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Biota of the Isle of Man

This is a list of the known wild biota of the Isle of Man.

Non-native species are marked *, extinct species are marked †. If this status is uncertain the species is also marked ?.

Each listing follows the following format: English Name (where one exists), binominal/trinomial scientific name with authorities for uncommon species, Manx name (where one exists), status.

Animalia (Animals)

Amphibia (Amphibians)

Salamandridae (Salamanders and Newts)

Great Crested Newt Triturus cristatus (Jolgan-leaghyr-beg) *
Smooth Newt Triturus vulgaris (Jolgan-leaghyr-beg) *
Palmate Newt Triturus helveticus (Jolgan-leaghyr-beg) *

Anura (Frogs and Toads)

Common Toad Bufo bufo (Beayf) *
Common Frog Rana temporaria (Rannag)

Aves (Birds)

Gaviidae (Divers)

Red-throated Diver Gavia stellata
Great Northern Diver Gavia immer

Podicipedidae (Grebes)

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)

Hydrobatidae (Petrels)

Storm Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus

Procellariidae (Shearwaters)

Manx Shearwater Puffinus puffinus (Scraayl)

Sulidae (Gannets and Boobies)

Gannet Morus bassanus (Gant)

Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)

Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis

Ardeidae (Egrets and Herons)

Bittern Botaurus stellaris†
Grey Heron Ardea cinerea

Anatidae (Swans, Geese and Ducks)

Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Shelduck Tadorna tadorna
Mallard Anus platyrhynchos

Accipitridae (Hawks, Eagles, Kites and Harriers)

Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus
Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus
White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla†

Falconidae (Falcons)

Kestrel Falco tinnunculus
Merlin Falco columbarius
Peregrine Falco peregrinus

Phasianidae (Partridges and Quail)

Tetraonidae (Grouse)

Black Grouse Tetrao tetrix†
Red Grouse Lagopus lagopus scoticus† but reintroduced

Phasianidae (Pheasants)

Pheasant Phasianus colchicus*

Rallidae (Rails and Crakes)

Water Rail Rallus aquaticus
Corncrake Crex crex (Eean raip)
Coot Fulica atra

Haematopodidae (Oystercatchers)

Oystercatcher Haematopus ostralegus

Scolopacidae (Waders)

Curlew Numenius arguata

Scolopacidae (Woodcock and Snipe)

Woodcock Scolopax rusticola
Snipe Gallinago gallinago

Laridae Gulls

Herring Gull Larsus argentatus (Foillan)
Great Black-backed Gull Larsus marinus (Juan mooar)

Alcidae (Auks)

Great Auk Pinguinus impennis†
Puffin Fratercula arctica
Razorbill Alca torda

Columbidae (Pigeons)

Woodpigeon Columba palumbus
Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto

Tytonidae (Barn Owls)

Barn Owl Tyto alba

Strigidae (Other Owls)

Hirundinidae (Swallows)

Swallow Hirundo rustica

Motacillidae (Wagtails)

Grey Wagtail Motacilla cinerea
Pied Wagtail Motacilla alba yarrellii

Troglodytidae (Wrens)

Wren Troglodytes troglodytes (Drean)

Prunellidae (Dunnock)

Dunnock Prunella modularis

Turdidae (Thrushes)

Robin Erithacus rubecula
Blackbird Turdus merula (Lhondoo)
Song Thrush Turdus philomelos

Sylviidae (Warblers)

Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus
Goldcrest Regulus regulus

Paridae (Tits)

Blue Tit Parus caeruleus (Drean gorrym)
Great Tit Parus major (Drean mooar)
Coal Tit Parus ater (Drean kione doo)
Long-tailed Tit Aegithalos caudatus

Sturnidae (Starlings)

Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Corvidae (Corvids)

Magpie Pica pica
Jackdaw Corvus monedula
Raven Corvus corax
Carrion Crow Corvus corax
Hooded Crow Corvus cornix
Chough Phyrocorrax phyrocorrax (Caaig)
Rook Corvus frugilegus

Passeridae (Sparrows)

House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Fringillidae (Finches)

Chaffinch Fringilla coelebs
Goldfinch Carduelis chloris
Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

Emberizidae (Buntings)

Corn Bunting Miliaria calandra†

Insecta (Insects)

Odonata (Dragonflies)

