List of marine animals of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay

Order Leucosolenida

Family Sycettidae

• Hairy tube sponge Sycon spp. (Saldanha Bay to Kosi Bay)[2]

Family Leucosoleniidae

• Branching ball sponge Leucosolenia sp. (Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas)[2]
• Tube sponge Leucosolenia sp. (Port Nolloth to Sodwana Bay)[2]

Order Astrophorida

Family Ancorinidae

• Grey wall sponge Stelletta agulhana Lendenfield, 1907 (Northern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal)[3]

Order Hadromerida

Family Clionaidae

• Rosetted sponge Cliona aff. celata (Namibia to Cape Peninsula)[3]
• Boring sponge Cliona celata Grant, 1826 (Luderitz to Durban)[4]

Family Polymastiidae

• Teat-sponge Polymastia mamillaris (Müller, 1806) (Saldanha Bay to Port St. Johns)[4]
• Atlantic teat-sponge Polymastia atlantica Samaai & Gibbons, 2005 (Luderitz to Cape Peninsula)[4]

Family Trachycladidae

• Orange wall sponge Trachycladus spinispirulifera (Carter, 1879) (Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas)[2]

Family Suberitidae

• Dusty sponge Suberites aff. ficus (both side of the Cape Peninsula, also southern Namibia, Mediterranean, Pacific and north Atlantic)[3]

Family Tethyidae

• Golf ball sponge Tethya aurantium (Luderitz to Durban)[4]

Order Halichondrida

Family Halichondriidae

• Crumb-of-bread-sponge Hymeniacidon perlevis (Montagu, 1818) (Northern Cape to Port St. Johns, also north Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Pacific)[2]

Order Poecilosclerida

Family Chondropsidae

• Scroll sponge Chondropsis sp. (Olifants River to Cape Peninsula)[4]

Family Crambeidae

• Stellar sponge Crambe acuata (Lévi, 1958) syn. Crambe chelastra (Luderitz to Cape Peninsula)[4]

Family Latrunculiidae

• Vented sponge Latrunculia (Biannulata) spinispiraefera Brøndsted, 1924 (Angola to Durban)[4]

Family Isodictyidae

• Brain sponge Isodictya elastica (Vosmaer, 1880) (West Coast to Port Elizabeth)[3](Luderitz to Cape Point)[4]
• Flat leaf sponge Isodictya grandis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886) (West Coast to False Bay)[3]
• Fanned kelp sponge Isodictya frondosa (Lévi, 1963) (Orange river to Cape Point)[4]

Family Microcionidae

• Broad-bladed tree sponge Clathria (Clathria) dayi Levi, 1963 (West Coast to the Cape Peninsula)[3]
• Red encrusting sponge Clathria (Isociella) oudekraalensis Samaai & Gibbons, 2005 (Cape Peninsula)[3]
• Tree sponge Echinoclathria dichotoma (Levi, 1963) (West Coast to Cape Agulhas)[2][3]
• Nodular sponge Clathria (Thalysias) hooperi Samaai & Gibbons, 2005 (Cape Peninsula)[4]

Family Desmacellidae

• Yellow encrusting sponge Biemna anisotoxa Levi, 1963 (West Coast to Port Elizabeth)[3]

Order Haplosclerida

Family Chalinidae

• Turret sponge Haliclona (Haliclona) anonyma (Stephens, 1915) (Cape Peninsula to Sodwana Bay)[3]
• Encrusting turret sponge Haliclona (Haliclona) stilensis Burton, 1933 (West and South Coasts)[3]

Order Dictyoceratida

Family Irciniidae

• Black stink sponge Ircinia arbuscula (Hyatt, 1877) (syn. Sarcotragus australis) (Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas, also Australia)[4]
• Sand cup sponge Psammocinia cf. arenosa (Orange River to Cape Peninsula)[4]

Order: Actiniaria – Anemones
Family Halcampidae

• Brooding anemone Halianthella annularis Carlgren, 1938 (Lamberts Bay to Cape Agulhas, endemic)[2]

Family Sagartiidae

• Striped anemone Anthothoe chilensis(Lesson, 1830) (Luderitz to Richards Bay, also Argentina, Brazil, Chile and St. Helena)[2]
• Square-mouth striped anemone Anthothoe sp. (False Bay) (still being described)

Family Actiniidae

• Violet-spotted anemone Anthostella stephensoni Carlgren, 1938 (Luderitz to Richards Bay, endemic)[2]
• Dwarf-spotted anemone Anthostella n. sp. (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth, possibly endemic) (still being described)
• Knobbly anemone Bunodosoma capensis (Lesson, 1830) (Luderitz to Durban)[2]
• False plum anemone Pseudactinia flagellifera (Drayton in Dana, 1846) (Luderitz to Durban)[2]
• Long-tentacled anemone Anthopleura michaelseni (Pax, 1920) (Luderitz to Durban)[2]
• Spinnaker anemone Korsaranthus natalensis (Carlgren, 1938) (False Bay to Durban)[5]
• Sandy anemone Bunodactis reynaudi (Milne-Edwards, 1857) (Luderitz to Durban)[2] (syn. Aulactinia reynaudi)[6]
• Clown anemone undescribed (False Bay)[7]

Family Preactiidae

• Walking anemone, sock anemone Preactis millardae England in England & Robson, 1984 (Cape Peninsula)[8]

Family Isanthidae

• Ring-tentacle anemone Isanthus capensis Carlgren, 1938 (South African Atlantic coast)[5]

Order Corallimorpharia
Family Corallimorphidae

• Strawberry anemone Corynactis annulata (Verrill, 1867) (Port Nolloth to Mossel Bay)[2]

Order Zoanthids
Family Parazoanthidae

• Cape zoanthid Isozoanthus capensis (Cape Peninsula to Port St Johns)[2]
• Sponge zoanthid Parazoanthus sp. (False Bay)[2]

Order Cerianthids
Family Cerianthidae

• Burrowing anemone Ceriantheopsis austroafricanus Molodtsova, Griffiths and Acuna 2012 (False Bay and Hermanus)[7]
• White burrowing anemone Ceriantheopsis nikitai Molodtsova, 2001 (Table Bay)[7][9]

Order Scleractinia
Family Dendrophylliidae

• Cup coral Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) bonaespei van der Horst, 1938 (Saldanha Bay to East London)[2]

Family Caryophylliidae

• Large cup coral Caryophyllia sp. (False Bay)[2]

Order Alcyonacea – soft corals
Family Alcyoniidae

• Purple soft coral Alcyonium fauri Studer, 1910 (Saldanha Bay to Richards Bay)[2]
• Valdivian soft coral Alcyonium valdiviae Kukenthal, 1906 (Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Variable soft coral Eleutherobia variabile (J.S. Thomson, 1921) (Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2] (syn. Alcyonium variabile)[10]
• Sun-burst soft coral Malacacanthus capensis (Hickson, 1900) (Cape Peninsula to southern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

Family Gorgoniidae

• Flagellar sea fan, whip fan Eunicella albicans (Kolliker, 1875) (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[2]
• Nippled sea fan Eunicella papillosa (Esper, 1797) (Luderitz to Sodwana)[2]
• Sinuous sea fan Eunicella tricoronata Velimirov, 1971 (Cape Peninsula to East London)[2]
• Palmate sea fan Leptogorgia palma (Pallas, 1766) (Cape Peninsula to Sodwana)[2]

Family Nephtheidae

• Cauliflower soft coral Eunephthya thyrsoidea (Verrill, 1865) (Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

Order Pennatulacea – sea pens
Family Echinoptilidae

• Radial sea pen, purple sea pen Actinoptylum molle (Kukenthal, 1902) (whole South African coast)[11]

Family Virgulariidae

• Feathery sea pen Virgularia schultzei Kukenthal, 1910 (Luderitz to central Mozambique)[2]

Order Alcyonacea – sea fans
Family Anthothelidae

• Gorgonian twig coral Homophyton verrucosum (Mobius, 1861) (False Bay to Sodwana)[2]

Family Melithaeidae

• Multicoloured sea fan Acabaria rubra Esper, 1789 (Bloubergstrand to East London)[2]

Order Stauromedusae
family Depastridae

• Stalked trumpet jelly Depastromorpha africana Carlgren, 1935 (Cape Peninsula to Hermanus)[12]

