List of animals of Long Island Sound

Long Island Sound is a large marine estuary in the Northeastern United States. It forms the maritime border between New York's Long Island and Connecticut. It is diverse and serves as a breeding ground to many different types of marine animal species; the following is a list of said species by scientific and/or common name. Marine mammals are excluded; see List of mammals of New York for the corresponding species.

Sponges (Porifera)

 * Clathria prolifera (red beard sponge)
 * Cliona celata (boring sponge)
 * Halichondria panicea (breadcrumb sponge)
 * Halichondria bowerbanki (yellow sun sponge)
 * Haliclona loosanoffi (erect sponge)
 * Haliclona oculata (mermaid's glove)
 * Isodictya palmata (finger sponge)
 * Polymastia robusta

Comb jellies (Ctenophora)

 * Pleurobrachia pileus (sea gooseberry)

Jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Medusozoa)

 * Aurelia aurita (moon jelly)
 * Chrysaora quinquecirrha (Atlantic sea nettle)
 * Cyanea capillata (lion's mane jellyfish)
 * Physalia physalis (Portuguese man o'war)

Corals (Cnidaria: Alcyonacea and Scleractinia)

 * Alcyonium digitatum = Dead Man's Fingers Coral
 * Astrangia poculata = Northern Star Coral

Sea Anemones (Cnidaria: Actiniaria)

 * Ceriantheopsis americana (American striped burrowing anemone; invasive species)
 * Cerianthus borealis = Northern Burrowing Anemone
 * Diadumene leucolena = Ghost Anemone
 * Diadumene lineata = Orange-Striped Green Anemone
 * Fagesia lineata = Lined Anemone
 * Metridium senile = Frilled Anemone
 * Urticina felina = Northern Red Anemone

True Crabs (Decapoda: Brachyura)

 * Callinectes sapidus = Atlantic Blue Crab
 * Carcinus maenas (European green crab; invasive species)
 * Ovalipes ocellatus = Lady Crab
 * Cancer irroratus = Atlantic Rock Crab
 * Cancer borealis = Jonah Crab
 * Libinia emarginata = Common Spider Crab
 * Libinia dubia = Longnose Spider Crab
 * Pelia mutica = Cryptic Teardrop Crab
 * Sesarma reticulatum = Marsh Crab
 * Hemigrapsus sanguineus (Asian shore crab; invasive species)
 * Uca pugnax = Atlantic Marsh Fiddler Crab
 * Uca pugilator = Atlantic Sand Fiddler Crab

Other decapods

 * Homarus americanus = American Lobster
 * Pagurus longicarpus = Long-Wrist Hermit Crab
 * Pagurus pollicaris = Flatclaw Hermit Crab
 * Crangon septemspinosa = Seven-Spined Sand Shrimp
 * Palaemonetes pugio = Daggerblade Grass Shrimp
 * Gilvossius setimanus = Ghost Shrimp
 * Upogebia affinis = Coastal Mud Shrimp

Mantis Shrimp (Stomatopoda)

 * Squilla empusa = Atlantic Mantis Shrimp

Horseshoe crabs (Arthropoda: Xiphosura)

 * Limulus polyphemus (Atlantic horseshoe crab)

Cephalopods (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)

 * Illex illecebrosus (northern shortfin squid)
 * Loligo pealei (longfin inshore squid)

Littorinimorpha
This group includes filter feeders, omnivores, and predatory sea snails.
 * Crepidula fornicata = Common Slipper Shell Snail
 * Crepidula plana = Eastern White Slipper Shell
 * Euspira heros = Northern Moonsnail
 * Euspira triseriata = Spotted Moonsnail
 * Neverita duplicata = Sharkeye Moonsnail
 * Littorina littorea (common periwinkle; invasive species)
 * Littorina saxatilis = Rough Periwinkle

Neogastropoda
Most neogastropods are predatory sea snails.
 * Buccinum undatum = Waved Whelk
 * Busycon carica = Knobbed Whelk
 * Busycotypus canaliculatus = Channeled Whelk
 * Ilyanassa obsoleta = Eastern Mudsnail
 * Ilyanassa trivittata = Threeline Mudsnail
 * Mitrella lunata = Lunar Dovesnail
 * Phrontis vibex = Bruised Nassa
 * Nucella lapillus = Atlantic Dogwinkle
 * Urosalpinx cinerea = Atlantic Oyster Drill
 * Eupleura caudata = Thick-lip Drill
 * Kurtziella cerina = Wax-Colored Mangelia