Common Hawker Aeshna juncea
Brown Hawker Aeshna grandis
Migrant Hawker Aeshna mixta
Common Darter Sympetrum striolatum
Black Darter Sympetrum danae
Red-veined Darter Sympetrum fonscolombi
Ruddy Darter Sympetrum sanguineum
Four-spotted Chaser Libellula quadrimaculata
Downy Emerald Cordulia aenea
Keeled Skimmer Orthetrum coerulescens
Emperor Dragonfly Anax imperator

Common Blue Damselfly Enallagma cyathigerum
Blue-tailed Damselfly Ischnura elegans
Golden-ringed Dragonfly Cordulegaster boltonii
Large Red Damselfly Pyrrhosoma nymphula
Emerald Damselfly Lestes sponsa

Orthoptera (Grasshoppers & Crickets)

Ensifera (Crickets)

Tettigoniidae (Bush Crickets)

Dark Bush Cricket Pholidoptera griseoaptera
Dotted Bush Cricket Leptophyes punctatissima

Caelifera (Grasshoppers & Allies)

Acrididae (Grasshoppers)

Lesser Mottled Grasshopper Stenobothrus stigmaticus

Dermaptera (Earwigs)

Common Earwig Forficula auricularia

Dictyoptera (Cochroaches)

Phasmida (Stick-Insects)

Diptera (True Flies)

Manx Robber Fly Machimus cowini
Lesser Beefly Bombylius minor

Coleoptera (Beetles)

Hymenoptera (Bees, Wasps, Ants)

Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths)

Pieridae (Whites)

Large White Pieris brassicae
Small White Pieris rapae
Green-veined White Pieris napi
Orange Tip Anthocharis cardamines

Lycaenidae (Blues & Coppers)

Small Copper Lycaena phlaeas
Common Blue Polyommatus icarus
Holly Blue Celastrina argiolus

Satyridae (Browns)

Grayling Hipparchia semele
Speckled Wood Pararge aegeria
Meadow Brown Maniola jurtina
Wall Lasiommata megera
Small Heath Coenonympha pamphilus

Nymphalidae (Fritillaries & Aristocrats)

Dark Green Fritillary Argynnis aglaja
Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
Small Tortoiseshell Aglais urticae
Peacock Inachis io
Comma Polygonia c-album
Painted Lady Cynthia cardui

Arctiidae (Wolly Worm Moths)

Cinnabar moth Tyria jacobaeae

Geometridae (Geometers)

Peppered moth Biston betularia

Hemiptera (True Bugs)

Mammalia (Mammals)

Chiroptera (Bats)

Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus (Craitnag)
Whiskered Bat Myotis mystacinus
Natterer's Bat Myotis nattereri
Daubenton's Bat Myotis daubentonii
Leisler's Bat Nyctalus leisleri
Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus
Brown Long-eared Bat Plecotus auritus (Chleayshagh)

Lagomorpha (Rabbits and Hares)

Mountain Hare Lepus timidus †* (extinct but reintroduced) (Mwaagh Slieu)
European Hare Lepus europaeus * (uncertain if introduced) (Mwaagh Dhone)
European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus * (Conning)

Insectivora (Insect-Eaters)

European Hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus *(accidental introduction) * (Arkan Sonney)
Pygmy Shrew Sorex minutus (Thollag Airhey) (the Common Shrew is not found on the Isle of Man as commonly thought)

Rodentia (Rodents)

Wood Mouse Apodemus sylvaticus (Lugh Faiyr)
House Mouse Mus domesticus (Lugh Thie) *
Brown Rat Rattus norvegicus * (Roddan Dhone)

Carnivora (Carnivores)

Stoat Mustela erminea hibernica (Assag)
Polecat-Ferret Mustela furo x putorius (Kayt ny Giark) (a hybrid between the Polecat and a Ferret)

Cervidae (Deer)

Irish Elk Megaloceros giganteus (Feeaih Mooar) †

Pinnipedia (Seals and Walruses)

Grey Seal Halichoerus grypus (Raun Glass)
Common Seal Phoca vitulina (Raun) (occasional, not known to breed)

Primates (Primates)

Human Homo sapiens (Deiney)

Artiodactyla (Even-toed Ungulates or Hoofed Mammals)

Domestic Goat Capra hircus (Goayr) *

Marsupialia (Marsupials)

Red-necked Wallaby Macropus rufogriseus (Myn-changaroo) *

Cetacea (Whales and Dolphins)

Note that Manx nomenclature does not differentiate between species. Most cetaceans are known as 'Muc Varrey' or 'Perkin Mooar', small dolphins as 'Doraid'.