In September 2016, the

International Union for Conservation of Nature The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. Founded in 1948, IUCN has become the global authority on the stat ...

(IUCN) listed 3191

data deficient A data deficient (DD) species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as offering insufficient information for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made. This does not necessaril ...

fish A fish (: fish or fishes) is an aquatic animal, aquatic, Anamniotes, anamniotic, gill-bearing vertebrate animal with swimming fish fin, fins and craniate, a hard skull, but lacking limb (anatomy), limbs with digit (anatomy), digits. Fish can ...

species. A data deficient species is one which has been categorized by the IUCN as offering insufficient information for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made. Of all evaluated fish species, 21% are listed as data deficient. The IUCN also lists 12 fish subspecies as data deficient. Of the subpopulations of fishes evaluated by the IUCN, 34 species subpopulations have been assessed as data deficient. This is a complete list of data deficient fish species and subspecies evaluated by the IUCN. Species and subspecies which have data deficient subpopulations (or stocks) are indicated.

Cartilaginous fishes Chondrichthyes (; ) is a class of jawed fish that contains the cartilaginous fish or chondrichthyans, which all have skeletons primarily composed of cartilage. They can be contrasted with the Osteichthyes or ''bony fish'', which have skeletons p ...

Chondrichthyes includes sharks, rays, skates, and sawfish. There are 475 species and three subpopulations of cartilaginous fish evaluated as data deficient.

Rays and skates

There are 253 species and one subpopulation in the order Rajiformes evaluated as data deficient.

Narkids

Eagle rays The eagle rays are a group of cartilaginous fishes in the family Myliobatidae, consisting mostly of large species living in the open ocean rather than on the sea bottom. Eagle rays feed on mollusks, and crustaceans, crushing their shells with th ...

Guitarfish The guitarfish, also referred to as shovelnose rays, are a family, Rhinobatidae, of rays. The guitarfish are known for an elongated body with a flattened head and trunk and small, ray-like wings. The combined range of the various species is tro ...
species

Whiptail stingrays

Narcinids

Species Subpopulations * Apron ray (''Discopyge tschudii'') (1 subpopulation)

Butterfly rays

Skates

Urotrygonids

Potamotrygonids

Urolophids

Torpedinids

Skates

Anacanthobatidae The Anacanthobatidae, the smooth skates or leg skates, are a family of skates found at depths below in the Indian, Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. They lack the dorsal denticles (sharp, tooth-like scales) of other rays, hence their name, from ...

Other Rajiformes species

Ground sharks Carcharhiniformes ( from Classical Greek ' (karcharos) 'sharp/jagged' and ' (rhinos) 'nose', plus Latin ''forme'' 'shape'), commonly known as ground sharks, are the largest order of sharks, with over 270 species. They include a number of common ...

There are 110 species and one subpopulation of ground shark evaluated as data deficient.

Hammerhead sharks The hammerhead sharks are a group of sharks that form the family Sphyrnidae, named for the unusual and distinctive form of their heads, which are flattened and laterally extended into a cephalofoil (a T-shape or "hammer"). The shark's eyes ar ...

* Scoophead (''Sphyrna media'')

Requiem sharks

Species Subpopulations *

Night shark The night shark (''Carcharhinus signatus'') is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, found in the temperate and tropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean. An inhabitant of the outer continental shelf and upper continental slope, ...

(''Carcharhinus signatus'') (1 subpopulation)

Hemigaleids

Houndsharks The Triakidae or houndsharks are a family of ground sharks, consisting of about 40 species in nine genera. In some classifications, the family is split into two subfamilies, with the genera ''Mustelus'', '' Scylliogaleus'' and '' Triakis'' in th ...

Catsharks

Proscylliids

Carpet sharks

Squaliformes The Squaliformes are an order of sharks that includes about 126 species in seven families. Members of the order have two dorsal fins, which usually possess spines, they usually have a sharp head, no anal fin or nictitating membrane, and fi ...

There are 67 species and one subpopulation in the order Squaliformes evaluated as data deficient.