Ptenoglossa

 * Cerithiopsis greenii = Green's Cerith
 * Seila adamsii = Adam's Cerith
 * Retilaskeya emersonii = Awl Cerith

Pteriomorphia
These filter feeders are either mobile or permanently attached to a substrate.
 * Anadara transversa = Transverse Ark
 * Anadara ovalis = Blood Ark
 * Crassostrea virginica = Eastern Oyster
 * Ostrea edulis = European Flat Oyster
 * Mytilus edulis = Blue Mussel
 * Geukensia demissa = Ribbed Mussel
 * Modiolus modiolus = Northern Horsemussel
 * Anomia simplex = Jingle Shell
 * Argopecten irradians = Bay Scallop
 * Placopecten magellanicus = Sea Scallop

Heterodonta
These filter feeders are mostly burrowers.
 * Arctica islandica = Ocean Quahog
 * Mercenaria mercenaria = Northern Quahog / Hardshell Clam
 * Pitar morrhuanus = False Quahog
 * Spisula solidissima = Atlantic Surf Clam
 * Mulinia lateralis = Dwarf Surf Clam
 * Petricola pholadiformis = False Angelwing
 * Mya arenaria = Softshell Clam
 * Ensis directus = Atlantic Jackknife / Razor Clam
 * Astarte undata = Wavy Astarte
 * Astarte castanea = Smooth Astarte

Sea Urchins (Echinoidea)

 * Sand dollar
 * Arbacia punctulata = Atlantic Purple Sea Urchin
 * Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis = Common Green Sea Urchin

Sea Cucumbers (Holothuroidea)

 * Sclerodactyla briareus = Hairy Sea Cucumber

Starfish (Asteroidea)

 * Crossaster papposus = Spiny Sunstar
 * Solaster endeca = Purple Sunstar
 * Pteraster militaris = Winged Sea Star
 * Hippasteria phrygiana = Horse Star
 * Leptasterias tenera = Slender Seastar
 * Asterias vulgaris = Northern Seastar
 * Asterias forbesi = Common Seastar
 * Henricia sanguinolenta = Blood Star

Brittle stars (Ophiuroidea)

 * Ophioderma Brevispinum = Shortspined Brittlestar
 * Ophiopholis Aculeata = Daisy Brittlestar
 * Amphioplus abditus = Burrowing Brittlestar
 * Axiognathus squamata = Little Brittlestar
 * Gorgonocephalus arcticus = Northern Basketstar

Sea squirts (Chordata: Tunicata)

 * Didemnum spp.
 * Molgula manhattensis = Sea Grape
 * Styela clava = Asian stalked Tunicate
 * Botryllus schlosseri = Golden Star Tunicate
 * Botrylloides violaceus = Compound Tunicate

Resident sharks

 * Carcharhinus leucas = Bull Shark
 * Carcharhinus plumbeus = Sandbar Shark
 * Mustelus canis = Dusky Smoothhound Shark / Smooth Dogfish
 * Odontaspis taurus = Sand Tiger Shark
 * Squalus acanthias = Spiny Dogfish

Vagrant sharks

 * Carcharhinus obscurus = Dusky Shark
 * Prionace glauca = Blue Shark
 * Sphyrna zygaena = Smooth Hammerhead Shark
 * Alopias vulpinus = Common Thresher Shark
 * Carcharodon carcharias = Great White Shark

Skates and rays (Batoidea)

 * Dasyatis centroura = Roughtail Stingray
 * Raja eglanteria = Clearnose Skate
 * Raja erinacea = Little Skate
 * Dipturus laevis = Barndoor Skate
 * Leucoraja ocellata = Winter Skate
 * Torpedo nobiliana = Atlantic torpedo
 * Rhinoptera bonasus = Cownose Ray

Eels (Anguilliformes)

 * Anguilla rostrata (American eel)

Gadiformes

 * Enchelyopus cimbrius = Four-Bearded Rockling
 * Microgadus tomcod = Atlantic Tomcod
 * Urophycis chuss = Red Hake