Family Lipkeidae

• Bell stalked jelly Lipkea stephensoni Carlgren, 1933 (Smitswinkel Bay)[13]

Order Semaeostomeae
Family Pelagiidae

• Compass jellyfish Chrysaora hysoscella (Linnaeus, 1767) (pelagic, Atlantic Ocean)[2]
• Night-light jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskal, 1775) (pelagic, Atlantic Ocean, also Mediterranean and Pacific)[2]

Order Rhizostomeae
Family Rhizostomatidae

• Frilly-mouthed jellyfish Rhizostoma pulmo Macri, 1778 (pelagic, Atlantic Ocean)[14]
• Root-mouthed jellyfish Eupilema inexpectata Pages, Gili & Bouillon, 1992 (pelagic, Atlantic Ocean)[2]

Order Carybdeida
Family Carybdeidae

• Box jellyfish, sea wasp Carybdea branchi (north of Namibia to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Order Anthoathecata

Family Candelabridae

• Gnome's hat hydroid Candelabrum capensis (Manton, 1940) (Luderitz to East London)[15] syn. Myriothela capensis[16]
• Dreadlocks hydroid Candelabrum tentaculatum Millard, 1966 (Cape Peninsula and Port Elizabeth)[17] syn. Myriothela tentaculata[16]

Family Eudendriidae

• Bushy hydroids Eudendrium spp. (whole coast)[2]

Family Hydractiniidae

• High-spined commensal hydroid Hydractinia altispina Millard, 1955 (Luderitz to False Bay)[16]
• Shell-mimic hydroid Hydrocorella africana Stechow, 1921 (West Coast to Durban)[16]

Family Porpitidae

• Blue button Porpita porpita (Port Nolloth to Mozambique, pelagic, warm waters.)[4]
• By-the-wind sailor Velella velella (Port Nolloth to Mozambique, pelagic, warm waters.)[4]

Family Solanderiidae

• Grey fan hydroid Solanderia procumbens (Carter, 1873) (Cape Peninsula to KwaZulu-Natal)[16]

Family Stylasteridae

• Noble coral Stylaster nobilis (Saville Kent, 1871) (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[2] syn. Allopora nobilis[18]

Family Tubulariidae

• Tubular hydroid Ectopleura crocea (Agassiz, 1862) (Saldanha Bay to Sodwana Bay)[2]
• Tubular sponge hydroid Zyzzyzus warreni (Warren, 1906) (Saldanha Bay to Sodwana Bay)[2] syn. Zyzzysus solitarius Calder, 1988[19]

Order: Leptothecata
Family Aequoreidae

• Crystal jellyfish Aequorea sp. (pelagic, whole coast)[20]

Family Aglaopheniidae

• Toothed feather hydroid Aglaophenia pluma (Linnaeus, 1767) (whole coast)[4][16]
• Smoky feather hydroid Macrorhynchia filamentosa (Lamarck, 1816) syn. Lytocarpus filamentosus(Walvis Bay to Durban)[4]

Family Campanulariidae

• Thin-walled obelia Obelia dichotoma (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cosmopolitan. Alien, introduced on ships)[4]
• Obelia geniculata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Luderitz to Cape Agulhas)[4]

Family Halopterididae

• Fine hydroid Corhiza scotiae (Ritchie, 1907) (whole coast)[16]
• Snowdrop hydroid Gattya humilis Allman, 1886 (northern Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal)[16]

Family Kirchenpaueriidae

• Feathery hydroid Pycnotheca mirabilis (Allman, 1883) (False Bay to KwaZulu-Natal)[16]
• Kirchenpaueria pinnata (Linnaeus, 1758) *Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal)[4]

Family Plumulariidae

• Plumed hydroid, little sea bristle Plumularia setacea (Linnaeus, 1758) (whole coast)[4][16]

Family Sertulariidae

• Jointed hydroid Thuiaria articulata (Pallas, 1766) (whole coast) syn, Salacia articulata[4]
• Planar hydroid Sertularella arbuscula (Lamouroux, 1816) (Saldanha Bay to southern Mozambique)[2]
• Wiry hydroid Amphisbetia operculata (Linnaeus, 1758) (Luderitz to Durban)[4]

Order Siphonophorae
Family Apolemiidae

• String jelly, barbed wire jellyfish Apolemia uvaria (Lesueur, 1815) (pelagic, worldwide)[20]

Family Forskaliidae

• Net jelly Forskalia edwardsi (Kolliker, 1853) (pelagic, worldwide)[20]

Family Physaliidae

• Bluebottle, Portuguese man-of-war Physalia utriculus (La Martiniere, 1787) (pelagic, whole coast)[2]

Order Polycladida
Family Pseudocerotidae

• Carpet flatworm Thysanozoon brocchii (Risso, 1818) Grube, 1840 (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Incertae sedis

• Acoel flatworm, Sponge flatworm. Undescribed. (Both sides of the Cape Peninsula)[7]
• Striped flatworm. Undescribed. (Cape Peninsula and Port Elizabeth)[7]
• Freckled flatworm. Undescribed. (Both sides of the Cape Peninsula)[7]

Order Eunicida
Family Eunicidae

• Wonder worm, Bobbit worm Eunice aphroditois (Pallas, 1788) (Luderitz to Sodwana Bay)[2]

Order Myzostomida
Family Myzostomidae

• Crinoid worm Myzostoma fuscomaculatum Lanterbeque, 2008 (False Bay)[21]

Order Terebellida
Family Cirratulidae

• Black boring worm Dodecaceria pulchra Day, 1955 (Luderitz to Port Elizabeth)[2]
• Orange thread-gilled worm Cirriformia capensis (Schmarda, 1861) syn. Timarete capensis, Cirratulus capensis, Cirratulus australis Stimpson, 1856 (Angola to Durban)[2]

Family Terebellidae

• Sand mason, lollipop worm Lanice conchilega Pallas, 1766 (False Bay to Port Elizabeth, also northern oceans)[22]
• Tangleworms Family Terebellidae Mamlgren, 1867 (whole coast)[2]

Order Sabellida
Family Sabellidae

• Branchiomma natalensis (Kinberg, 1866), (Luderitz to Cape Point)[4]
• Branchiomma violacea (Schmarda, 1861), (Walvis Bay to Durban)[4]
• Feather-duster worm Pseudobranchiomma longa (Kinberg, 1866) syn. Sabellastarte longa (Cape Peninsula to Mozambique)[2]
• Peacock fanworm, pencilworm Sabella spallanzanii (Gmelin, 1791) syn. Sabella penicillus (as S. penicillus, False Bay to southern KwaZulu-Natal)[23]
• Gregarious fanworm Pseudopotamilla reniformis (Muller, 1771) (Port Nolloth to southern Mozambique)[2]

Family Serpulidae

• Spiral fanworms Family Serpulidae Rafinesque, 1815 (whole coast)[2]
• Red fanworm, mopworm Protula bispiralis (Savigny, 1822) (Cape Point to Durban)[2]
• Operculate fanworm Serpula vermicularis Linnaeus, 1767 (Port Nolloth to southern Mozambique)[2]
• Filigreed coral-worm Filograna implexa Berkeley, 1835 (Port Nolloth to Port Elizabeth)[23]

Order Pantopoda
Family Ammotheidae

• Compact sea spider Tanystylum brevipes (Hoek, 1881) (Orange River mouth to Richards Bay)[2]

Family Nymphonidae

• Scarlet sea spider Nymphon signatum Mobius, 1902 (Saldanha to East London)[2]

Superfamily Ascorhynchoidea family incertae sedis

• Yellow sea spider Queubus jamesanus Barnard 1946 (Cape Peninsula to Port St. Johns)[2]

Order Stomatopoda – mantis shrimps
Family Lysiosquillidae

• Cape mantis shrimp Lysiosquilla capensis Hansen, 1895 (Cape Point to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Order Decapoda
Infraorder Achelata
Family Palinuridae

• West Coast rock lobster Jasus lalandii (H. Milne-Edwards, 1837) (Walvis Bay to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Infraorder Caridea – benthic prawns
Family Alpheidae

• Cracker shrimp Alpheus crassimanus Heller, 1865(Saldanha Bay to Delagoa Bay)[2]

