Biota of the Isle of Man

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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), binomial/trinomial scientific name with authorities for uncommon species, Manx name (where one exists), status.

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)[]

Main article: List of birds of the Isle of Man

Gaviidae (divers)[]

  • Red-throated diver, Gavia stellata
  • Black-throated diver, Gavia arctica
  • Great northern diver, Gavia immer

Podicipedidae (grebes)[]

  • Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis
  • Slavonian grebe, Podiceps auritus (Eean kereen cleayshagh)

Hydrobatidae (petrels)[]

Procellariidae (shearwaters)[]

  • Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus (Scraayl)
  • Fulmar, Fulmarus glacialis (Eean croymmagh)

Sulidae (gannets and boobies)[]

Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants)[]

  • Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo (Fannag)
  • Shag, Phalacrocorax aristotelis (Fannag)

Ardeidae (egrets and herons)[]

  • Bittern, Botaurus stellaris†
  • Grey heron, Ardea cinerea (Coayr ny Hastan)

Anatidae (swans, geese and ducks)[]

  • Mute swan, Cygnus olor
  • Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus
  • Pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrynchus
  • Greylag goose, Anser anser (Guiy feie)
  • Canada goose, Branta canadensis *
  • Brent goose, Branta bernicla
  • Shelduck, Tadorna tadorna (Thunnag y scape)
  • Wigeon, Anas penelope (Thunnag veg feie)
  • Gadwall, Anas strepera (Laagh ghlass)
  • Teal, Anas crecca (Laagh laaghag)
  • Mallard, Anus platyrhynchos (Thunnag feie)
  • Shoveler, Anas clypeata (Thunnag ny sleryst)
  • Pochard, Aythya ferina (Kione mollagh)
  • Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (Thunnag happagh)
  • Scaup, Aythya marila (Thunnag varrey)
  • Eider, Somateria mollissima (Laagh loughlinagh)
  • Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis (Laagh lheeah)
  • Common scoter, Melanitta nigra
  • Velvet scoter, Melanitta fusca
  • Goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (Laaghag hooillagh)
  • Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (Thunnag cleeau yiarg)
  • Goosander, Mergus merganser (Laagh eeacklagh)
  • Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis *

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)[]

  • Red-legged partridge, Alectoris rufa *
  • Grey partridge, Perdix perdix (Kiark rennee) *
  • Quail, Coturnix coturnix (Eean feie)

Tetraonidae (grouse)[]

  • Black grouse, Tetrao tetrix† (extinct, native status uncertain but an introduced population is extinct)
  • Red grouse, Lagopus lagopus scoticus† (native, extinct by 1835, reintroduced 1880 and still extant) (Kellagh Ruy / Kiark Freoaie – Heath Hen).

Phasianidae (pheasants)[]

Rallidae (rails and crakes)[]

  • Water rail, Rallus aquaticus
  • Corncrake, Crex crex (Eean raip)
  • Coot, Fulica atra

Haematopodidae (oystercatchers)[]

  • Oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus

Scolopacidae (waders)[]

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)[]

  • Tawny owl, Strix aluco
  • Long-eared owl, Asio otus
  • Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus

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)[]

  • Common chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
  • Goldfinch, Carduelis chloris
  • Greenfinch, Carduelis chloris

Emberizidae (buntings)[]

  • Corn bunting, Miliaria calandra†

Insecta (insects)[]

Neuroptera (lacewings)[]

Trichoptera (caddisflies)[]

Odonata (dragonflies)[]

Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)[]

  • Dark bush-cricket, Pholidoptera griseoaptera (Found only on the Lonan coast and around the Glen Maye ASSI - protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Act 1990)
  • Speckled bush-cricket, Leptophyes punctatissima (Found only in Glen Chass, Port St. Mary - protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Act 1990)
  • Lesser mottled grasshopper, Stenobothrus stigmaticus (Found only on the Langness ASSI, the only locality in the British Isles - protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife Act 1990)
  • Common green grasshopper, Omocestus viridulus (Common)
  • Mottled grasshopper, Myrmeleotettix maculatus
  • Field grasshopper, Chorthippus brunneus
  • Common ground-hopper, Tetrix undulata

Dermaptera (earwigs)[]

  • Common earwig, Forficula auricularia

Dictyoptera (cochroaches)[]

Phasmida (stick-insects)[]

Diptera (true flies)[]

Coleoptera (beetles)[]

Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and 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 and coppers)[]

  • Small copper, Lycaena phlaeas
  • Common blue, Polyommatus icarus
  • Holly blue, Celastrina argiolus

Satyridae (browns)[]

  • Grayling, Hipparchia semele
  • Speckled wood, Pararge aegeria[1]
  • Meadow brown, Maniola jurtina
  • Wall, Lasiommata megera
  • Small heath, Coenonympha pamphilus

Nymphalidae (fritillaries and aristocrats)[]

  • Dark green fritillary, Speyeria aglaja
  • Red admiral, Vanessa atalanta
  • Small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae
  • Peacock, Aglais io
  • Comma, Polygonia c-album[1]
  • Painted lady, Vanessa cardui
  • Ringlet, Aphantopus hyperantus†

Arctiidae (woolly worm moths)[]

  • Cinnabar moth, Tyria jacobaeae

Geometridae (geometers)[]

  • Peppered moth, Biston betularia
  • Garden carpet, Xanthorhoe fluctuata
  • Silver ground carpet, Xanthorhoe montanata montanata

Sphingidae (hawkmoths)[]

Notodontidae (prominent moths)[]

  • Puss moth, Cerura vinula

Noctuidae (noctuids)[]

  • Silver Y, Autographa gamma f. gammina
  • Ingrailed clay, Diarsia mendica mendica

Hemiptera (true bugs)[]

Mammalia (mammals)[]

Chiroptera (bats)[]

As of 2020 research by the Manx Bat Group (https://manxbatgroup.org/) has found that there are at least nine species of Chiroptera found on the Isle of Man:

Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares)[]

  • Mountain hare, Lepus timidus †* (once extinct but now reintroduced, found only on the Northern Hills) (Mwaagh Slieu)
  • European hare, Lepus europaeus * (uncertain if introduced, found across the Isle of Man but note the Calf of Man) (Mwaagh Dhone)
  • European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus * (found across the Island and on the Calf of Man in good numbers) (Conning)

Insectivora (insect-eaters)[]

  • European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus *(accidental introduction) * (Arkan Sonney)
  • Pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus (Thollag Airhey) (the common shrew is not found in 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, known as a 'weasel' in the Manx English dialect)
  • Ferret, Mustela furo (Kayt ny Giark) (known as polecats but really just feral ferrets)

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)

Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates or hoofed mammals)[]

  • Domestic goat, Capra hircus (Goayr) *

Marsupialia (marsupials)[]

Cetacea (whales and dolphins)[]

Note that Manx nomenclature traditionally did not differentiate between species. Most whales are known as 'Muc Varrey' (sea pigs) or 'Perkin Mooar' and small dolphins as 'Doraid'.

Regularly seen species[]

  • Harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena (Perkin/perkyn chadjin)[6]
  • Bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncates (Lheimmeyder mooar-tronnagh)[7]
  • Common dolphin, Delphinus delphis (Doraid/Lheimmeyder cadjin giare-ghobbagh)[8]
  • Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus (Lheimmeyder marrey garroo)[9]
  • Minke whale, Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Muc-varrey ny maaigyn bane)[10]

Rarely seen species[]

  • Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae[11]
  • Killer whale, Orcinus orca[11]
  • Fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus[11]

Vagrant species[]

  • Sei whale, Balaenoptera borealis – a single adult was stranded on Langness in May 1925. Its skeleton is on display in the Natural History Gallery of the Manx Museum[12]
  • Long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas – no known records in Manx waters, but have been sighted in the Irish Sea[13]
  • Striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba - on 20 December 2017 a single striped dolphin beached and died in Castletown harbour and was preserved for display within the Manx Museum[14]

Extinct populations[]

  • Grey whale, Eschrichtius robustus – a coastal whale probably once found in the Irish Sea, however the species' North Atlantic population was extirpated in the 18th century.[15]

Domestic animals[]

All sorts of domesticated species have been brought to the Isle of Man by humans over the millennia. Two notable landrace breeds have evolved distinctively on the island:

  • Manx cat, a domestic cat (Felis catus) with genetic abbreviation of the tail, which may range from no tail at all to essentially full-size. Developed as a standardised breed in the late 19th century, the Manx cat has become a popular breed worldwide, but is in danger of diseappearing on the island itself, as it is being out-bred by other cats imported over the last century by primarily English immigrants. The long-haired variety is called the Cymric cat in some breed registries, and was primarily developed in Canada, not the Isle of Man.
  • Manx Loaghtan, a variety of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) with brown wool and four horns, rare outside the island and considered "at risk" by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust. The dwindling numbers of the sheep have also caused a local decline in the population of wild corvid birds called choughs – the sheep keep grasses short, making the insect prey of the birds easier to find, and the sheep dung attracts beetles preferred by the birds.