Oxynotids

Centrophorids

Species Subpopulations *

Gulper shark The gulper shark (''Centrophorus granulosus'') is a long and slender dogfish usually about three feet in length generally found in deep, murky waters all around the world. It is a light grayish brown, paler ventrally, with a long snout and la ...

(''Centrophorus granulosus'') (1 subpopulation)

Echinorhinids

* Bramble shark (''Echinorhinus brucus'')

Squalids

Somniosids

Dalatiids

Etmopterids

Chimaeras Chimaeras are Chondrichthyes, cartilaginous fish in the order (biology), order Chimaeriformes (), known informally as ghost sharks, rat fish (not to be confused with rattails), spookfish, or rabbit fish; the last two names are also applied to B ...

There are 20 Chimaera species evaluated as data deficient.

Chimaerids

Rhinochimaerids

Bullhead sharks

Other cartilaginous fish species

Lampreys Lampreys (sometimes inaccurately called lamprey eels) are a group of Agnatha, jawless fish comprising the order (biology), order Petromyzontiformes , sole order in the Class (biology), class Petromyzontida. The adult lamprey is characterize ...

Ray-finned fishes Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fish or actinopterygians, is a class (biology), class of Osteichthyes, bony fish that comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. They are so called because of their lightly built ...

There are 2682 species, 12 subspecies, and one subpopulation of ray-finned fish evaluated as data deficient.

Salmoniformes Salmoniformes (, lit. "salmon-shaped") is an Order (biology), order of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fishes native to the temperate and subarctic Northern Hemisphere. It contains two suborders: Salmonoidei (containing only the Salmonidae) and Esocoi ...

Species Subspecies *''

Coregonus sardinella baunti ''Coregonus'' is a diverse genus of fish in the salmon family (Salmonidae). The ''Coregonus'' species are known as whitefishes. The genus contains at least 68 described extant taxa, but the true number of species is a matter of debate. The type ...

'' Subpopulations *

Sockeye salmon The sockeye salmon (''Oncorhynchus nerka''), also called red salmon, kokanee salmon, blueback salmon, or simply sockeye, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the Northern Pacific Ocean and rivers discharging into it. This species is a ...

(''Oncorhynchus nerka'') (31 subpopulations)

Silversides

Toothcarps

There are 75 species and two subspecies of toothcarp evaluated as data deficient.

Pupfish Pupfish are a group of small killifish belonging to ten genera of the family Cyprinodontidae of ray-finned fish. Pupfish are especially noted for being found in extreme and isolated situations. They are primarily found in North America, South Am ...
species

Aplocheilids

Rivulids

Nothobranchiids

Species Subspecies *'' Aphyosemion cameronense haasi'' *'' Aphyosemion celiae winifredae''

Poeciliids

Cypriniformes Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, which includes many families and genera of cyprinid ( carps and their kin) fish, such as barbs, loaches, botias, and minnows (among others). Cypriniformes is an "order-within-an-order", placed ...

Cypriniformes includes carps, minnows, loaches and relatives. There are 610 species and two subspecies in the order Cypriniformes evaluated as data deficient.

Hillstream loaches

True loaches

Cyprinids Cyprinidae is a family of freshwater fish commonly called the carp or minnow family, including the carps, the true minnows, and their relatives the barbs and barbels, among others. Cyprinidae is the largest and most diverse fish family, and t ...

Species Subspecies *'' Osteobrama cotio peninsularis'' *'' Rhodeus atremius suigensis''

Psilorhynchids

Suckers

Bonefishes

Gasterosteiformes Gasterosteoidei is a suborder of ray-finned fishes that includes the sticklebacks and relatives, the 5th edition of ''Fishes of the World'' classifies this suborder within the order Scorpaeniformes. Systematics Gasterosteoidei is treated as a ...

Osmeriformes The Osmeriformes are an order (biology), order of ray-finned fish that includes the true or freshwater smelts and allies, such as the noodlefishes; they are also collectively called osmeriforms. They belong to the teleost superorder Protacanthopt ...

Catfishes

There are 439 catfish species evaluated as data deficient.

