List of recently extinct fishes facts for kids
As of September 2016, a group called the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) keeps a list of animals that are disappearing. They have identified 65 types of fish that are completely extinct. This means they have all died out.
They also list 87 types of fish that are possibly extinct. This means we haven't seen them in a long time, and they might be gone. Six other fish species are "extinct in the wild". This means they only exist in places like zoos or special breeding centers, not in their natural homes.
Extinct Fish Species
Cartilaginous Fish
Cartilaginous fish are a group of fish that have skeletons made of cartilage, not bone. Sharks and rays are good examples.
Possibly extinct species
- Lost shark (Carcharhinus obsoletus)
- Red Sea torpedo (Torpedo suessii)
- Java stingaree (Urolophus javanicus)
Populations
- Mediterranean sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus europaeus)
Lampreys
Lampreys are ancient, jawless fish. They have a unique, funnel-like mouth.
Extinct species
- Ukrainian migratory lamprey Eudontomyzon sp. 'migratory'
Possibly extinct species
- Tetrapleurodon spadiceus (Tetrapleurodon spadiceus)
Ray-finned Fishes
Ray-finned fishes are the most common type of fish. They have fins supported by bony rays. The IUCN has looked at 64 extinct species, 85 possibly extinct species, and six extinct in the wild species from this group.
Acipenseriformes
This group includes large fish like sturgeons and paddlefishes.
- Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius)
Salmoniformes
This group includes salmon and trout. Many species in this order have become extinct.
Extinct species
- Longjaw cisco (Coregonus alpenae)
- Coregonus bezola
- Coregonus fera
- Coregonus gutturosus
- Gravenche (Coregonus hiemalis)
- Deepwater cisco (Coregonus johannae)
- Blackfin cisco (Coregonus nigripinnis)
- Coregonus restrictus
- Salmo pallaryi
- Silver trout (Salvelinus agassizii)
- Salvelinus neocomensis
Possibly extinct species
- Coregonus hoferi
- Shortnose cisco (Coregonus reighardi)
Extinct in the wild species
- Kunimasu (Oncorhynchus kawamurae)
- Beloribitsa (Stenodus leucichthys)
Toothcarps
Toothcarps are small freshwater fish often found in warm climates.
Extinct species
- Gölçük toothcarp (Aphanius splendens)
- Aplocheilichthys sp. 'Naivasha'
- Parras characodon (Characodon garmani)
- Santa Cruz pupfish (Cyprinodon arcuatus)
- Villa Lopez pupfish (Cyprinodon ceciliae)
- Cachorrito de la Trinidad (Cyprinodon inmemoriam)
- Perritos de sandia (Cyprinodon spp.)
- Catarina pupfish (Megupsilon aporus)
- Ash Meadows killifish (Empetrichthys merriami)
- Whiteline topminnow (Fundulus albolineatus)
- Amistad gambusia (Gambusia amistadensis)
- San Marcos gambusia (Gambusia georgei)
- Pantanodon madagascariensis
- Graceful priapella (Priapella bonita)
Possibly extinct species
- Aphyolebias claudiae
- Parras pupfish (Cyprinodon latifasciatus)
- Fundulopanchax powelli
- Pantanodon sp. 'Manombo'
Extinct in the wild species
- Potosi pupfish (Cyprinodon alvarezi)
- Cachorrito de charco palmal (Cyprinodon longidorsalis)
- Golden skiffia (Skiffia francesae)
Cypriniformes
This large group includes carps, minnows, and loaches.
