I know there was no actual list. The passage from Genesis highlighted above though suggests that all of the animals that were in existence at the time, made their way onto the ark. Again, unless I am missing something, this is the way I interpret it. Am I in error somewhere?
Yes.
You are leaving out the words 'kind' and 'sort', (not intentionally of course).
Unless someone has an ax to grind against the Bible, those words could very well refer to very general groups of creatures.
God gave the instructions for the size of the ark based upon the capacity He knew to be necessary for at least two of what He referred to as each 'kind' to fit on board.
So the words used are 'kind' and 'sort', whatever that may mean exactly.
Good day.