Amblycipitids

Heptapterids

Astroblepids

Sisorids

Silurids

Trichomycterids

Loach catfishes

Claroteids

Airbreathing catfishes

Loricariids Loricariidae is the largest family of catfish (order Siluriformes), with over 90 genera and just over 680 species. Loricariids originate from freshwater habitats of Costa Rica, Panama, and tropical and subtropical South America. These fish are no ...

Mochokids

Stream catfishes

Ariids

Bagrids

Schilbeids

Callichthyids

Erethistids

Other catfish species

Gonorynchiformes The Gonorynchiformes are an order of ray-finned fish that includes the important food source, the milkfish (''Chanos chanos'', family Chanidae), and a number of lesser-known types, both marine and freshwater. The alternate spelling "Gonorhy ...

Batrachoidiformes Batrachoididae is the only family in the ray-finned fish order Batrachoidiformes . Members of this family are usually called toadfish or frogfish: both the English common name and scientific name refer to their toad-like appearance (''batrakhos ...

Elopiformes The Elopiformes are the order of ray-finned fish including the tarpons, tenpounders, and ladyfish, as well as a number of extinct types. They have a long fossil record, easily distinguished from other fishes by the presence of an additional s ...

Perciformes Perciformes (), also called the Acanthopteri, is an order or superorder of ray-finned fish in the clade Percomorpha. ''Perciformes'' means " perch-like". Among the well-known members of this group are perches and darters ( Percidae), and als ...

There are 786 species and two subspecies in the order Perciformes evaluated as data deficient.

Temperate perches

Gouramis

Cichlids Cichlids () are a large, diverse, and widespread family of Percomorpha, percomorph fish in the family (biology), family Cichlidae, order Cichliformes. At least 1,760 species have been Binomial nomenclature, scientifically described, making ...

Species Subspecies *'' Cichlasoma urophthalmum ericymba'' *'' Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor multicolor''

Terapontids

Odontobutidae

Epinephelids

Eleotrids

Gobies Gobiidae or gobies is a family of bony fish in the order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising over 2,000 species in more than 200 genera. Most of gobiid fish are relatively small, typically less than in length, and the fam ...

Badids

Sparids

Scombrids

Dragonets Dragonets are small percomorph marine fish of the diverse family Callionymidae (from the Greek ''kallis'', "beautiful" and ', "name") found mainly in the tropical waters of the western Indo-Pacific. They are benthic organisms, spending most of ...

Lutjanids

Sand stargazers

Anabantidae

Sciaenids

Labrisomids

Serranids

Chaenopsids

Combtooth blennies Combtooth blennies are blenniiformids; percomorph marine fish of the family Blenniidae, part of the order Blenniiformes. They are the largest family of blennies with around 401 known species in 58 genera. Combtooth blennies are found in tropic ...

Microdesmids

Wrasses The wrasses are a family, Labridae, of marine ray-finned fish, many of which are brightly colored. The family is large and diverse, with over 600 species in 81 genera, which are divided into nine subgroups or tribes. They are typically small, ...

Threefin blennies

Haemulids

Apogonids

Ambassids

Acanthurids

Butterflyfishes

Other Perciformes species

Beloniformes Beloniformes is an order composed of six families (and about 264 species) of freshwater and marine ray-finned fish: * Adrianichthyidae (ricefish and medakas) * Belonidae (needlefish) * Exocoetidae (flyingfishes) * Hemiramphidae (halfb ...

Synbranchiformes Synbranchiformes, often called swamp eels, though that name can also refer specifically to Synbranchidae, is an order of ray-finned fishes that are eel-like but have spiny rays, indicating that they belong to the superorder Acanthopterygii. ...

Gymnotiformes The Gymnotiformes are an order of teleost bony fishes commonly known as Neotropical knifefish or South American knifefish. They have long bodies and swim using undulations of their elongated anal fin. Found almost exclusively in fresh water (the ...

Osteoglossiformes Osteoglossiformes , meaning "bony tongues" in Ancient Greek, is a relatively primitive order of ray-finned fish that contains two sub-orders, the Osteoglossoidei and the Notopteroidei. All of at least 245 living species inhabit freshwater. They ...