Family Hippolytidae

• Crinoid shrimp, feather star shrimp Hippolyte catagrapha d'Udekem d'Acoz, 2007 (False Bay)[24]
• Broken-backed shrimp Hippolyte kraussiana Stimpson, 1860 (Saldanha Bay to East London)[2]

Family Palaemonidae

• Sand shrimp Palaemon peringueyi (Macpherson, 1990) (Walvis Bay to Port St Johns)[2]

Infraorder Anomura – hermit crabs
Family Diogenidae

• Striated hermit crab Dardanus arrosor (Herbst, 1796) (False Bay to southern Mozambique)[25]
• Pink hermit crab Paguristes gamianus (H. Milne-Edwards, 1836) (southern Namibia to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Family Paguridae

• Blue-striped hermit crab Pagurus liochele (Barnard, 1947) (False Bay to Port Elizabeth)[26]

Infraorder Brachyura – true crabs
Family Calappidae

• Masked crab Mursia cristiata H. Milne-Edwards, 1837 (Saldanha Bay to Sodwana Bay)[2] synonym Mursia cristimanus

Family Plagusiidae

• Cape rock crab Guinusia chabrus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Luderitz to Sodwana Bay)[2] synonym Plagusia chabrus

Family Portunidae

• Three-spot swimming crab Ovalipes trimaculatus (De Haan, 1833) (Luderitz to Durban)[2]

Family Pilumnoididae

• Kelp crab Pilumnoides rubus Guinot & MacPherson, 1987 (Namibian border to Cape Peninsula)[2]

Family Hymenosomatidae

• Crown crab Hymenosoma orbiculare Desmarest, 1825 (Namibian border to southern Mozambique)[2]

Family Dromiidae

• Cryptic sponge crab Platydromia spongiosa (Stimpson, 1858) (Namibian border to Sodwana Bay)[2] syn. Cryptodromiopsis spongiosa
• Furred sponge crab Pseudodromia latens Stimpson, 1858 (Saldanha Bay to East London)[2]
• Sumo crab, scrubbing-brush crab Dromidia aegibotus Barnard, 1947 (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[27]
• Shaggy sponge crab Dromidia hirsutissima (Lamarck, 1818) (Southern Namibia to Mossel Bay)[2]

Family Inachidae

• Cape long-legged spider crab Macropodia falcifera (Stimpson, 1857) (cape Peninsula to East London)[2]
• Hotlips spider crab Achaeopsis spinulosa Stimpson, 1857 (False Bay to Durban)[27]

Family Epialtidae

• Toothed decorator crab Dehaanius dentatus (Milne-Edwards, ?1862) (Saldanha Bay to Richards Bay)[2]
• Agulhas spider crab Maja capensis (Ortmann, 1894) (False Bay to Port Elizabeth)[27] syn. Mamaia capensis

Order Mysidacea – mysid shrimps
Family Mysidae

• Surf mysid Gastrosaccus psammodytes O. Tattersall, 1958 (Namibian border to Durban)[2]
• Kelp mysid Mysidopsis major (Zimmer, 1928) (Luderitz to False Bay)[2]

Order Amphipoda
Family Cyproideidae

• Ornate amphipod Cyproidea ornata Haswell, 1879 (Namibian coast to Kosi Bay)[2]

Family Iphimediidae

• Hunchback amphipod Iphimedia gibba Barnard, 1940 (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Family Dexaminidae

• Sea squirt amphipod Polycheria atolli Walker, 1905 (whole coast)[28]

Family Caprellidae

• Skeleton shrimp Caprella sp. (whole coast)[2]

Order Isopoda
Family Idoteidae

• Reticulate kelp louse Paridotea reticulata Barnard, 1914 (Namibian border to Cape Peninsula)[2]

Family Cymothoidae

• Fish louse Anilocra capensis Leach, 1818 (Walvis Bay to Durban)[2]

Family Anthuridae

• Slender chequered isopod Mesanthura catenula (Stimpson, 1855) (Lamberts Bay to KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

Family Sphaeromatidae

• Spherical isopod Exosphaeroma spp. (whole Namibian coast to cape Peninsula)[2]

Infraclass Cirripedia – Barnacles
Order Pedunculata
Family Lepadidae

• Goose barnacle Lepas sp. (pelagic)[2]

Order Sessilia
Family Balanidae

• Giant barnacle Austromegabalanus cylindricus (Gmelin, 1780) (Port Nolloth to Port Elizabeth)[2]
• White dwarf barnacle Notomegabalanus algicola (Pilsbry, 1916) (Namibia to Port St Johns)[2]
• Striped barnacle Balanus amphitrite Darwin, 1854 (Saldanha Bay to Mozambique)[2]

Family Patellidae – true limpets

• Helcion dunkeri Krauss, 1848 (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Prickly limpet Helcion pectunculus (Gmelin, 1791) (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Rayed limpet Helcion pruinosus Krauss, 1848 (Cape Columbine to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Argenville's limpet Scutellastra argenvillei Krauss, 1848 (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2] (syn. Patella argenvillei)
• Bearded limpet Scutellastra barbara Linnaeus, 1758 (Orange River to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2] (syn, Patella barbara)
• Pear limpet Scutellastra cochlear Born, 1778 (Orange River to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2] (syn. Patella cochlear)
• Kelp limpet Patella compressa Linnaeus. 1758 (Namibia to Cape Point)[2] (syn. Cymbula compressa)
• Granite limpet Patella granatina Linnaeus, 1758 (Namibia to Cape Agulhas)[2] (syn. Cymbula granatina)
• Granular limpet Scutellastra granularis Linnaeus, 1758 (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal north coast)[2] (syn. Patella granularis)
• Duck's foot or Long-spined limpet Scutellastra longicosta Lamarck, 1819 (Cape Point to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2] (syn. Patella longicosta)
• Pink rayed limpet Patella miniata Born, 1778 (Namibia to Eastern Cape)[2] (syn. Cymbula miniata)
• Goat's eye limpet Patella oculus Born, 1778 (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2] (syn. Cymbula oculus)
• Giant limpet Scutellastra tabularis Krauss, 1848 (Cape Point to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2] (syn. Patella tabularis)

Family Haliotidae – Abalone

• Perlemoen or abalone Haliotis midae Linnaeus, 1758 (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal South coast)[2]
• Spiral-ridged siffie Haliotis parva Linnaeus, 1758 (Cape Point to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Siffie or Venus ear Haliotis spadicea Donovan, E., 1808 (Cape Point to KwaZulu-Natal north coast)[2]

Family Fissurellidae – keyhole limpets

• Saddle-shaped keyhole limpet Amblychilepas scutella (Gmelin, 1791) (Namibia to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2] (syn. Dendrofissurella scutellum (Gmelin, 1791))
• Conical keyhole limpet Diodora parviforata (G.B. Sowerby III, 1889) (Orange River to Eastern Cape)[2] (syn. Fissurella parviforata G.B. Sowerby III, 1889)
• Diodora elevata (Dunker, 1846) (Saldanha Bay to western Transkei)[30]
• Cape keyhole limpet Fissurella mutabilis Sowerby, 1834 (Orange River to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Mantled keyhole limpet Pupillaea aperta (G.B. Sowerby I, 1825) (Orange River to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2] (syn. Fissurellidea aperta G.B. Sowerby, 1825)

Family Janthinidae

• Bubble raft shell or Violet snail Janthina janthina Linnaeus, 1758 (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)[2]

Family Turritellidae

• Waxy screw shell Turritella capensis (Krauss, 1848)(Namibia to Eastern Cape)[2] (syn. Protoma (Protomella) capensis)
• Turritella carinifera Lamarck, 1799 (Western Cape to southern Mozambique)[2]
• Pale screw shell Turritella sanguinea Reeve, 1849 (Cape Point to Natal)[2][31]

Family Aporrhaidae – pelican foot shells

• Aporrhais pesgallinae Barnard, 1963 (Namibia and Western Cape)[31]

Family Assimineidae

• Globular mud snail Assiminea globulus Connoly, 1939 (Cape Columbine to Eastern Cape)[2]

Family Calyptraeidae – slipper limpets

• Crepidula aculeata (Gmelin, 1791) (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Crepidula dilatata Lamarck, 1822 (Lambert's Bay to Mossel Bay)[2]
• Slipper limpet Crepidula porcellana (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal north coast)[2]
• Chinese hat Calyptraea chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia to Transkei)[2]

