Country · MT
Introduced and invasive animals in Malta
78 animal species are listed as introduced in Malta by the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species, and 8 of them are flagged as invasive.
- Introduced species
- 78
- Flagged invasive
- 8
Which invasive animals are in Malta?
Species the checklist flags as invasive, most looked-up first.

Marsh frog
Pelophylax ridibundus
Red crayfish
Procambarus clarkii
Coronet
Fistularia commersonii
Puffer
Sphoeroides pachygaster
Marbled crayfish
Procambarus virginalis
Dusky spinefoot
Siganus luridus
Flat crab
Percnon gibbesi
Pharaoh mussel
Brachidontes pharaonis
All introduced animals in Malta
Invasive species first.
| Common name | Scientific name | Family | Status | In this country |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marsh frog | Pelophylax ridibundus | Ranidae | Least Concern | Invasive |
| Red crayfish | Procambarus clarkii | Cambaridae | Not recorded | Invasive |
| Coronet | Fistularia commersonii | Fistulariidae | Not recorded | Invasive |
| Puffer | Sphoeroides pachygaster | Tetraodontidae | Not recorded | Invasive |
| Marbled crayfish | Procambarus virginalis | Cambaridae | Not recorded | Invasive |
| Dusky spinefoot | Siganus luridus | Siganidae | Not recorded | Invasive |
| Flat crab | Percnon gibbesi | Percnidae | Not recorded | Invasive |
| Pharaoh mussel | Brachidontes pharaonis | Mytilidae | Not recorded | Invasive |
| Estuary cod | Epinephelus malabaricus | Epinephelidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Scat | Scatophagus argus | Scatophagidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Sergeants | Abudefduf vaigiensis | Pomacentridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Old woman | Pomacanthus maculosus | Pomacanthidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Giant toado | Lagocephalus sceleratus | Tetraodontidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Blue tang | Acanthurus coeruleus | Acanthuridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Snapper | Lutjanus fulviflamma | Lutjanidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Banded scad | Alepes djedaba | Carangidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Bird-eye conger | Enchelycore anatina | Muraenidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Doctorfish | Acanthurus chirurgus | Acanthuridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Red sea bannerfish | Heniochus intermedius | Chaetodontidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Rock bream | Oplegnathus fasciatus | Oplegnathidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Fringe blenny | Parablennius pilicornis | Blenniidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Azure damselfish | Chrysiptera hemicyanea | Pomacentridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Cook | Holocentrus adscensionis | Holocentridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Floating bell | Phyllorhiza punctata | Mastigiidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Surgeonfish | Acanthurus monroviae | Acanthuridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Upsidedown jelly | Cassiopea andromeda | Cassiopeidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Yellowfin hind | Cephalopholis hemistiktos | Epinephelidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Reticulated leatherjacket | Stephanolepis diaspros | Monacanthidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| African hind | Cephalopholis taeniops | Epinephelidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Redclaw | Cherax quadricarinatus | Parastacidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Bluefish | Kyphosus vaigiensis | Kyphosidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Cocoa damselfish | Stegastes variabilis | Pomacentridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Boat shell | Crepidula fornicata | Calyptraeidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| African sergeant | Abudefduf hoefleri | Pomacentridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Nomad jelly | Rhopilema nomadica | Rhizostomatidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Sennit | Sphyraena pinguis | Sphyraenidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Niger hind | Cephalopholis nigri | Epinephelidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Guinean angelfish | Holacanthus africanus | Pomacanthidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Devilfish | Ophioblennius atlanticus | Blenniidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Slate pencil urchin | Eucidaris tribuloides | Cidaridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Green Melibe | Melibe viridis | Tethydidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Amberjack | Seriola fasciata | Carangidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Sponge isopod | Paracerceis sculpta | Sphaeromatidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Fan shrimp | Atyopsis moluccensis | Atyidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Calcareous tube worm | Hydroides elegans | Serpulidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Striated little trough shell | Atactodea striata | Mesodesmatidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Hairy sea hare | Bursatella leachii | Aplysiidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Herdman's sea squirt | Herdmania momus | Pyuridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Japanese sucking Wormpod | Paranthura japonica | Paranthuridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Spotted sand shell | Notocochlis gualteriana | Naticidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Club tunicate | Styela plicata | Styelidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Fragile cockle | Fulvia fragilis | Cardiidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| African blue swimming crab | Portunus segnis | Portunidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Grey top shell | Steromphala cineraria | Trochidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Sea sauerkraut | Amathia verticillata | Vesiculariidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| White-speckled headshield slug | Biuve fulvipunctata | Aglajidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Spotted tiger flatworm | Maritigrella fuscopunctata | Euryleptidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Blunt-spined Microcosmus | Microcosmus squamiger | Pyuridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Pond crayfish | Pontastacus leptodactylus | Astacidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Red-sea mantis shrimp | Erugosquilla massavensis | Squillidea | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Achelia sawayai | Achelia sawayai | Ammotheidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Anteaeolidiella lurana | Anteaeolidiella lurana | Aeolidiidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Aspidosiphon mexicanus | Aspidosiphon mexicanus | Aspidosiphonidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Branchiomma bairdi | Branchiomma bairdi | Sabellidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Branchiomma boholense | Branchiomma boholense | Sabellidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Caprella scaura | Caprella scaura | Caprellidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Celleporaria aperta | Celleporaria aperta | Celleporidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Celleporaria brunnea | Celleporaria brunnea | Celleporidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Celleporaria pilaefera | Celleporaria pilaefera | Celleporidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Cerithium scabridum | Cerithium scabridum | Cerithiidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Cuvierina cancapae | Cuvierina cancapae | Cuvierinidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Eurythoe laevisetis | Eurythoe laevisetis | Amphinomidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Lamprohaminoea ovalis | Lamprohaminoea ovalis | Haminoeidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Miyagi oyster | Magallana gigas | Ostreidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Paraleucilla magna | Paraleucilla magna | Amphoriscidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Polycerella emertoni | Polycerella emertoni | Polyceridae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Stenothoe georgiana | Stenothoe georgiana | Stenothoidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
| Watersipora arcuata | Watersipora arcuata | Watersiporidae | Not recorded | Introduced |
A species is on this list when the country's checklist in the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species records it as introduced by people and present. It is marked invasive when the checklist records an impact on native wildlife or habitats. A species can be native to one part of a country and introduced in another, and checklists are revised as countries report, so the list is not final. Source: Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species (CC BY 4.0). See the sources.