There are 40 species in the order Osteoglossiformes evaluated as data deficient.

Mormyrids

Arapaimids

Arapaima The arapaima, pirarucu, or paiche is any large species of bonytongue in the genus ''Arapaima'' native to the Amazon Basin, Amazon and Essequibo River, Essequibo basins of South America. ''Arapaima'' is the type genus of the subfamily Arapaiminae ...

(''Arapaima gigas'')

Gobiesociformes Clingfishes are ray-finned fishes of the family Gobiesocidae, the only family in the suborder Gobiesocoidei of the order Blenniiformes. These fairly small to very small fishes are widespread in tropical and temperate regions, mostly near the coa ...

Characiformes Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationsh ...

There are 110 species in the order Characiformes evaluated as data deficient.

Alestids

Distichodontids

Characids

Crenuchids

Other Characiformes species

Syngnathiformes The Syngnathiformes are an order of ray-finned fishes that includes the leafy seadragons, sea moths, trumpetfishes and seahorses, among others.FishBase (2005)Order Summary for Syngnathiformes Version of 2005-FEB-15. Retrieved 19 Aug 2008. Th ...

Syngnathiformes includes the pipefishes and seahorses. There are 71 species and two subspecies in the order Syngnathiformes evaluated as data deficient.

Syngnathids

Species Subspecies * Subtropical-tropical trunk-pouch pipefish (''Microphis brachyurus aculeatus'') * Opossum river pipefish (''Microphis brachyurus lineatus'')

Centriscids

Clupeiformes Clupeiformes is the order of ray-finned fish that includes the herring family, Clupeidae, and the anchovy family, Engraulidae and sardines. The group includes many of the most important forage and food fish. Clupeiformes are physostomes, ...

Scorpaeniformes The Scorpaeniformes are a diverse Order (biology), order of Actinopterygii, ray-finned fish, including the lionfishes and sculpins, but have also been called the Scleroparei. It is one of the five largest orders of bony fishes by number of spec ...

There are 57 species and one subspecies in the order Scorpaeniformes evaluated as data deficient.

Cottids

Scorpaenids

Liparidae The snailfishes or sea snails (not to be confused with invertebrate sea snails), are a family of marine ray-finned fishes. These fishes make up the Liparidae, a family classified within the order Scorpaeniformes. Widely distributed from the ...

Other Scorpaeniformes

Species Subspecies * Spiny scorpionfish (''Trachyscorpia cristulata echinata'')

Ophidiiformes Ophidiiformes is an order of ray-finned fish that includes the cusk-eels (family Ophidiidae), pearlfishes (family Carapidae), viviparous brotulas (family Bythitidae), and others. Members of this order have small heads and long slender bodies. ...

Tetraodontiformes Tetraodontiformes (), also known as the Plectognathi, is an order of ray-finned fishes which includes the pufferfishes and related taxa. This order has been classified as a suborder of the order Perciformes, although recent studies have found ...

There are 36 species in the order Tetraodontiformes evaluated as data deficient.

Tetraodontids

Filefish The filefish (Monacanthidae) are a diverse family of tropical to subtropical tetraodontiform marine fish, which are also known as foolfish, leatherjackets, or shingles. They live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Filefish are closely ...
species

Ostraciids

* Island cowfish (''Acanthostracion notacanthus'')

Porcupinefish Porcupinefish are medium-to-large fish belonging to the family Diodontidae from the order Tetraodontiformes which are also commonly called blowfish and, sometimes, balloonfish and globefish. The family includes about 18 species. They are sometime ...
species

* Deepwater burrfish (''Allomycterus pilatus'')

Triggerfishes

* Deepwater triggerfish (''Rhinecanthus abyssus'')

Gadiformes Gadiformes , also called the Anacanthini, are an order of ray-finned fish that include the cod, hakes, pollock, haddock, burbot, rocklings and moras, many of which are food fish of major commercial value. They are mostly marine fish found thr ...

There are 32 species in the order Gadiformes evaluated as data deficient.

