Locations
Fish species in Maryland
178 species have two or more US observation records in Maryland. Explore their habitats, families, and local records.
178 species have two or more US observation records in Maryland. ITIS calls 82 of them native to the United States, 89 native to part of the country and introduced elsewhere, and 7 introduced.
- Species
- 178
- Freshwater
- 133
- Saltwater
- 79
- Survey list
- 88
0
1state
Two counts, two questions. 178 is the number of species observed in Maryland and filed with GBIF, which includes lakes, the coast, and museum records. 88 is the number the USGS stream survey caught, which samples flowing fresh water only. Neither is the other, so the site never adds them.
The statute
The official state fish of Maryland
Megalodon (shark)
Otodus megalodon · named 2026
ITIS files no US record under Otodus megalodon, so this site has no page for it.
A state fish is a statute, not a survey. It says which fish the legislature chose, not which fish is most common. The list above links each row to the state's own record.
Most recorded
The fish of Maryland
The species with the most observation records in the state. It is the closest the open data comes to naming the fish people meet.
Bluegill4,096 records
Lepomis macrochirusCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh
Largemouth Bass3,227 records
Micropterus salmoidesCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh
Eastern Blacknose Dace1,874 records
Rhinichthys atratulusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Pumpkinseed1,853 records
Lepomis gibbosusCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFreshBrackish
Redbreast Sunfish1,664 records
Lepomis auritusCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh
Tessellated Darter1,540 records
Etheostoma olmstediPercidaeNative and introducedFresh
Smallmouth Bass1,388 records
Micropterus dolomieuCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh
White Perch1,298 records
Morone americanaMoronidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Mummichog1,234 records
Fundulus heteroclitusFundulidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Green Sunfish1,199 records
Lepomis cyanellusCentrarchidaeNative and introducedFresh
White Sucker1,174 records
Catostomus commersoniiCatostomidaeNative and introducedFreshBrackish
Yellow Perch1,151 records
Perca flavescensPercidaeNative and introducedFreshBrackish
Groups
Types of fish in Maryland
Species
All 178 species, A–Z
A
- Alaskan Stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus
- Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus
- Allegheny Pearl Dace Margariscus margarita
- American Brook Lamprey Lethenteron appendix
- American Eel Anguilla rostrata
- American Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum
- American Halfbeak Hyporhamphus meeki
- American Shad Alosa sapidissima
- Atlantic Croaker Micropogonias undulatus
- Atlantic Herring Clupea harengus
- Atlantic Menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus
- Atlantic Needlefish Strongylura marina
- Atlantic Sharpnose Shark Rhizoprionodon terraenovae
- Atlantic Silverside Menidia menidia
- Atlantic Spadefish Chaetodipterus faber
- Atlantic Stingray Dasyatis sabina
- Atlantic Sturgeon Acipenser oxyrinchus
- Atlantic Thread Herring Opisthonema oglinum
B
- Banded Darter Etheostoma zonale
- Banded Drum Larimus fasciatus
- Banded Killifish Fundulus diaphanus
- Banded Sunfish Enneacanthus obesus
- Bay Anchovy Anchoa mitchilli
- Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus
- Black Drum Pogonias cromis
- Black Mullet Mugil cephalus
- Blackbanded Sunfish Enneacanthus chaetodon
- Blackcheek Tonguefish Symphurus plagiusa
- Bloody Stickleback Apeltes quadracus
- Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus
- Blueback Herring Alosa aestivalis
- Bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus
- Bluehead Chub Nocomis leptocephalus
- Bluespotted Sunfish Enneacanthus gloriosus
- Bluntnose Minnow Pimephales notatus
- Bridle Shiner Notropis bifrenatus
- Broad-striped Anchovy Anchoa hepsetus
- Brook Trout Salvelinus fontinalis
- Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus
- Brown Trout Salmo trutta
- Bull Shark Carcharhinus leucas
C
- Central Stoneroller Campostoma anomalum
- Chain Pickerel Esox niger
- Chain Pipefish Syngnathus louisianae
- Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus
- Chesapeake Fantail Darter Etheostoma barratti
- Chesapeake Logperch Percina bimaculata
- Comely Shiner Notropis amoenus
- Common Carp Cyprinus carpio
- Common Shiner Luxilus cornutus
- Cownose Ray Rhinoptera bonasus
- Creek Chub Semotilus atromaculatus
- Creek Chubsucker Erimyzon oblongus
- Crevalle Jack Caranx hippos
- Cutlip Minnow Exoglossum maxillingua
- Cutthroat Trout Oncorhynchus clarkii
D
E
F
G
- Glassy Darter Etheostoma vitreum
- Golden Redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas
- Goldfish Carassius auratus
- Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella
- Grass Pickerel Esox americanus
- Gray Snapper Lutjanus griseus
- Gray Triggerfish Balistes capriscus
- Gray Trout Cynoscion regalis