Family Cassidae – helmet shells

• Helmet shell Semicassis labiata zeylanica (Lamarck, 1822) (Cape Point to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2] (syn. Phalium labiatum zeylanicum)[31]

Family Cypraeidae – true cowries

• Dark toothed cowrie Cypraea fuscodentata Gray, 1825 (Cape Point to Tsitsikamma)[2][32] (syn. Cypraeovula fuscodentata)[31]
• Cypraea fuscorubra Shaw, 1909 (Namaqualand to Cape Agulhas)[32] (syn. Cypraeovula fuscorubra)[31]
• Cypraeovula iutsui Shikama, 1974[32][33] syn. Cypraea iutsui (as Cypraea iutsui Olifants River Mouth (West Coast) to Port Alfred))[31]
• Cypraeovula castanea (Higgins, 1868) (False Bay to East London)[31]

Family Hipponicidae – hoof limpets

• Horse's hoof Hipponix conicus (Schumacher, 1817) (Cape Point to Mozambique)[2]

Family Littorinidae

• African periwinkle Nodilittorina africana (Philippi, 1847) (Namibia to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

Family Naticidae – Necklace shells

• Mottled necklace shell Natica tecta Anton, 1839 (Namibia to Eastern Cape)[2]

Family Ranellidae

• Pustular triton Argobuccinum pustulosum Lightfoot, 1786 (Orange River to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Pink lady Charonia lampas Linnaeus, 1758 (as Charonia lampas pustulata Cape Point to Mozambique)[2]
• Ranella gemmifera Euthyme, 1889 (as Ranella australasia gemmifera Cape Point to Durban)[2]
• Furry ridged triton Cabestana africana Adams A. 1855 (as Cabestana cutacea africana Namibia to southern Mozambique)[2]

Family Triviidae – trivia

• Triviella magnidentata (Liltved, 1986)[34] syn. Trivia magnidentata (Cape Town to East London)[31][32]
• West coast baby's toes Triviella millardi (Cate, 1979) (as Trivia millardi Cape west coast)[2](Cape Agulhas and north)[31][32]
• Triviella neglecta Schilder, 1930 (Cape Peninsula, Cape Agulhas and north (?))syn. Trivia neglecta[31][32]
• Baby's toes Trivia ovulata (Cape Point to south Transkei)[2][31][32]
• Triviella sanctispiritus (Shikama, 1974) (Cape Town to East London) syn. Trivia sanctispiritus [31][32]

Family Velutinidae

• ?Marsenia (s.l.) capensis Bergh, 1907 (Cape Point and north (?))[32]
• ?Marsenia (s.l.) leptoconcha Bergh, 1907 (Cape Point and north (?))[32]
• Lamellaria perspicua Linnaeus, 1758 (Cape Point and north (?))[32]

Family Vermetidae – worm shells

• Colonial worm shell Dendropoma corallinaceus (Tomlin, 1939) (Orange river to Transkei)[2] (Keen & Morton listed as authors by WoRMS) (syn. Vermetus (Stoa) corallinaceus Tomlin, 1939)
• Solitary worm shell Serpulorbis natalensis Mörch, 1862 (Namaqualand to central Kwa-Zulu-Natal)[2]

Family Babyloniidae

• Spotted babylon Zemiropsis papillaris (G.B. Sowerby I, 1825), (False Bay to eastern Transkei)[30]

Family Buccinidae

• Flame-patterned burnupena Burnupena catarrhacta Gmelin, 1791 (Orange river to Agulhas)[2]
• Ridged burnupena Burnupena cincta Röding, 1798 (Namibia to Transkei)[2]
• Burnupena lagenaria Lamarck, 1822 (Saldanha to Zululand)[2]
• Papery burnupena Burnupena papyracea Bruguière, 1792 (Orange river to Agulhas)[2]
• Burnupena pubescens Küster, 1858 (North western Cape to Durban)[2]

Family Conidae – cone shells

• Algoa cone Conus algoensis G. B. Sowerby II, 1834 (Cape Columbine to Cape Agulhas)[2]
  • Conus algoensis algoensis (West Coast)[2]
  • Yellow Algoa cone Conus algoensis simplex G. B. Sowerby II, 1858 (Cape Point to Hermanus)[2]
• Elongate cone Conus mozambicus Hwass in Bruguière, 1792 (Orange river to Eastern Cape)[2]

Family Fasciolariidae

• Lugubrilaria lugubris (A. Adams & Reeve, 1847) (Saldanha to False Bay)[2] (syn? Pleuroploca lugubris lugubris (Adams, A. & L.A. Reeve in Reeve, L.A., 1847)), Fasciolaria lugubris lugubris
• Long-siphoned whelk Fusinus ocelliferus Lamarck, 1816 (Namaqualand to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

Family Marginellidae – marginellas

• Marginella musica Hinds, 1844 (Luderitz to Cape Agulhas)[2]
• Cloudy marginella Marginella nebulosa Bolten in Röding, P.F., 1798 (Cape Point to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Sandy marginella Marginella piperata Hinds, 1844 (Cape Point to KwaZulu-Natal north coast)[2]
• Pinch lipped marginella Marginella rosea Lamarck, 1822 (Cape Columbine to Cape Agulhas)[2]
• Cape marginella Volvarina capensis Krauss, 1848 (Namibia to Cape Hangklip)[2]
• Banded volvarina or Banded marginella Volvarina zonata (Kiener, 1841) (Saldanha Bay to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Family Mitridae – mitres

• Brown mitre Mitra picta Reeve, 1844 (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2]

Family Muricidae

• Fenestrate oyster drill Ocenebra fenestrata Gould, 1833 (Cape Point to Transkei)[2]
• Stag shell Pteropurpura (Poropteron) graagae (Coen, 1947) (Eastern Cape to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Pteropurpurea (Poropteron) uncinaria Lamarck, 1822 (Namibia to Port Alfred)[2]
• Thais wahlbergi (Saldanha to False Bay)[2]
• Girdled dogwhelk Nucella cingulata Linnaeus, 1771 (Orange river to Cape Point)[2]
• Common dogwhelk Nucella dubia (Krauss, 1848) (Namibia to Transkei)[2]
• Scaly dogwhelk Nucella squamosa (Lamarck, 1816) (Namibia to Transkei)[2]

Family Nassariidae

Dogwhelks

• Cape dogwhelk Nassarius capensis R. W. Dunker, 1846 (Cape Columbine to Transkei)[2]
• Tick shell Nassarius kraussianus (Dunker, R.W., 1846) (Namaqualand to Mozambique)[2]
• Purple-lipped dogwhelk Nassarius speciosus (Adams, A., 1852) (Orange river to Transkei)[2]

Plough shells

• Annulated plough shell Bullia annulata Lamarck, 1816 (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)[2]
• Finger plough shell Bullia digitalis (Dillwyn, L.W., 1817) (Namibia to Transkei)[2]
• Fat plough shell Bullia laevissima (Gmelin, 1791) (Namibia to Transkei)[2]
• Pure plough shell Bullia pura Melvill, J.C., 1885 (Cape Point to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Smooth plough shell Bullia rhodostoma Reeve, L.A., 1847 (Cape Point to North KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

Family Turridae

• Ribbed turrid Clionella sinuata Born, 1778 (Namibia to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Clionella rosaria (Cape Point to KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

clade Cephalaspidea – head shield slugs
Family Cylichnidae

• Cylichna tubulosa Gould, 1859 (Angola to Durban)[35]

Family Retusidae

• Retusa truncatula (Bruguiere, 1792) (False Bay to Durban, also northern Europe, Mediterranean, Canary Islands)[35]

Family Philinidae

• Sand slug Philine aperta (Linnaeus, 1767) (eastern Atlantic Ocean, Northern Europe to southern Africa, also Pacific and Indian Oceans)[2][35][36]

Family Aglajidae

• Slipper slug Philinopsis capensis (Bergh, 1907) (False Bay to East London)[35][36]

Family Gastropteridae

• Gastropteron alboaurantium Gosliner, 1984 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula)[35]
• Gastropteron flavobrunneum Gosliner, 1984 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula)[35]

