Fauna of the Black Sea
The fauna of the Black Sea is represented by 2500 species of animals. Of these, 500 species are unicellular, about 200 species of vertebrates - fish and mammals, 500 species of crustaceans, 200 species of molluscs, the rest are invertebrates of various kinds. There are no starfish, sea urchins, sea lilies, octopus, cuttlefish, squid, corals.
Who lives at the bottom of the Black Sea?
The bottom of the Black Sea is home to mussels, oysters, the scallop Flexopecten glaber ponticus, and the predator clam rapana venosa.
Arthropods of the Black Sea
Numerous crabs and shrimps live in the crevices of the coastal rocks and between the stones.
Zooplankton of the Black Sea
Several species of jellyfish are found in the Black Sea. The most common are Rhizostomae and Aurelia aurita. Sea anemones and sponges are also common.
The most common fish in the Black Sea
Among the fish found in the Black Sea: various species of gobies , Azov hamsa, Black Sea hamsa, spiny dogfish, river flounder, scophthalmus maeoticus, mullet of five species, bluefish, merluccius merluccius, black scorpionfish, mullus barbatus, mackerel, common horse mackerel, Caspian-Black Sea herring, Black Sea sprat, garfish, seahorse and others. Sturgeons (beluga, starry sturgeon, Russian and Atlantic sturgeons) and Black Sea salmon are found in the sea.
Dangerous inhabitants of the Black Sea
Dangerous fish in the Black Sea include the Greater Weever (the most dangerous - the barbs on the dorsal fin and gill covers are poisonous), the Black Scorpionfish, one of the stingray species, the Common Stingray, which has poisonous spines on its tail. Another stingray, the thornback ray, is not venomous but is covered with spines and has barbs on its tail. It can inflict a large number of punctures and scratches in defence.
Mammals of the Black Sea
Few species of mammals are found in the Black Sea. The permanent inhabitants of the Black Sea are one species of seal (Mediterranean monk seal) and three species of dolphin (common dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise).
Sharks of the Black Sea
There are only two species of shark in the Black Sea. The first is the spiny dogfish, which feeds on small fish. The second is the small spotted catshark, which feeds on molluscs and other invertebrates. There are no recorded cases of them attacking humans.
Dogfish, Spiny
Latin name Squalus acanthias Other names Dogfish, dog shark, grayfish, Pacific grayfish, Pacific ..
East Atlantic peacock wrasse
Latin nameSymphodus tincaOther namesSymphodus tincaIdentificationThe body is oval and flattened at t..
European Anchovy
Latin nameEngraulis encrasicolusOther namesEngraulis encrasicolusIdentificationBody elongated, low, ..
European hake
Latin nameMerluccius merlucciusOther namesСornish salmon, herring hake.IdentificationBody pronotal, ..
European seabass
Latin nameDicentrarchus labraxOther namesEuropean bass, sea bass, common bass, white bass, capemouth..
Flounder, Southern
Latin Name Paralichthys lethostigma Other names Flat..
Garfish
Latin nameBelone beloneOther namesGarpike, sea needleIdentificationIt has an elongated, narrow, eel-..
Goby (Gobiidae)
The gobies (lat. Gobiidae) are a family of ray-finned fishes in the order Gobiiformes. More than 200..
Golden grey mullet
Latin nameChelon auratusOther namesChelon auratusIdentificationThe body is elongated, low, barely co..
Great sturgeon
Latin nameHuso husoOther namesBeluga, beluga sturgeonIdentificationHas typical characteristics..
Greater weever
Latin nameTrachinus dracoOther namesTrachinus draco Linnaeus, Trachinus lineatus Bloch & Schneid..
Herring
Latin name Clupea Other names American Shad, Atlantic Herring, Alewife, Threadfin Shad Identific..
Herring, Atlantic
Latin name Clupea harengus Other names Herring; Danish: Atlantisk sild, sild; Finnish: silakka, s..
Leaping mullet
Latin nameChelon saliensOther namesChelon saliensIdentificationBody elongated, cylindrical. Head bro..
Mackerel, Atlantic
Latin name Scomber scombrus Other names Mackerel, common mackerel, Boston mackerel; Arabic: scomb..