Mollusca (molluscs)[]

Gastropoda (gastropods)[]

Stylommatophora (common land snails and slugs)[]

  • Limax cinereoniger (ash-black slug) found in remnant ancient woodland in 2011 after not being recorded for over 100 years.[16]

[]

  • Jujubinus striatus (grooved topshell) recorded in the Langness Marine Nature Reserve in 2019; the first Manx record since Edward Forbes recorded it in 1838.[16]

Reptilia (reptiles)[]

  • Common lizard, Zootoca vivipara (Jolgan-leaghyr)

Chondrichthyes (cartilagenous fish)[]

  • Basking shark, Cetorhinus maximus (Sharkagh Souree)

Osteichthyes (bony fish)[]

  • Brown trout, Salmo trutta
  • Rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss *
  • Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar
  • Ocean sunfish, Mola mola (recent vagrant)[17]

Arthropoda (arthropods)[]

The format here is common English name (if one exists), followed by scientific name, followed by authority in brackets. There are no Manx names.

Anostraca[]

Chirocephalidae[]

  • Fairy Shrimp, Chirocephalus diaphanus

Arachnida (spiders)[]

218 species of Arachnids have been identified in the Isle of Man as of 1 January 2002.[18]

Pholcidae[]

  • Pholcus phalangioides (Fuesslin)

Segestriidae[]

  • Segestria senoculata (Linnaeus)

Dysderidae[]

Oonopidae[]

Mimetidae[]

Nesticidae[]

  • (Clerck)

Theridiidae[]

Linyphiidae[]

Tetragnathidae[]

Araneidae[]

Lycosidae[]

Pisauridae[]

Agelenidae[]

Cybaeidae[]

  • Water spider Argyroneta aquatica (Clerck)

Hahniidae[]

Dictynidae[]

  • Dictyna arundinacea (Linnaeus)
  • Dictyna latens (Fabricius)

Amaurobiidae[]

Liocranidae[]

Clubionidae[]

Gnaphosidae[]

Philodromidae[]

Thomisidae[]

Salticidae[]

  • Zebra spider Salticus scenicus (Clerck)
  • Heliophanus cupreus (Walckenaer)
  • (Walckenaer)
  • (Simon)
  • Sitticus saltator (Simon)

Plants[]

Pinophyta (conifers)[]

Cupressaceae (cypresses)[]

  • Common juniper, Juniperus communis

Magnoliopsida[]

