List of common commercial fish of Sri Lanka

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. The main occupation of most of the people along coastal areas of the country is fishing industry. 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.

i.e. - All Sinhala words are typed by "SININETN" truetype font style of Singreesi software.

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 paraawaa (තුම්බ පරාවා)
Blacktip trevally Caranx heberi Guru paraawaa (ගුරු පරාවා)
Giant trevally Caranx ignobilis Paraawaa (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)

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 (ජීලවා)
Obtuse barracuda Sphyraena obtusata Jeelawaa (ජීලවා)

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)
Ballyhoo halfbeak Hemiramphus brasiliensis 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)
Purple-legged 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
Needle cuttlefish Sepia aculeata Pothu daellaa (පොතු දැල්ලා)
Pharaoh cuttlefish Sepia pharaonis Daellaa (දැල්ලා)

Echinoderms

Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Aspidochirotida

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)

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

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