Seahorses and pipefishes (Syngnathiformes)

 * Hippocampus erectus = Northern Lined Seahorse
 * Syngnathus fuscus = Northern Pipefish

Jacks (Carangiformes: Carangidae)

 * Caranx hippos = Crevalle Jack, Jack Crevalle, Common Jack
 * Caranx crysos = Blue Runner, Hardnose
 * Carangoides bartholomaei = Yellow Jack, Coolihoo
 * Chloroscombrus chrysurus = Atlantic Bumper

Flatfish (Pleuronectiformes)

 * Etropus microstomus = Smallmouth Flounder
 * Paralichthys dentatus = Fluke
 * Pleuronectes ferruginea = Yellowtail Flounder
 * Pseudopleuronectes americanus = Winter Flounder
 * Scophthalmus aquosus = Windowpane Flounder
 * Trinectes maculatus = Hogchoker

Scorpaeniformes

 * Hemitripterus americanus = Atlantic Sea Raven
 * Myoxocephalus aenaeus = Grubby Sculpin
 * Myoxocephalus octodecemspinosus = Longhorn Sculpin
 * Prionotus carolinus = Northern Sea Robin
 * Prionotus evolans = Striped Sea Robin
 * Pterois volitans (red lionfish; invasive species)
 * Anarhichas lupus = Atlantic wolffish

Wrasses (Labriformes: Labridae)

 * Tautoga onitis = Blackfish, Tautog
 * Tautogolabrus adspersus = Cunner Wrasse, Bergall

Drums (Sciaenidae)

 * Cynoscion regalis = Weakfish, Seatrout
 * Menticirrhus saxatilis = Northern Kingfish, Northern Kingcroaker, Whiting
 * Sciaenops ocellatus = Red Drum, Redfish, Puppy Drum, Channel Bass, Red, Spottail Bass
 * Pogonias cromis = Black Drum, "Big Ugly", Drum, Drummer
 * Leiostomus xanthurus = Spot, Spot Croaker
 * Micropogonias undulatus = Atlantic Croaker

Other Perciformes

 * Centropristis striata = Black Sea Bass
 * Morone saxatilis = Striped Bass
 * Pholis gunnellus = Rock Gunnel
 * Pomatomus saltatrix = Bluefish
 * Stenotomus chrysops = Scup
 * Ulvaria subbifurcata = Radiated Shanny
 * Archosargus probatocephalus = Sheephead

Anglerfish (Lophiiformes)

 * Dibranchus atlanticus = Atlantic Batfish
 * Lophius americanus = American Anglerfish
 * Chaetodipterus faber = Atlantic spadefish

Tetraodontiformes
All of the animals in this category are summer visitors, who migrate northwards from warmer waters in the south.
 * Balistes capriscus = Grey Triggerfish
 * Chilomycterus schoepfii = Striped Burrfish
 * Mola mola = Ocean Sunfish
 * Sphoeroides maculatus = Northern Pufferfish
 * Stephanolepis hispidus = Planehead Filefish

Miscellaneous Percomorpha

 * Ammodytes americanus = American Sand Lance
 * Apeltes quadracus = Four-Spined Stickleback (found in fresh and brackish water)
 * Fundulus majalis = Striped Killifish
 * Menidia menidia = Atlantic Silverside
 * Opsanus tau = Oyster Toadfish
 * Peprilus triacanthus = Atlantic Butterfish, American Butterfish
 * Selene vomer = Lookdown

Gulf Stream Strays
Mainly all the animals in this category are juveniles carried via the Gulf Stream To the sound and end up dying when the water temperature cools.
 * Balistes vetula = Queen triggerfish
 * Aluterus scriptus = Scrawled filefish
 * Acanthostracion quadricornis = Scrawled Cowfish
 * Histrio histrio = Sargassum fish
 * Megalops atlanticus = Atlantic tarpon
 * Scorpaena plumieri = Spotted Scorpionfish
 * Pomacanthus paru = French Angelfish
 * Holacanthus bermudensis = Bermuda Blue Angelfish
 * Hyporthodus niveatus = Snowy Grouper
 * Fistularia tabacaria = Bluespotted cornetfish
 * Chaetodon ocellatus = Spotfin Butterflyfish