Family Haminoeidae

• Green bubble shell Haminoea alfredensis Bartsch, 1915 (Cape Peninsula to north of East London)[2][35]

Family Bullidae

• Mottled bubble shell Bulla ampulla Linnaeus, 1758 (whole South African coast, Indo-Pacific)[2][35]

clade Aplysiomorpha – sea hares
Family Aplysiidae

• Variable sea hare Aplysia juliana Quoy & Gaimard, 1832 (Blougbergstrand to Mozambique)[2][35][36]
• Spotted sea hare Aplysia oculifera Adams & Reeve, 1850 (Cape Peninsula to KwaZulu-Natal north coast, Indo-Pacific)[2][35][36]
• Dwarf sea hare Aplysia parvula Morch, 1863 (Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal, circumtropical)[2][35][36]
• Shaggy sea hare Bursatella leachii (Blainville, 1817) (Saldanha Bay to Mozambique, Indo-Pacific)[2][35][36]

clade Sacoglossa – sap-sucking slugs
Family Oxynoidae

• Oxynoe sp. (False Bay and Knynsa Lagoon)[35]

Family Placobranchidae

• Plant-sucking nudibranch Elysia spp. (Orange River to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2][35][36]

Family Stiligeridae

• Dendritic nudibranch Placida dendritica (Alder & Hancock, 1843) (Elands Bay to Port Alfred, cosmopolitan)[35][36]

Family Hermaeidae

• Table Bay nudibranch Aplysiopsis sinusmensalis (Macnae, 1954) (both sides of the Cape Peninsula)[35][36]

clade Pleurobranchomorpha – sidegill slugs
Family Pleurobranchidae

• Mosaic pleurobranch Pleurobranchus albiguttatus (Bergh, 1905) (False Bay to Algoa Bay)[35][36]
• Berthella plumula (Montagu, 1803) (Atlantic Coast of the Cape Peninsula at Kommetjie and McClear's Beach, Knysna, northern Europe and Mediterranean)[35]
• Berthella sp. (Bakoven, Atlantic Coast Cape Peninsula)[35]
• Lemon pleurobranch Berthellina granulata (Krauss, 1848) (Cape Peninsula at Kommetjie to Mozambique, Indo-Pacific)[2][35][36]
• Warty pleurobranch Pleurobranchaea bubala Marcus and Gosliner, 1984 (Cape Peninsula to Jeffreys Bay)[2][35][36]
• Dwarf warty pleurobranch Pleurobranchaea tarda Verrill, 1880 (Atlantic Coast Cape Peninsula to Knysna)[2][35][36]

clade Nudibranchia – nudibranchs
subclade Doridacea – dorid nudibranchs
Family Dorididae

• Warty dorid Doris granosa (Bergh, 1907) (Luderitz in Namibia to Port Elizabeth, also Indian and Atlantic Oceans)[2][35][36]
• Rugby-ball dorid Atagema rugosa Pruvot-Fol, 1951 (atlantioc Coast, Cape Peninsula, Mediterranean)[35][36]
• Velvet dorid Jorunna tomentosa (Cuvier, 1804) (Elands Bay to Knysna, also Europe)[35][36]
• Three-spot dorid Aldisa trimaculata Gosliner in Millen & Gosliner, 1985 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula and Gordon's Bay)[35][36]
• Aldisa benguelae Gosliner in Millen & Gosliner, 1985 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula)[35]

Family Discodorididae

• Small-spot dorid Discodoris sp. 1 (both sides of the Cape Peninsula)[35][36]
• Blotchy dorid Geitodoris capensis Bergh, 1907 (Atlantic coast, Cape Peninsula and Port Alfred)[35][36]
• Variable dorid Aphelodoris brunnea Bergh, 1907 (False Bay to East London)[35][36]
• Chocolate-chip nudibranch Aphelodoris sp. 1 (both sides of the Cape Peninsula)[35][36]
• Brown-spotted nudibranch Aphelodoris sp. 2 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula)[36]
• Spiky nudibranch Aphelodoris sp. 3 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula)[36]
• Ocellate dorid Gargamella sp. 1 (western False Bay)[35][36]
• Gargamella sp. 2 (western False Bay)[35]
• Red sponge nudibranch Rostanga elandsia Garovoy, Valdes & Gosliner, 2001 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Rooi Els)[35][36]
• Rostanga phepha Garovoy, Valdés & Gosliner, 2001 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula)[35]

Family Chromodorididae

• Red-spotted nudibranch Goniobranchus heatherae Gosliner, 1994 syn. Chromodoris heatherea (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[36][37]
• Protea dorid Noumea protea Gosliner, 1994 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula and Gordon's Bay)[36][37]
• Cape dorid Hypselodoris capensis (Barnard, 1927) (Cape Point to the Wild Coast)[2][35][36]
• Inkspot nudibranch Ceratosoma ingozi Gosliner, 1996 (False Bay)[35][36][38]
• Saddled nudibranch Cadlina sp. 1 (False Bay)[35][36]
• Brown-dotted nudibranch Cadlina sp. 2 (both sides of the Cape Peninsula)[35][36]

Family Dendrodorididae

• Blue-speckled nudibranch Dendrodoris caesia (Bergh, 1907) (Cape Point to Port Elizabeth)[2][35][36]
• Tan dorid Doriopsilla capensis (Bergh, 1907) (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula)[35][36]
• Scribbled nudibranch Doriopsilla miniata (Alder and Hancock, 1864) (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Sodwana Bay, also Mediterranean, India, Australia and Japan)[35][36]

Family Mandeliidae

• Mandela's nudibranch Mandelia mirocornata Valdés & Gosliner, 1999 (Cape Peninsula, False Bay and Algoa Bay)[35][36][39]

Family Onchidorididae

• Fluffy nudibranch Acanthodoris planca Fahey & Valdes, 2005 9both sides Cape Peninsula)[35][36][40]

Family Goniodorididae

• Fiery nudibranch Okenia amoenula (Bergh, 1907) (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[35][36]
• Goniodoris castanea Alder & Hancock, 1845 syn. G. brunnea (Cape Peninsula to Port Alfred, also Europe, Mediterranean, Japan and New Zealand)[35]
• Tugboat nudibranch Goniodoris mercurialis Macnae, 1958 (both sides of the Cape Peninsula)[35][36]
• White-lined nudibranch Trapania sp. 1 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Knysna)[35][36]
• Giraffe spot nudibranch Ancula sp. (Cape Peninsula and False Bay)[35][36]

Family Corambidae

• Crazed nudibranch Corambe sp. (False Bay)[2][35]

Family Polyceridae

• Feather nudibranch Thecacera pennigera (Montagu, 1815) (Cape Peninsula to KwaZulu-Natal, cosmopolitan)[35][36]
• Crowned nudibranch Polycera capensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1824 (Luderitz, Namibia to Port Alfred, also Sydney Harbour)[2][35][36]
• Four lined nudibranch Polycera quadrilineata (Muller, 1776) (False Bay, Knysna Lagoon and Algoa Bay)[2][35]
• Twin-crowned nudibranch Polycera sp. 1 (False Bay)[36]
• Tasselled nudibranch Kaloplocamus ramosus (Cantraine, 1835) (Cape Peninsula to Wild Coast)[35][36]
• Orange-clubbed nudibranch Limacia clavigera (Muller, 1776) (Saldanha Bay to Port Alfred)[2][35][36]
• Black nudibranch Tambja capensis (Bergh, 1907) (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[2][35][36]

Family Aegiretidae

• Knobbly nudibranch Aegires ninguis Fahey & Gosliner, 2004 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[35][36]

Family Gymnodorididae

• Ghost nudibranch Lecithophorus capensis Macnae, 1958 (both sides of the Cape Peninsula)[35][36]

subclade Dendronotida
Family Scyllaeidae

• Iridescent nudibranch Notobryon sp. (Elands Bay to Jeffreys Bay)[2][35][36]

Family Tethydidae

• Dinosaur nudibranch Melibe liltvedi Gosliner, 1987 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula)[35][36]
• Cowled nudibranch Melibe rosea Rang, 1829 (Port Nolloth to Port Alfred)[2][35][36]

