathu attayaa (රතු අට්ටයා)White TeatfishHolothuria fuscogilva Ham attayaa (හම් අට්ටයා)Black TeatfishHolothuria nobilis Polon attayaa (පොලොන් අට්ටයා)Golden SandfishHolothuria scabra Waeli attayaa (වැලි අට්ටයා)
Order: Synallactida Family: Stichopodidae
Name Binomial Sinhala NameGreenfish sea cucumberStichopus chloronotus Dambalayaa (දබලයා)Pineapple sea cucumberThelenota ananas Annaasi attayaa (අන්නාසි අට්ටයා)Giant sea cucumberThelenota anax Pun attayaa (පන් අට්ටයා)
References