Glossary of Regulated Fish Species of Sri Lanka

Ornamental fish export trade brings more than 11 million USD foreign exchanges
per annum. Presently Sri Lanka contributes around 3% of the global aquarium fish
requirement and the industry could potentially be developed through efficient
utilization of natural resources.
This glossary of regulated fish species with salient characters has been designed to
provide sufficient information to various stakeholders while using this as an
identification tool by enforcement authorities. The glossary also could be used as
educational material and exploited by nature lovers to explore the underwater
beauty of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka Customs has deployed all necessary resources to handle more than 4600
shipments per year. It is difficult to handle non compliance exporters who attempt
to export rare endemic fish species. These exports are either restricted or
prohibited (regulated) in terms of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Act and/or
Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance. Attempt to export regulated fish species
without proper approval is a punishable offence in terms of Section 12 and
Schedule B of the Customs Ordinance.

FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES PROHIBITED FROM EXPORT IN

LIVE FORM
Under provisional of 1998 amended Act No. 2 of 1996
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (FARA 1996)

Implemented under the Skills Project of

Master of Customs Administration 2010
National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka

Family Cyprinidae

Labeo fisheri
Green labeo, Mountain labeo
Gadeya, Kalu Gadeya, Kola
Gadeya, Maha Gadeya
Maximum size 45 cm

NARA

Tubercles on the cheek and snout tip

Dorsal fin inserted in mid of the dorsum

Ventral mouth with lateral folds

Olive green body and fins

Dark oval patch on the caudal peduncle

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Cyprinidae

NARA
Labeo lankae (Labeo porcellus)
Red fin labeo (Ograned fin labeo)
Thambalaya venna, Thambalavenna
Maximum size 25 cm

Dorsal fin inserted somewhat close to the head

Tubercles only on snout tip

Ventral mouth with lateral rostral folds

vermilion coloured fins
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Cyprinidae

NARA
Puntius asoka (Puntius kuda)
Asoka barb
Asoka pethiya, Ran-manissa
Maximum size 10 cm

Yellow /hyaline fins

Red streak

Unique line patterns on the sides

Sub terminal mouth
Elongated dark blotch
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Cyprinidae

Sri Lanka Customs

Black

Punitus bandula
Bandula barb
Bandula pethiya , Jayanthiya
Maximum size 5 cm

Two dark vertical bands

Black
Black

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Cyprinidae

Sri Lanka Customs

Puntius martenstyni
Martenstynis barb
Dambara Pethiya
Maximum size 15 cm

Red fins

Unique line patterns on sides

Sub terminal mouth
Elongated dark blotch

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Cyprinidae
Sri Lanka Customs

Puntius srilankensis
Boltch filamented barb
Mal Pethiya, Dun Kudu Pethiya
12 cm

Black streak
Filamentous dorsal rays in males

A dark blue patch

Three dark blotches
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Cyprinidae

NARA

Rasbora wilpita
Wilpita rasbora
Wilpita dandiya
Maximum size 6 cm

A deep notch

Two scales deep mid lateral band

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Channidae
NARA

Channa orientalis
Smooth breast snakehead
Kola Kaneya
Maximum size 15 cm

No pelvic fins
No pelvic fin

White margin

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Belontidae

Sri Lanka Customs

Malpulutta kretseri
Ornate paradise fish
Malpulutta
Maximum size 3-4 cm

Dark dotted patches on the sides

Male

1-3 dark dotted lines on the cheek

Female
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Cobitidae
Source R. Pethiyagoda (1991)

Lepidocephalichthys jonklaasi
Jonklaasi ehirawa
Pulli ehirawa
Maximum size 6 cm

Eye spot
Irregular patched body

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Gobidae

Source R. Pethiyagoda (1991)

Sicyopterus halei
Maha Gal weligouwa
Maximum size 8 cm
Horn like 1st dorsal fin

Large patches on the sides

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Gobidae

NARA
Sicyopus jonklaasi
Lipstick goby
Kata rathu weligouwa
Maximum 4 cm
Patchy body

Red lip in males

Reddish patch on the caudal peduncle in male
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Gobiidae

Schistomatogobius deraniyagalai
Deraniyagalas goby
Gele rathu weligouwa
Maximum size 5 cm

Dotted fins

Red neck
Dark patches on sides
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Gobiidae

Stiphodon martenstyni
Martenstynes goby
4-5 cm

Bluish body

Parallel two series of patches on the sides

FRESHWATER FISH SPECIES RESTRICTED FROM EXPORT IN

LIVE FORM
Under provisional of 1998 amended Act No. 2 of 1996
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (FARA 1996)

National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka

Family Cyprinidae

Sri Lanka Customs

Danio (Devario) pathirana
Barred danio
Pathirana salaya
Maximum 6 cm

Dark blue line

H or Y golden patches
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Cyprinidae

NARA
Sri Lanka Customs
red fin variety (P. reval)

NARA
Yellow fin variety

Puntius cumingii red fin variety (P. reval)

Cumingis barb
Depulliya
Maximum size 4 cm
Two dark patches on the side

Fins yellow

Fins red

Family Cyprinidae

NARA
Puntius titteya
Cherry barb
Ley Titteya
Maximum size 3 cm
Female

male

Mid dark line from tip

of mouth to caudal fin base

One pair of small barbels

Family Cyprinidae

NARA

Sri Lanka Customs

Red head variety

Red tailed variety

Puntius nigrofasciatus
Black Ruby barb
Bulathhapaya, Manamalaya
Maximum size 6 cm
Three vertical bands on the side
Black dorsal, pelvic and anal fins