Family Dotidae

• Crowned doto Doto coronata (Gmelin, 1791) (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Knysna, also North Atlantic and Mediterranean)[35][36]
• Feathered doto Doto pinnatifida (Montagu, 1804) (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Knysna, also English Channel)[35][36]
• Doto rosea Trinchese, 1881 (False Bay)[35]

Family Tritoniidae

• Whip-fan nudibranch Tritonia nilsodhneri Marcus, 1983 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula, also Atlantic coasts of Britain, Ireland and France)[2][35][36]
• Soft coral nudibranch Tritonia sp. 1 (False Bay to Port Elizabeth)[35][36]
• Brush nudibranch Tritonia sp. 2 (both sides Cape Peninsula, Gordons Bay and Jeffreys Bay)[35][36]

subclade Euarminida
Family Arminidae

• Gilchrist's armina Armina gilchristi (Bergh, 1907) (Cape Point to Jeffreys Bay)[35][36]
  

  Gilchrist's armina
• Pierre's armina Armina sp. (False Bay)[2][36]
• White-ridged nudibranch Dermatobranchus sp. 1 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula and Port Elizabeth)[35][36]
• Brown ridged nudibranch Dermatobranchus sp. 4 (both sides Cape Peninsula)[35][36]

subclade Cladobranchia
Family Lemindidae

• Frilled nudibranch Leminda millecra Griffiths, 1985 (Cape Peninsula to KwaZulu-Natal)[35][36]

Family Proctonotidae

• Cape silvertip nudibranch Janolus capensis Bergh, 1907 (Saldanha Bay to East London)[2][35][36]
• Medallion silvertip nudibranch Janolus longidentatus Gosliner, 1981 (False Bay)[2][35][36]
• Nippled nudibranch Janolus sp. (South Paw, off Clifton, Cape Peninsula)[7]
  

  Nippled nudibranch at South Paw
• Gasflame nudibranch Bonisa nakaza Gosliner, 1981 (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[2][35][36]

subclade Aeolidida – aeolid nudibranchs
Family Flabellinidae

• White-edged nudibranch Flabellina capensis (Thiele, 1925) (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[35][36]
• Purple lady nudibranch Flabellina funeka Gosliner and Griffiths, 1981 (Cape Point to Port Elizabeth)[35][36]
• Flabellina sp. 1 (both sides Cape Peninsula)[35]
• Flabellina sp. 2 (western False Bay: Windmill and Dassie Point)[35]

Family Eubranchidae

• Eubranchus sp. 1 (both sides Cape Peninsula)[35]
• Eubranchus sp. 2 (False Bay to Knysna)[35]
• Fireworks nudibranch Eubranchus sp. 4 (near Vulcan rock, south of Hout Bay)[36]
• Candelabra nudibranch Eubranchus sp. 5 (False Bay)[36]

Family Embletoniidae

• Embletonia gracilis Risbec, 1928 (western False Bay, also Japan, New Caledonia, Australia and Hawaii)[35]

Family Tergipedidae

• Candy nudibranch Cuthona speciosa (Macnae, 1954) (Atlantic coast Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[35][36]
• Cuthona sp. 1 (both sides Cape Peninsula)[35]
• Cuthona sp. 2 (both sides Cape Peninsula)[35]
• Tergipes tergipes Forskal, 1779 (both sides Cape Peninsula, widespread in the Atlantic Ocean)[35]
• Catriona casha Gosliner & Griffiths, 1981 (Langebaan Lagoon to Knysna)[35]
• Catriona columbiana (O'Donoghue, 1922) (Cape Town Harbour, Pacific coast of North America and Japan)[35]

Family Facelinidae

• Olive nudibranch Facelina olivacea Macnae, 1954 (Saldanha Bay to Cape Town Harbour, Knysna and Jeffreys Bay)[35][36]
• Black-dot nudibranch Caloria sp. 1 (both sides Cape Peninsula)[35][36]
• Yellow-tipped nudibranch Caloria sp. 2 (both sides Cape Peninsula)[35][36]
• Coral nudibranch Phyllodesmium horridum (Macnae, 1954) (False Bay to Sodwana Bay, also Japan and Australia)[2][35][36]
• Night sky nudibranch Amanda armata Macnae, 1954 (both sides Cape Peninsula and False Bay)[35][36]
• Orange-eyed nudibranch Cratena capensis Barnard, 1927 (Saldanha Bay to Port Alfred)[2][35][36]
• Elegant nudibranch Cratena sp. 1 (False Bay to Plettenberg Bay)[35][36]

Family Glaucidae

• Four-colour nudibranch Godiva quadricolor (Barnard, 1927) (Bloubergstrand to East London, also Ghana)[2][35][36]

Family Aeolidiidae

• Indica nudibranch Anteaeolidiella foulisi (Bergh, 1888) syn. Anteaeolidiella indica, Aolidiella indica (Saldanha Bay to southern KwaZulu-Natal, circumtropical)[2][35][36]
• Sea swallow Glaucus atlanticus Forster, 1777 (False Bay to KwaZulu-Natal, circumtropical)

Order Mytilida
Family Mytilidae

• Ribbed mussel Aulacomya ater (Molina, 1782) (Namibia to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Black mussel Choromytilus meridionalis (Krauss, 1848) (Namibia to Tsitsikamma)[2]
• Half-hairy mussel Gregariella petagnae (Scacchi, 1832) (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2][30]
• Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis Lamarck, 1819 (Orange River to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Brown mussel Perna perna (Linne, 1758) (Cape Point to Mozambique)[2]

Order Arcida
Family Arcidae – ark clams

• Oblique ark shell Barbatia obliquata (Gray, 1837) (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)[2]

Order Pteriida
Family Pinnidae – pen shells

• Horse mussel Atrina squamifera (Sowerby, 1835) (Cape Columbine to Eastern Cape)[2]

Order Ostreida
Family Ostreidae – true oysters

• Ostrea atherstonei Newton, 1913 (Saldanha Bay to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2]
• Cape rock oyster Crassostrea margaritacea (Lamarck, 1819) (Cape Point to Mozambique)[30]

Order Pectinida
Family Pectinidae – scallops

• Dwarf fan shell Chlamys tincta (Reeve, 1853) (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)[2]
• South African scallop Pecten sulcicostatus Sowerby II, 1842 (Cape Point to Eastern Cape)[2]

Order Limida
Family Limidae – File shells

• File shell Limaria tuberculata (Olivi, 1792) (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2]

Order Venerida
Family Mactridae – trough shells

• Otter shell Lutraria lutraria (Linne, 1758) (Namibia to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Smooth trough shell Mactra glabrata Linne, 1767 (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)[2]
• Angular surf clam Scissodesma spengleri (Linne, 1767) (Cape Point to Eastern Cape)[2]

Order Carditida
Family Carditidae

• Dead man's hands Thecalia concamerata (Gmelin, 1791) (Port Nolloth to Transkei)[2]

Order unassigned, Euheterodonta
Family Solenidae

• Pencil bait Solen capensis P. Fischer, 1881 (Namaqualand to Eastern Cape)[2]

Order Venerida
Family Lasaeidae

• Dwarf rusty clam Lasaea adansoni turtoni Bartsch, 1915 (Cape Point to Mozambique)Gmelin 1791[2]

Tellinidae

• Ridged tellin Gastrana matadoa (Gmelin, 1791) (Cape Point to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Port Alfred tellin Tellina alfredensisBartsch, 1915 Linnaeus 1758 (Cape Point to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2]
• Gilchrist's tellin Tellina gilchristi Sowerby, 1904 (Cape Columbine to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Tellina trilatera Gmelin, 1791 (Orange river to Transkei)[2][30]

family Veneridae – Venus shells

• Heart clam Dosinia lupinus orbignyi Dunker, 1845 (Namibia to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Zigzag clam Pitar abbreviatus Krauss, 1848 (Cape Point to Mozambique)[2]
• Mottled venus Sunetta contempta bruggeni Fischer & Piette, 1974 (Cape Point to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]
• Streaked sand clam Tivela compressa (Sowerby, 1851) (Cape Point to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Corrugated venus Venerupis corrugatus (Gmelin, 1791) (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2] accepted as Venerupis senegalensis[41]
• Warty venus Venus verrucosa Linnaeus, 1758 (Namibia to Mozambique)[2]