  • Agrimony, Agrimonia eupatoria
  • Alpine clubmoss, Diphasiastrum alpinum
  • Beech fern, Phegopteris connectilis
  • Blunt-leaved pondweed, Potamogeton obtusifolius
  • Brackish water crowfoot, Ranunculus baudotii
  • Burnet saxifrage, Pimpinella saxifraga
  • Carline thistle, Carlina vulgaris
  • Celery-leaved buttercup, Ranunculus sceleratus
  • Common bladderwort, Utricularia vulgaris
  • Common cow-wheat, Melampyrum pratense
  • , Limonium vulgare
  • Common wintergreen, Pyrola minor
  • Cranberry, Vaccinium oxycoccos
  • Dioecious sedge, Carex dioica
  • Dodder, Cuscuta epithymum
  • , Vulpia fasciculata
  • Eelgrass, Zostera marina
  • Fennel pondweed, Potamogeton pectinatus
  • , Eleocharis quinqueflora
  • Field gentian, Gentianella campestris
  • , Sparganium natans
  • , Eleogiton fluitans
  • Grass-leaved orache, Atriplex littoralis
  • Greater broomrape, Orobanche rapum-genistae
  • Greater spearwort, Ranunculus lingua
  • Hare's-foot clover, Trifolium arvense
  • Hay-scented buckler-fern, Dryopteris aemula
  • Horned pondweed, Zannichellia palustris
  • , Rorippa islandica
  • Ivy-leaved bellflower, Wahlenbergia hederacea
  • , Trichomanes speciosum
  • Least willow, Salix herbacea
  • Lesser clubmoss, Selaginella selaginoides
  • Lesser tussock-sedge, Carex diandra
  • Lesser twayblade, Neottia cordata
  • Lesser water-plantain, Baldellia ranunculoides
  • Maidenhair fern, Adiantum capillus-veneris
  • Marsh hawk's-beard, Crepis paludosa
  • , Stellaria palustris
  • Mountain pansy, Viola lutea
  • Narrow buckler-fern, Dryopteris carthusiana
  • Narrow-leaved water-plantain, Alisma lanceolatum
  • Nodding bur-marigold, Bidens cernua
  • Oyster plant, Mertensia maritima
  • Pale butterwort, Pinguicula lusitanica
  • Pale sedge, Carex pallescens
  • Parsley fern, Cryptogramma crispa
  • , Oenanthe lachenalii
  • Pennyroyal, Mentha pulegium
  • Pillwort, Pilularia globulifera
  • , Veronica catenata
  • , Euphorbia portlandica
  • Rock sea lavender, Limonium binervosum agg.
  • , Blysmus rufus
  • Sea purslane, Atriplex portulacoides
  • Sea wormwood, Seriphidium maritimum
  • , Teesdalia nudicaulis
  • , Eleocharis uniglumis
  • Smooth cat's-ear, Hypochaeris glabra
  • , Minuartia verna
  • , Lycopodium clavatum
  • Strawberry clover, Trifolium fragiferum
  • , Oenanthe fistulosa
  • Viper's bugloss, Echium vulgare
  • Western clover, Trifolium occidentale
  • White sedge, Carex curta
  • Wilson's filmy fern, Hymenophyllum wilsonii
  • , Festuca altissima
  • Wood melick, Melica uniflora
  • Wood small-reed, Calamagrostis epigejos
  • , Veronica montana
  • Wood vetch, Vicia sylvatica

Brassicales[]

Nymphaeaceae (waterlilies)[]

Fungi

Mycetozoa (slime moulds)[]

Fungi[]

  • Hymenoscyphus fraxineus ash dieback fungus (previously known as Chalara fraxinea). First identified on Great Britain in 2012 and the Isle of Man in 2017. Since then the fungus has rapidly spread throughout the island.[19]

Strophariaceae (dung fungi)[]

Sixty-two species of dung fungi have been recorded in the Isle of Man as of 13 April 2009 by Michael J. Richardson, a British mycologist. The following are from a sample of rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) pellets collected at The Ayres on 6 January 2008.

Ascomycetes[]

Pezizales[]
Thelebolales[]
Helotiales[]
Sordariales[]
Microascales[]
Pleosporales[]

Basidiomycetes[]

Agaricales[]

Zygomycetes[]

Mucorales[]

Myxomycetes[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b BBC News | World | Europe | Isle of Man | Climate conference spots insects
  2. ^ https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/new-bat-species-discovered/
  3. ^ https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/further-confirmation-of-another-bat-species-on-iom/
  4. ^ https://manxbatgroup.org/wp-content/uploads/Manx-Bat-Group-Press-Release-Jan-2020.pdf
  5. ^ https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/new-bat-found-on-isle-of-man/
  6. ^ http://www.mwdw.net/species/harbour-porpoise-phocoena-phocoena/
  7. ^ http://www.mwdw.net/species/378-2/
  8. ^ http://www.mwdw.net/species/short-beaked-common-dolphin/
  9. ^ http://www.mwdw.net/species/rissos-dolphin/
  10. ^ http://www.mwdw.net/species/minke-whale/
  11. ^ Jump up to: a b c http://www.mwdw.net/species/rare-species/
  12. ^ http://imuseum.im/search/collections/objects/mnh-museum-39653.html
  13. ^ https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-37198843
  14. ^ https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-42426060
  15. ^ Perrin, William F.; Würsig, Bernd G.; Thewissen, J. G. M. (2009). Encyclopedia of marine mammals. Academic Press. p. 404. ISBN 978-0-12-373553-9.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b c http://www.manxwt.org.uk/sites/default/files/manx_nature_springsummer_2020_final.pdf
  17. ^ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-isle-of-man-29146540
  18. ^ Welcome to Isleofman.com - The online Manx Portal Archived May 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  19. ^ https://www.gov.im/categories/home-and-neighbourhood/tree-protection/ash-dieback/
Retrieved from ""