Wikipedia

Biota of the Isle of Man

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

  • * non-native species
  • † extinct species
  • ? species of uncertain status

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)

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Salamandridae (salamanders and newts)

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Anura (frogs and toads)

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Aves (birds)

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Main article: List of birds of the Isle of Man

Gaviidae (divers)

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Podicipedidae (grebes)

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Hydrobatidae (petrels)

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Procellariidae (shearwaters)

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Sulidae (gannets and boobies)

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Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants)

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

Ardeidae (egrets and herons)

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Anatidae (swans, geese and ducks)

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Accipitridae (hawks, eagles, kites and harriers)

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Falconidae (falcons)

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Phasianidae (partridges and quail)

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Tetraonidae (grouse)

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  • 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)

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Rallidae (rails and crakes)

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Haematopodidae (oystercatchers)

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Scolopacidae (waders)

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Scolopacidae (woodcock and snipe)

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Laridae (gulls)

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Alcidae (auks)

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Columbidae (pigeons)

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Tytonidae (barn owls)

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Strigidae (other owls)

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Hirundinidae (swallows)

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Motacillidae (wagtails)

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Troglodytidae (wrens)

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  • Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes (drean)

Prunellidae (dunnock)

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Turdidae (thrushes)

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Sylviidae (warblers)

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Paridae (tits)

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Sturnidae (starlings)

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Corvidae (corvids)

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Passeridae (sparrows)

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Fringillidae (finches)

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Emberizidae (buntings)

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Insecta (insects)

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Neuroptera (lacewings)

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Trichoptera (caddisflies)

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Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

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Updated July 2023

Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)

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Dermaptera (earwigs)

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Dictyoptera (cochroaches)

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Phasmida (stick-insects)

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Diptera (true flies)

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Coleoptera (beetles)

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Hymenoptera (bees, wasps and ants)

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Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)

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As of 2023 the Isle of Man has 20 regularly occurring migrant and resident species of butterfly, with a total of 23 all-time records in the wild.

Pieridae (whites)

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  • Large white, Pieris brassicae (fairly common resident)
  • Small white, Pieris rapae (common resident)
  • Green-veined white, Pieris napi (common resident)
  • Orange tip, Anthocharis cardamines (fairly common resident)
  • Clouded yellow, Colias croceus (irregular migrant - an immigration occurring in 1947[4] 107 records of NBN Atlas Isle of Man as of May 2022[5])
  • Brimstone, Gonepteryx rhamni (very rare migrant)

Lycaenidae (blues and coppers)

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  • Small copper, Lycaena phlaeas (common resident)
  • Common blue, Polyommatus icarus (common resident)
  • Holly blue, Celastrina argiolus (fairly common and widespread resident)

Satyridae (browns)

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  • Grayling, Hipparchia semele (residential restricted to grassy, rocky cliffs and the Ayres - 355 records of NBN Atlas Isle of Man as of May 2022[5])
  • Speckled wood, Pararge aegeria (recent coloniser, since 2005 on the east coast, reaching the west coast by 2009, now very common and widespread[6])
  • Meadow brown, Maniola jurtina (common and widespread resident)
  • Wall, Lasiommata megera (relatively common and widespread but in reduced number)
  • Small heath, Coenonympha pamphilus (common and widespread, particularly on rabbit-grazed coastal grassland an in uplands)

Nymphalidae (fritillaries and aristocrats)

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  • Dark green fritillary, Speyeria aglaja (widespread resident along Manx coast but local. Inland population at Sulby Glen)
  • Red admiral, Vanessa atalanta (common annual migrant)
  • Small tortoiseshell, Aglais urticae (widespread and common, but declining)
  • Peacock, Aglais io (fairly common resident)
  • Comma, Polygonia c-album (fairly recent coloniser, since 1990s, local, mainly in north[6] - rare)
  • Painted lady, Vanessa cardui (annual migrant)
  • Ringlet, Aphantopus hyperantus (extremely rare vagrant - NBN Atlas Isle of Man contains only a single record from 1937 in Peel)
  • Scotch argus, Erebia aethiops (extremely rare vagrant[4])
  • Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus (extremely rare vagrant[4] - four records of NBN Atlas Isle of Man as of May 2022[7])