Extinct species
- Beyşehir bleak (Alburnus akili)
- İznik shemaya (Alburnus nicaeensis)
- Anabarilius macrolepis
- Barbodes amarus
- Barbodes baoulan
- Barbodes clemensi
- Barbodes disa
- Barbodes flavifuscus
- Barbodes herrei
- Barbodes katolo
- Barbodes lanaoensis
- Barbodes manalak
- Barbodes pachycheilus
- Barbodes palaemophagus
- Barbodes palata
- Barbodes resimus
- Barbodes tras
- Barbodes truncatulus
- Barbus microbarbis
- Snake River sucker (Chasmistes muriei)
- Chondrostoma scodrense
- Cyprinus yilongensis
- Mexican dace (Evarra bustamantei)
- Plateau chub (Evarra eigenmanni)
- Endorheic chub (Evarra tlahuacensis)
- Thicktail chub (Gila crassicauda)
- Giant Atlas barbel (Labeobarbus reinii)
- Pahranagat spinedace (Lepidomeda altivelis)
- Tunisian barb (Luciobarbus antinorii)
- Luciobarbus nasus
- Hula bream (Mirogrex hulensis)
- Harelip sucker (Moxostoma lacerum)
- Durango shiner (Notropis aulidion)
- Phantom shiner (Notropis orca)
- Salado shiner (Notropis saladonis)
- Clear Lake splittail (Pogonichthys ciscoides)
- Eğirdir minnow (Pseudophoxinus handlirschi)
- Las Vegas dace (Rhinichthys deaconi)
- Danube delta gudgeon (Romanogobio antipai)
- Stumptooth minnow (Stypodon signifer)
Possibly extinct species
- Long-spine bream (Acanthobrama centisquama)
- Damascus bream (Acanthobrama tricolor)
- Anabarilius qiluensis
- Anabarilius yangzonensis
- Siamese bala-shak (Balantiocheilos ambusticauda)
- Haditha cavefish (Caecocypris basimi)
- Diyarbakir spined loach (Cobitis kellei)
- Cyprinus barbatus
- Cyprinus ilishaestomus
- Dianchi carp (Cyprinus micristius)
- Cyprinus qionghaiensis
- Cyprinus yunnanensis
- Hypselobarbus pulchellus
- Bovany barb (Neolissochilus bovanicus)
- Deolali minnow (Parapsilorhynchus prateri)
- Poropuntius chonglingchungi
- Akstafa spring roach (Pseudophoxinus sojuchbulagi)
- Barada spring minnow (Pseudophoxinus syriacus)
- Deccan barb (Puntius deccanensis)
- Schistura nasifilis
- Schistura tenura
- Systomus compressiformis
Gasterosteiformes
This group includes sticklebacks.
Extinct species
- Techirghiol stickleback (Gasterosteus crenobiontus)
Osmeriformes
This group includes smelts and their relatives.
Extinct species
- New Zealand grayling (Prototroctes oxyrhynchus)
Catfishes
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. They are named for their prominent barbels, which look like cat whiskers.
Extinct species
- Scioto madtom (Noturus trautmani)
- Siamese flat-barbelled catfish (Platytropius siamensis)
Possibly extinct species
- Nilgiri mystus (Hemibagrus punctatus)
- Rhizosomichthys totae
- Lake Victoria deepwater catfish (Xenoclarias eupogon)
Perciformes
This is a very large group of "perch-like" fish.
Extinct species
- Maryland darter (Etheostoma sellare)
- Ptychochromis onilahy
- Tristramella intermedia
- Tristramella magdelainae
- Long jaw tristramella (Tristramella sacra)
- Xystichromis bayoni
Possibly extinct species
- Galapagos damsel (Azurina eupalama)
- Ctenochromis pectoralis
- Haplochromis aelocephalus
- Haplochromis antleter
- Haplochromis apogonoides
- Haplochromis argenteus
- Haplochromis barbarae
- Haplochromis bareli
- Haplochromis brownae
- Haplochromis cassius
- Haplochromis cinctus
- Haplochromis cnester
- Haplochromis coprologus
- Haplochromis crassilabris
- Haplochromis crocopeplus
- Haplochromis dentex
- Haplochromis dichrourus
- Haplochromis flavipinnis
- Haplochromis granti
- Haplochromis guiarti
- Haplochromis heusinkveldi
- Haplochromis hiatus
- Haplochromis iris
- Haplochromis ishmaeli
- Haplochromis katunzii
- Haplochromis longirostris
- Haplochromis macrognathus
- Haplochromis martini
- Haplochromis michaeli
- Haplochromis microdon
- Haplochromis mylergates
- Haplochromis nanoserranus
- Haplochromis pancitrinus
- Haplochromis parvidens
- Haplochromis percoides
- Haplochromis perrieri
- Haplochromis plutonius
- Haplochromis ptistes
- Haplochromis pyrrhopteryx
- Haplochromis sphex
- Haplochromis sulphureus
- Haplochromis teegelaari
- Haplochromis theliodon
- Haplochromis ushindi
- Haplochromis victorianus
- Haplochromis vonlinnei
- Haplochromis xenostoma
- Danube delta dwarf goby (Knipowitschia cameliae)
- Sciaena callaensis
- Stiphodon discotorquatus
Clupeiformes
This group includes herrings and sardines.
Possibly extinct species
- Alosa vistonica
Scorpaeniformes
This group includes sculpins and rockfishes.
Extinct species
- Utah Lake sculpin (Cottus echinatus)
Anglerfish
Anglerfish are known for their unique way of attracting prey using a fleshy growth on their heads.
Possibly extinct species
- Smooth handfish (Sympterichthys unipennis)
See also