Order Chitonida
Family Ischnochitonidae

• Textile chiton Ischnochiton textilis (Gray, 1828) (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2][42]
• Dwarf chiton Ischnochiton oniscus (Krauss, 1848) (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)[2][42]
• Ribbed scale chiton Ischnochiton bergoti (Velain, 1877) (Namibia to Cape Point)[2][42]

Family Chitonidae

• Tulip chiton Chiton tulipa (Quoy & Gaimard, 1835) (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2][42]
• Brooding chiton Chiton nigrovirescens de Blainville, 1825 (Namibia to Cape Agulhas)[2][42] (accepted as Radsia nigrovirescens)[43]
• Black chiton Onithochiton literatus (Krauss, 1848) (Cape Point to Mozambique)[2][42]

Family Callochitonidae

• Broad chiton Callochiton castaneus (Wood, 1815) (Orange river to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

Family Acanthochitonidae

• Spiny chiton Acanthochitona garnoti de Blainville, 1825 (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2][42]

Family Chaetopleuridae

• Giant chiton or armadillo Dinoplax gigas Gmelin, 1791 (Cape Point to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)[2][42]
• Hairy chiton Chaetopleura papilio Spengler, 1797 (Namibia to Cape Point)[2][42]
• Orange hairy chiton Chaetopleura pertusa Reeve, 1847 (Cape Columbine to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2][42]

Order Octopoda – Octopus
Family Octopodidae

• Common octopus Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 (Namibia to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2][42]
• Brush-tipped octopus Eledone schultzei Hoyle, 1910 (Cape Columbine to Cape Point)[2] (syn. Eledone thysanophora, Aphrodoctopus schultzei)[44]

Family Argonautidae

• Paper nautilus Argonauta argo Linnaeus, 1758 (Cape Point to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2]

Order Teuthida – Squid
Family Loliginidae

• Chokka or calimari Loligo vulgaris reynaudi (Orbigny, 1845) (Orange River to Eastern Cape)[2] (syn. Loligo reynaudi Orbigny, 1845)

Order Sepiolida – Bobtail squid

• Unidentified species (Cape Peninsula, both sides)

Order Sepiida – Cuttlefish

• Beautiful cuttlefish Sepia (Hemisepius) pulchra Roeleveld & Liltved, 1985[45]
• Tuberculate cuttlefish Sepia tuberculata Lamarck, 1798 (Cape Columbine to Eastern Cape)[2]
• Common cuttlefish Sepia vermiculata Quoy and Gaimard, 1832 (Orange River to Mozambique)[2]

Order Comatulida
Family Comasteridae

• Common feather star Comanthus wahlbergii (Muller, 1843) (False Bay to Mozambique)[2]

Family Tropiometridae

• Elegant feather star Tropiometra carinata (Lamarck, 1816) (Cape Point to Mozambique)[2]

Order Paxillosida
Family Astropectinidae

• Sand starfish Astropecten irregularis pontoporeus Sladen, 1883 (Namibia to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Order Valvatida
Family Goniasteridae

• Cobbled starfish Calliaster baccatus Sladen, 1889 (Lamberts Bay to Port Elizabeth)[46]

Family Ophidiasteridae

• Granular starfish Austrofromia schultzei (Doderlein, 1910) (False Bay to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Family Asterinidae

• Red starfish Callopatiria granifera (Gray, 1847) (Namibia to Durban)[2] (syn. Patiria granifera)

Order Forcipulatida
Family Asteriidae

• Spiny starfish Marthasterias glacialis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Saldanha Bay to Port Elizabeth)[2]
• Many-armed starfish Coscinasterias calamaria (Gray, 1840) (Saldanha Bay to False Bay)[46]

Order Spinulosida
Family Asterinidae

• Subtidal cushion star Patiriella dyscrita (H.L. Clark, 1923) (Cape Point to Port Elizabeth)[2]
• Dwarf cushion star Parvulastra exigua (Lamarck, 1816) (Namibia to Mozambique) syn. Patiriella exigua [2]

Order Velatida
Family Pterasteridae

• Brooding cushion star Pteraster capensis Gray, 1847 (Luderitz to Durban)[2]

Order Spinulosida
Family Echinasteridae

• Reticulated starfish Henricia ornata (Perrier, 1869) (Luderitz to Durban)[2]

Order Euryalida
Family Gorgonocephalidae

• Basket star, gorgon's head brittle star Astrocladus euryale (Retzius, 1783) (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Order Ophiurida
Family Ophiotrichidae

• Hairy brittle star Ophiothrix fragile (Abildgaard, 1789) (Luderitz to Durban)[2]

Family Amphiuridae

• Equal-tailed brittle star Amphiura capensis Ljungman 1867 (whole coast)[2]

Family Ophionereididae

• Striped brittle star Ophionereis dubia (Muller & Troschel, 1842) (False Bay to Mozambique)[2]

Family Ophiodermatidae

• Banded brittle star Ophiarachnella capensis (Bell, 1888) (Saldanha Bay to Durban)[2]
• Serpent-skinned brittle star Ophioderma wahlbergii Muller & Troschel, 1842 (Luderitz to Durban)[2]

Order Echinoida
Family Echinidae

• Deepwater urchin Echinus gilchristi Bell, 1904 (Luderitz to Port Elizabeth)[46]
• Cape urchin Parechinus angulosus Leske, 1778 (Luderitz to Durban)[2]

Order Cassiduloida
Family Echinolampadidae

• Lamp urchin Echinolampas crassa (Bell, 1880) (False Bay to Port Elizabeth)[2]

Order Spatangoida
Family Brissidae

• Smooth-shelled urchin Spatagobrissus mirabilis H.L. Clark, 1923 (False Bay)[2]

Family Loveniidae

• Heart urchin Echinocardium cordatum (Pennant, 1777) (Lamberts Bay to Mozambique)[2]

Order Dendrochirotida
Family Cucumariidae

• Mauve sea cucumber Pentacta doliolum (Pallas, 1766) (West African coast to Port Elizabeth)[2]
• Horsehoe sea cucumber Roweia frauenfeldi (Ludwig, 1882) (Angola to East London)[2]
• Stephenson's sea cucumber Roweia stephensoni (John, 1939) (False Bay to Wild Coast)[2]
• Red-chested sea cucumber Pseudocnella insolens (Theel, 1886) (Port Nolloth to Durban)[2]

Family Phyllophoridae

• Golden sea cucumber Thyone aurea (Quoy & Gaimard, 1834) (Luderitz to False Bay)[2]

Order Myxiniformes – hagfishes
Family: Myxinidae

• Sixgill hagfish or snotslang Eptatretus hexatrema (Müller, 1834) (Walvis Bay to Durban)[2][48]
• Fivegill hagfish Eptatretus profundus Barnard, 1923 (off Cape Point)[48]
• Cape hagfish Myxine capensis Regan, 1913 (Cape of Good Hope)[48]

Elasmobranchii – Sharks and Rays
Order Myliobatiformes – stingrays
Family Myliobatidae – eagle rays

• Manta Manta birostris(Donndorff, 1798) (possibly circumtropical, from the Cape eastwards)[48]
• Eagle ray Myliobatis aquila (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal)[2][48][49][50]
• Bullray Pteromylaeus bovinus (Saint-Hilaire, 1817) (south-western Cape to Zanzibar)[48]

Order Rajiformes – rays, skates and guitarfish
Family Dasyatidae – stingrays

• Short tailed stingray Dasyatis brevicaudata (Hutton, 1875) (False Bay to Delagoa Bay)[48][49]
• Blue stingray Dasyatis chrysonota (Smith, 1828) (Central Angola to Delagoa Bay)[2][49] (syn. Dasyatis marmoratis)

