List of fish of the Black Sea

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

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

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	(Linnaeus, 1758)	Damselfish	Native	Bulgaria,  Georgia,  Romania,  Russia,  Turkey,  Ukraine	Not Evaluated
Family: Mugilidae
Chelon labrosus	(Risso, 1827)	Thicklip grey mullet	Native	Bulgaria,