Crambidae (grass moths)

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  • Scarce crimson and gold moth, Pyrausta sanguinalis, a small distinctively marked moth, dark yellow with crimson bands across the forewings merging with crimson edging. It is scarce and local in the British Isles and appears to be confined to areas of Northern Ireland, the Burren in the Republic of Ireland and the Isle of Man. Here, it is only found along the northern coast at the Ayres National Nature Reserve, where its larvae live in silken tubes and feed on the flowers of wild thyme growing in the former sand pits. At the Ayres adults fly during the day mostly in June but have been recorded in July and into early August. The species was once more widespread in Britain but has declined in recent years and is thought to be extinct in its former range in north-west England and Scotland.[8]

Arctiidae (woolly worm moths)

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Geometridae (geometers)

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Sphingidae (hawkmoths)

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Notodontidae (prominent moths)

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Noctuidae (noctuids)

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Hemiptera (true bugs)

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Mammalia (mammals)

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Chiroptera (bats)

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As of 2020 research by the Manx Bat Group has found that there are at least nine species of Chiroptera on the Isle of Man:

Lagomorpha (rabbits and hares)

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  • Mountain hare, Lepus timidus † * (mwaagh slieu), once extinct but now reintroduced, found only on the Northern Hills
  • European hare, Lepus europaeus * (mwaagh dhone), uncertain if introduced, found locally across the Isle of Man but not the Calf of Man
  • European rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus * (conning), found across the Island and on the Calf of Man in good numbers

Insectivora (insect-eaters)

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  • European hedgehog, Erinaceus europaeus * (arkan sonney), accidental introduction from a shipwreck
  • Pygmy shrew, Sorex minutus (thollag airhey), the common shrew is not found in the Isle of Man as commonly thought. Also found on the Calf of Man.

Rodentia (rodents)

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  • Wood mouse, Apodemus sylvaticus (lugh faiyr), formerly found on the Calf of Man.
  • House mouse, Mus domesticus * (lugh thie), not present on the Calf of Man.
  • Brown rat, Rattus norvegicus * (roddan dhone), invasive non-native species formerly found on the Calf of Man.

Carnivora (carnivores)

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  • Stoat, Mustela erminea hibernica (assag, known as a 'weasel' in the Manx English dialect)
  • Ferret, Mustela furo * (kayt ny giark), invasive non-native species known as polecats but really just feral ferrets
  • Cat, Felis catus * (kayt), invasive non-native species with a widely established feral population

Cervidae (deer)

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  • Irish elk, Megaloceros giganteus (feeaih mooar) † Globally extinct.

Pinnipedia (seals and walruses)

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  • Grey seal, Halichoerus grypus (raun glass)
  • Common seal, Phoca vitulina (raun), occasional, not known to breed.

Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates or hoofed mammals)

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  • Domestic goat, Capra hircus * (goayr), a 2024 study found 245 feral individuals on the Island's east coast [14]
  • Aurochs, Bos primigenius † Remains found in 2024. Globally extinct.

Marsupialia (marsupials)

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  • Red-necked wallaby, Macropus rufogriseus * (myn-changaroo), a 2024 study found between 950-1050 feral individuals across the Island [15]

Cetacea (whales and dolphins)

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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

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Rarely seen species

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Vagrant species

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Extinct populations

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Domestic animals

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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 disappearing 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.