Merlucciids

*''

Merluccius gayi ''Merluccius'' is a genus of merluccid hakes from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, where mainly found relatively deep. The generic name is derived from French ''mer'' ("sea") and Latin ''lucius'', " pike." Species The 14 recognized species in t ...

'' * Cortez hake (''Merluccius hernandezi'')

Grenadiers A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was historically an assault-specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in siege operation battles. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when ...
species

Morids The Moridae are a family of cod-like fishes, known as codlings, hakelings, and moras. Morids are marine fishes found throughout the world, and may be found at depths to , although most prefer shallower waters. In appearance, they greatly resembl ...

Lotids

* Azores rockling (''Gaidropsarus granti'') *''

Gaidropsarus guttatus ''Gaidropsarus'' is a genus of lotid fishes, with these currently recognized species: * '' Gaidropsarus argentatus'' ( J. C. H. Reinhardt, 1837) (Arctic rockling) * '' Gaidropsarus biscayensis'' ( Collett, 1890) (Mediterranean bigeye rockling) * ...

Mullets

Bichirs

*'' Polypterus teugelsi''

Eels Eels are ray-finned fish belonging to the order (biology), order Anguilliformes (), which consists of eight suborders, 20 Family (biology), families, 164 genus, genera, and about 1000 species. Eels undergo considerable development from the earl ...

There are 50 eel species evaluated as data deficient.

Ophichthids

Congrids

Other eel species

Flatfishes

There are 58 species and two subspecies of flatfish evaluated as data deficient.

Soleids

Tonguefishes

Paralichthyids

Species Subspecies *'' Etropus delsmani delsmani'' *'' Etropus delsmani pacificus''

Bothids

Other flatfish species

Anglerfishes The anglerfish are ray-finned fish in the order Lophiiformes (). Both the order's common and scientific name comes from the characteristic mode of predation, in which a modified dorsal fin ray acts as a lure for prey (akin to a human angler, ...

Beryciformes The Beryciformes are a poorly-understood Order (biology), order of carnivorous ray-finned fishes consisting of 7 families, 30 genera, and 161 species. They feed on small fish and invertebrates. Beyond this, little is known about the biology of m ...

Stephanoberyciformes The Stephanoberycoidei is a suborder of marine ray-finned fishes, consisting of about 68 species, the majority (61) of which belong to the ridgehead family (biology), family (Melamphaidae). They were formerly placed as their own order, the Stepha ...

Aulopiformes Aulopiformes is a diverse order (biology), order of Marine (ocean), marine ray-finned fish consisting of some 15 Extant taxon, extant and several prehistoric family (biology), families with about 45 genera and over 230 species. The common names ...

Zeiformes The Zeiformes are a small order of exclusively marine ray-finned fishes most notable for the dories, a group of common food fish. The order consists of about 33 species in six extant families, mostly deep-sea types. The boarfishes ( Caproidae) ...

* Smooth oreo (''Pseudocyttus maculatus'') *

John Dory John Dory, St Pierre, or Peter's fish, refers to fish of the genus ''Zeus'', especially ''Zeus faber'', of widespread distribution. It is an edible demersal coastal marine fish with a laterally compressed olive-yellow body which has a large dark ...

(''Zeus faber'')

Stomiiformes Stomiiformes is an order (biology), order of deep-sea ray-finned fishes of very diverse Morphology (biology), morphology. It includes, for example, Barbeled dragonfish, dragonfishes, lightfishes (Gonostomatidae and Phosichthyidae), loosejaws, ma ...

Cetomimiformes

Myctophiformes The Myctophiformes are an order of ray-finned fishes consisting of two families of deep-sea marine fish, most notably the highly abundant lanternfishes (Myctophidae). The blackchins (Neoscopelidae) contain six species in three genera, whi ...

Saccopharyngiformes The Saccopharyngiformes are a derived lineage of unusual eels within the order Anguilliformes, and includes families Cyematidae, Monognathidae, Eurypharyngidae, Saccopharyngidae, and the proposed family Neocyematidae. Most of the fish in this gro ...

Hagfishes

Notes

References

*Fishes Data deficient fishes Data deficient fishes Data deficient fishes {{bots, deny=BG19bot,Yobot