How many species of fish are there?

World medium Data from 2024

Guess before you scroll — the answer is below

Answer in species. Shorthand like 9m or 1.2bn works.

The answer

36,000 species

Roughly 36K.

Science has described about 36,000 fish species — more than all mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians combined. Roughly 250 new ones are named every year, and the deep ocean is assumed to hold many thousands nobody has seen.

Where this number comes from

Source FishBase
Figure refers to 2024
Last checked
Unit species

Numbers move. If this one has drifted from its source, let us know.

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