Mollusca (molluscs)

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Gastropoda (gastropods)

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Stylommatophora (common land snails and slugs)

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  • Limax cinereoniger (ash-black slug) found in remnant ancient woodland in 2011 after not being recorded for over 100 years.[27]

Order Trochida

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Reptilia (reptiles)

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Chondrichthyes (cartilagenous fish)

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Lamprey

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Osteichthyes (bony fish)

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Arthropoda (arthropods)

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

Arachnida (spiders)

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218 species of Arachnids have been identified in the Isle of Man as of 1 January 2002.[31]

Pholcidae

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Segestriidae

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Dysderidae

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Oonopidae

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Mimetidae

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Nesticidae

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Theridiidae

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Linyphiidae

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Tetragnathidae

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Araneidae

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Lycosidae

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Pisauridae

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Agelenidae

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Cybaeidae

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Hahniidae

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Dictynidae

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Amaurobiidae

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Liocranidae

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Clubionidae

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Gnaphosidae

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Philodromidae

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Thomisidae

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Salticidae

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Pinophyta (conifers)

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Cupressaceae (cypresses)

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Magnoliopsida

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Brassicales

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Nymphaeaceae (waterlilies)

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Mycetozoa (slime moulds)

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Fungi

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As of September 2022, 1801 distinct species from the kingdom Fungi have been recorded on NBN Atlas Isle of Man.[32]

  • 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.[33]

Strophariaceae (dung fungi)

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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.

References

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  1. ^ "Damselfly rediscovered".
  2. ^ "Speckled Bush Crickets are common in southern and central England but are more uncommon in the colder and wetter conditions of the north and west. In the Isle of Man, Speckled Bush Crickets are recorded from few sites and, as a consequence, are protected by the Wildlife Act". Biosphere.im. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  3. ^ IOM BAP for Bomblius minor - in publication spring 2022
  4. ^ a b c "Peregrine journal - Manx BirdLife".
  5. ^ a b "Hipparchia semele: Grayling | NBN Atlas Isle of Man".
  6. ^ a b "Climate conference spots insects". News.bbc.co.uk. 22 January 2007. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Danaus plexippus: Monarch | NBN Atlas Isle of Man".
  8. ^ IOM BAP for Pyrausta sanguinalis 2022 in preparation
  9. ^ "Isle of Man Studies (Proceedings IoMNHAS) - Volume XVI" (PDF).
  10. ^ "New bat species discovered". Manx Radio. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  11. ^ "Further confirmation of another bat species on IoM". Manx Radio. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  12. ^ "Lesser horseshoe bat found in the Isle of Man" (PDF). Manxbatgroup.org. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  13. ^ "New bat found on Isle of Man". Manx Radio. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  14. ^ https://www.gov.im/news/2024/nov/12/drone-survey-estimates-1000-wallabies-in-manx-countryside/
  15. ^ https://www.gov.im/news/2024/nov/12/drone-survey-estimates-1000-wallabies-in-manx-countryside/
  16. ^ "Harbour porpoise | Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch". Mwdw.net. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  17. ^ "Bottlenose dolphin | Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch". Mwdw.net. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Short Beaked Common Dolphin | Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch". Mwdw.net. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  19. ^ "Risso's dolphin | Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch". Mwdw.net. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  20. ^ "Minke whale | Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch". Mwdw.net. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  21. ^ a b c "Rare species | Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch". Mwdw.net. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  22. ^ "Log in or sign up to view". Facebook.
  23. ^ "Sei whale - Natural History Zoology Collection - iMuseum". iMuseum - Manx National Heritage. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  24. ^ "'Unusual and enigmatic' long-finned pilot whales spotted off Welsh coast". BBC News. 26 August 2016.
  25. ^ "Striped dolphin found dead in Isle of Man harbour". BBC News. 20 December 2017.
  26. ^ 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.
  27. ^ a b c Chris Lawrence. "Manx Nature" (PDF). Manxwt.org.uk. p. 24. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  28. ^ a b c d e f g "Native Freshwater Fisheries Atrategy 2015 - 2020" (PDF). Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture, Isle of Man Government. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  29. ^ "Rare sunfish spotted in Isle of Man waters". BBC News. 10 September 2014.
  30. ^ "Swordfish seen for first time in Manx waters | Manx Whale and Dolphin Watch".
  31. ^ "Welcome to Isleofman.com - The online Manx Portal". Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  32. ^ "Home". NBN Atlas Isle of Man.
  33. ^ "Isle of Man Government - Ash dieback". Gov.im. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
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