- Green Goby Microgobius thalassinus
- Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus
- Greenside Darter Etheostoma blennioides
- Gulf Minkfish Menticirrhus saxatilis
- Gulf Stream Flounder Citharichthys arctifrons
- Guppy Poecilia reticulata
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
- Rainbow Darter Etheostoma caeruleum
- Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Rainwater Killifish Lucania parva
- Red Drum Sciaenops ocellatus
- Redbreast Sunfish Lepomis auritus
- Redear Sunfish Lepomis microlophus
- River Chub Nocomis micropogon
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris
- Rosyface Shiner Notropis rubellus
- Rosyside Dace Clinostomus funduloides
- Rough Silverside Membras martinica
S
- Sand Tiger Shark Carcharias taurus
- Satinfin Shiner Cyprinella analostana
- Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus
- Seaboard Goby Gobiosoma ginsburgi
- Sheepshead Archosargus probatocephalus
- Sheepshead Minnow Cyprinodon variegatus
- Shield Darter Percina peltata
- Shorthead Redhorse Moxostoma macrolepidotum
- Silver Mullet Mugil curema
- Silver Perch Bairdiella chrysoura
- Silverjaw Minnow Ericymba buccata
- Slimy Sculpin Cottus cognatus
- Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu
- Smallmouth Flounder Etropus microstomus
- Smooth Puffer Lagocephalus laevigatus
- Southern Stingray Dasyatis americana
- Spiny Dogfish Squalus acanthias
- Spot Leiostomus xanthurus
- Spotfin Killifish Fundulus luciae
- Spotfin Shiner Cyprinella spiloptera
- Spottail Shiner Notropis hudsonius
- Spotted Seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus
- Steelcolor Shiner Cyprinella whipplei
- Stonecat Noturus flavus
- Stripeback Darter Percina notogramma
- Striped Bass Morone saxatilis
- Striped Burrfish Chilomycterus schoepfii
- Striped Killifish Fundulus majalis
- Striped Shiner Luxilus chrysocephalus
- Summer Flounder Paralichthys dentatus
- Swallowtail Shiner Notropis procne
- Swamp Darter Etheostoma fusiforme
T
W
- Walleye Sander vitreus
- Warmouth Lepomis gulosus
- Western Blacknose Dace Rhinichthys obtusus
- White Bass Morone chrysops
- White Bullhead Ameiurus catus
- White Crappie Pomoxis annularis
- White Perch Morone americana
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii
- Windowpane Scophthalmus aquosus
- Winter Flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus
Y
One record only
31 more with a single record
One observation can be a stray, an aquarium release, or a mis-keyed locality, so these are kept out of the count above and listed here instead. The first 31 are shown.
Atlantic Flyingfish13 states
Cheilopogon melanurusExocoetidaeNativeSalt
Atlantic Salmon26 states
Salmo salarSalmonidaeNative and introducedFreshSaltBrackish
Bandtail Puffer15 states
Sphoeroides spengleriTetraodontidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Bowfin31 states
Amia calvaAmiidaeNativeFresh
Brook Stickleback28 states
Culaea inconstansGasterosteidaeNative and introducedFresh
Clown Goby7 states
Microgobius gulosusGobiidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Code Goby7 states
Gobiosoma robustumGobiidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Emerald Bowfin31 states
Amia ocellicaudaAmiidaeNativeFresh
Emerald Shiner35 states
Notropis atherinoidesLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Gafftopsail Catfish14 states
Bagre marinusAriidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Gulf Flounder9 states
Paralichthys albiguttaParalichthyidaeNativeSalt
Gulf Killifish11 states
Fundulus grandisFundulidaeNative and introducedFreshBrackish
Hornyhead Chub27 states
Nocomis biguttatusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Japanese Weatherfish19 states
Misgurnus anguillicaudatusCobitidaeIntroducedFreshBrackish
Longjaw4 states
Strongylura timucuBelonidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Longnose Sucker29 states
Catostomus catostomusCatostomidaeNative and introducedFreshBrackish
Marsh Killifish14 states
Fundulus confluentusFundulidaeNativeFreshSaltBrackish
Mexican Molly7 states
Poecilia sphenopsPoeciliidaeIntroducedFreshBrackish
Ocean Sunfish20 states
Mola molaMolidaeNativeSalt
Oscar17 states
Astronotus ocellatusCichlidaeIntroducedFresh
Sharksucker15 states
Echeneis naucratesEcheneidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Silver Shiner17 states
Notropis photogenisLeuciscidaeNativeFresh
Smooth Butterfly Ray13 states
Gymnura micruraGymnuridaeNativeSaltBrackish
Southern Puffer9 states
Sphoeroides nephelusTetraodontidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Speckled Dace14 states
Rhinichthys osculusLeuciscidaeNative and introducedFresh
Spotted Sunfish24 states
Lepomis punctatusCentrarchidaeNativeFresh
Star Drum11 states
Stellifer lanceolatusSciaenidaeNativeSaltBrackish
Tench17 states
Tinca tincaCyprinidaeIntroducedFreshBrackish
Trunkfish14 states
Lactophrys trigonusOstraciidaeNativeSalt
Western Creek Chubsucker19 states
Erimyzon claviformisCatostomidaeNativeFresh
Yellowtail Flounder11 states
Limanda ferrugineaPleuronectidaeNativeSalt
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