Female

Family Cyprinidae

Sri Lanka Customs

Rasbora vaterifloris (Rasboroides vaterifloris)
Cey lon rasbora, Fire rasbora, Flame rasbora,
Veteriflora rasbora
Hal mal dandiya, Rathran maluwa
Maximum size 4 cm

Large dorsal and anal fins

Hump

large eye

There are colour varieties

Family Belontidae

Sri Lanka Customs

Belontia signata
Comb tail
Thal Kossa
Maximum size 12 cm

Pointed tip
Dark spot

Sickle like pectoral fin s

Round caudal fin of free rays

Family Clarridae
R. Pethiyagoda (1991)

Clarias brachisoma
Sri Lanka Walking catfish
Wel magura, Kaha Magura, Magura
Maximum size 20 cm

Long dorsal and anal fins

4 pairs of long barbles

Dark colour body without large patches

Family Mastecembelidae

NARA

Macrognathus aral (M. pentopthalmus)

Sri Lanka spiny eel
Sri Lanka batakole theliya
Maximum size 10 cm

5-7 yellow ringed spots on dorsal fin

Free caudal fin

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

MARINE FISH SPECIES RESTRICTED FROM EXPORT IN LIVE

FORM
Under provisional of 1998 amended Act No. 2 of 1996 Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources (FARA 1996)

Source: www. Fishbase.org

National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon octofaciatus
Eight banded butterfly fish
Iri panawa
12 cm

8 vertical bands over the head and sides

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon ornatissimus
Ornate butterfly fish
Panawa
20 cm

Black line
Yellow edged black bands on head region

8 orange oblique bands on the sides

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon falcula
Black wedged butterfly fish
20 cm

Two black saddles

Distinctly marked with yellow to orange over

back and tail
Pointed snout

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon xanthocephalus
Yellow headed butterfly fish
20 cm
5-6 < shaped lines across the body

Yellow band
Yellow head

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon ephippium
Saddle butterfly fish
30 cm

Filamentous dorsal fin

Black saddle
White area

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon unimaculatus
Tear drop butterfly fish
20 cm

Tear drop shaped black patch

black margin

Family Chaetodotidae

Eye band with white margin

Chaetodon madagascariensis
Madagascar butterfly fish
20 cm
Dark orange back part

Black dotted > lines

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon rafflesi
Latticed butterfly fish
18 cm

Blue area
Latticed pattern on the sides

black bands

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon benetti
Blue lashed butterfly fish
20 cm

Large black blotch with blue circle on sides

No band

Blue lines

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon meyeri
Scrawled butterfly fish
20 cm

Alternative yellow and black bands on head region

whitish or blue-white with curved to oblique black

bands on the sides

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon triangulum
Eastern triangular, Baroness butterfly fish
16 cm
Black triangle in caudal fin

Alternative yellow and black oblique bands

Tree black bands

Family Pomacanthidae

Dark brown to black with hardly

visible black vertical stripes on
middle side and bluish spots

Centropyge flavipectoralis
Yellow pygmy angel fish, Yellowfin angel fish, moonbeam angelfish
10 cm

Dark purple head region

yellowish pectoral fin

Family Chaetodotidae

A pair of bony knobs is on

the forehead

Heniochus monoceros
Masked banner fish
Manamalaya, Gona, Ruwal Karaya
24 cm

Elongated white dorsal fin

Black band covering the entire pelvic fin

Family Blistidae

Yellowish mouth
Balistoides conspicillum
Clown trigger fish
50 cm

Black band
Irregular white patches in dark background

Family Blistidae

Pseudobalistes fuscus
Yellow spotted trigger fish
Mol-kota
55 cm

Dorsal, anal and caudal fins dark with yellow margins

Vermiculated yellow bands

Family Chaetodotidae

Two white bands

Heniochus pleurotaenia
Phantom bannerfish
17 cm

Black area

MARINE FISH SPECIES PROHIBITED FROM EXPORT IN LIVE

FORM
Under provisional of 1998 amended Act No. 2 of 1996 Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources (FARA 1996)

National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), Sri Lanka

Family Chaetodotidae

Chaetodon semeion
Dotted butterfly fish
26 cm

Vertical bar cross the eye

Filamented dorsal fin

Small dark dots on the yellowish body

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Pomacanthidae

purple
Centropyge bispinosus
Dusky Angelfish/Two spined angel fish)
10 cm

predominantly light orange sides with the

barring broken into a series of spots

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Pomacanthidae

Pygoplites dicanthus
Regal angel fish
25 cm

Alternating dark-edged bluish

white and orange stripes on
the sides
close-set blue dots

Yellow caudal fin

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Labridae

Labroides bicolor Adult

Bicolour cleaner wrasse
15 cm
Yellow area

Juvenile

Dark band cross the eye

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Labridae

Coris aygula Adult

Clown coris/Two spot coris
120 cm

Black spots over the head region

Distinct false eyes, shaded by orange

Juvenile
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Ephippidae

Platax pinnatus adult

Batfish/Dusky batfish, Red faced batfish
45 cm

Adults dull silver with short fins

Dark area
Dark vertical bands
Long fins
Platax pinnatus juvenile
Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Scorpaenidae

Pterois radiata
Clear fin lion fish
Ginimaha
24 cm

5-6 broad dark bars on body separated by pale

lines

Protected under revised Fauna and Flora protection Act No. 22 of 2009

Family Hymenocedae

Hymenocera elegans
Harlequin shrimp Clown Shrimp, Painted Shrimp, and Dancing Shrimp
6 cm