Family Rajidae – skates

• Bathyraja smithii (Müller & Henle, 1841) (Agulhas bank and west of Cape Town)[48]
• Cruriraja durbanensis (von Bonde and Swart, 1923) (off Western Cape province)[48]
• Cruriraja parcomaculata von Bonde and Swart, 1923 (Lüderitz to Durban)[48]
• Neoraja stehmanni (Hulley, 1972) (west of Cape Town to south of Agulhas Bank)[48]
• Raja caudaspinosa von Bonde and Swart, 1923 (Luderitz to Cape Point)[48]
• Thornback skate Raja clavata Linnaeus, 1758 (Walvis Bay to Durban)[48]
• Raja confundens Hulley, 1970 (West coast from 19°S to east of Cape Point)[48]
• Raja dissimilis Hulley, 1970 (west of Cape Town)[48]
• Raja leopardus von Bonde and Swart, 1923 (west coast from 18°S to 35°S)[48]
• Twineye skate Raja miraletus Linnaeus, 1758 (False Bay to Durban)[48]
• Raja pullopunctata Smith, 1964 (Luderitz to Mozambique)[48]
• Raja ravidula Hulley, 1970 (off Cape Town)[48]
• Raja robertsi Hulley, 1970 (west of Cape Town)[48]
• Raja spinacidermis Barnard, 1923 (off west coast)[48]
• Biscuit skate or false thornback skate Raja straeleni Poll, 1951[51] (West Africa to East London)[48]
• Blancmange skate Raja Wallacei Hulley, 1970 (Cape to Limpopo river mouth)[48]
• Spearnose skate Rostroraja alba (Lacepède, 1803) (West Africa to Madagascar)[48][49] (syn. Raja alba)

Family Rhinobatidae – guitarfish

• Lesser sandshark or lesser guitarfish Rhinobatos annulatus Smith in Müller & Henle, 1841 (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)[2][48][49]
• Bluntnose guitarfish Rhinobatos blochii Müller & Henle, 1841 (Cape to Walvis Bay)[48]

Order Torpediniformes – electric rays
Family Narkidae

• Onefin electric ray or Torpedo ray Narke capensis (Gmelin, 1789) (Atlantic coast of Cape Peninsula to Madagascar)[48][49]

Family Torpedinidae

• Blackspotted electric ray Torpedo fuscomaculata Peters, 1855 (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)[2][48]
• Atlantic electric ray Torpedo nobiliana Bonaparte, 1835 (Western Cape coast to Algoa Bay)[48]

Order Carcharhiniformes – ground sharks
Family Carcharhinidae – requiem sharks

• Copper shark Carcharhinus brachyurus (Günther, 1870) (Namibia to Durban)[48]
• Dusky shark Carcharhinus obscurus (Lesueur, 1818) (Cape Point to Mozambique)[2][48]
• Blue shark Prionace glauca (Linnaeus, 1758) (off south-western Cape coast)[48]

Family Scyliorhinidae – catsharks

• Apristurus microps (Gilchrist, 1922) (Western Cape to Agulhas)[48]
• Apristurus saldanha (Barnard 1925) (Saldanha Bay)[48]
• Tiger catshark Halaelurus natalensis (Regan, 1904) (Saldanha Bay to Algoa Bay)[2][48]
• Puffadder shyshark or happy Eddie Haploblepharus edwardsii (Schinz, 1822) (Cape Point to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2][48][49]
• Dark shyshark, dusky shyshark or skaamoog Haploblepharus pictus (Müller & Henle, 1838) (Namibia to Cape Agulhas)[2][48][49]
• Holohalaelurus regani (Gilchrist, 1922) (south-western Cape to Zanzibar)[48]
• Pyjama catshark or striped catshark Poroderma africanum (Gmelin, 1789) (Cape Columbine to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2][48][49][50]
• Leopard catshark Poroderma pantherinum (Müller & Henle, 1838) (Cape Columbine to Durban)[2][49][50]
• Yellowspotted catshark Scylliorhinus capensis (Smith, 1838) (south-western Cape to KwaZulu-Natal)[48]

Family Sphyrnidae – hammerhead sharks

• Smooth hammerheadSphyrna zygaena (Linnaeus, 1758) (south Cape to southern Mozambique, occasionally on west coast. Warm temperate waters of both hemispheres)[2][48]

Family Triakidae – houndsharks

• Soupfin shark Galeorhinus galeus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Angola to East London)[48]
• Smooth-hound shark Mustelus mustelus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal)[48][50]
• Whitespotted smooth-hound Mustelus palumbes Smith, 1957 (Walvis Bay to Algoa Bay)[48]
• Spotted gully shark Triakis megalopterus (Smith, 1839) (Walvis Bay to East London)[49]

Order Hexanchiformes – cow and frill sharks
Family Hexanchidae – cow sharks

• Sixgill shark Hexanchus griseus (Bonnaterre, 1788) (All oceans)[48]
• Bigeye sixgill shark Hexanchus vitulus Springer and Waller, 1969 (Atlantic, south-west Indian ocean)[48]
• Spotted sevengill cowshark or broadnose sevengill shark Notorynchus cepedianus (Péron, 1807) (Namibia to East London)[48][49]

Order Lamniformes – mackerel sharks
Family Alopiidae – thresher sharks

• Thintail thresher Alopias vulpinus (Bonnaterre, 1788) (throughout SA waters, more common in southern part)[48]

Family Cetorhinidae – basking sharks

• Basking shark Cetorhinus maximus (Gunnerus, 1765) (temperate waters of all oceans, a few records from south-western Cape)[48]

Family Lamnidae – mackerel sharks

• Great white shark Carcharodon carcharias (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia to Mozambique)[2][49][52]
• Shortfin makoIsurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1810 (warm temperate and tropical waters of all oceans)[48]
• Porbeagle Lamna nasus (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Temperate oceans, recorded from False Bay and possibly Knysna)[48]

Family Mitsukurinidae – goblin sharks

• Goblin shark Mitsukurina owstoni Jordan, 1898 (west of Cape Town, and off Transkei coast)[48]

Family Odontaspididae

• Ragged-tooth shark or spotted ragged-tooth shark Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 (Cape Point to Mozambique)[2][48][52] (syn. Eugomphodus taurus)

Family Pseudocarchariidae – crocodile sharks

• Crocodile shark Pseudocarcharias kamoharai (Matsubara, 1936) (once found near Cape Town)[48]

Order Orectolobiformes – carpet sharks
Family Rhincodontidae – whale sharks

• Whale shark Rhincodon typus Smith, 1828 (type specimen from Table Bay, normally northern KwaZulu-Natal)[48][50]

Order Pristiophoriformes – sawsharks
Family Pristiophoridae

• Sixgill sawshark Pliotrema warreni Regan, 1906 (False Bay to southern Mozambique)[48]

Order Squaliformes – dogfish sharks
Family Echinorhinidae – bramble sharks

• Bramble shark Echinorhinus brucus (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Namibia to southern KwaZulu-Natal)[48]

Family Squalidae – dogfishes

• Centrophorus granulosus (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) (Western Cape)[48]
• Centrophorus squamosis Bonnaterre, 1788 (Western Cape and Algoa Bay)[48]
• Centroscyllium fabricii (Reinhardt, 1825) (Western Cape)[48]
• Centroscymnus crepidater (Bocage and Capello, 1864) (Western Cape)[48]
• Deania calcea (Lowe, 1839) (Cape Point and Algoa Bay)[48]
• Deania profundorum (Smith and Radcliffe, 1912) (West coast and KwaZulu-Natal)[48]
• Deania quadrispinosus (McCulloch, 1915) (northern Namibia to southern Mozambique)[48]
• Etmopterus brachurus Smith and Radcliffe, 1912 (Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and southern Mozambique)[48]
• Etmopterus granulosus (Günther, 1880) (Cape Point)[48]
• Etmopterus sp. (off south-western Cape Province, northern KwaZulu-Natal)[48]
• Euprotomicroides zantedeschia Hulley and Penrith, 1966 (west of Cape Town)[48]
• Euprotomicrus bispinatus (Quoy and Gaimard, 1824) (all oceans)[48]
• Flatiron shark Oxynotus centrina (Linnaeus, 1758) (Walvis Bay to Cape Town)[48]
• Greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus (Schneider, 1801) (off Cape Columbine)[48]
• Spotted spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias Linnaeus, 1758 (south-western Cape to Port Elizabeth)[48]
• Bluntnose spiny dogfish Squalus megalops (MacLeay, 1882) (Namibia to southern Mozambique)[48]
• Longnose spiny dogfish Squalus mitsukurii Jordan and Fowler, 1903 (Orange river to Beira)[48]

Order Chimaeriformes
Family Callorhinchidae – elephantfish

• St Joseph shark or elephant fish Callorhinchus capensis Duméril, 1865 (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal)[2][48]

Family Chimaeridae – chimaeras

• Cape chimaera Chimaera sp. (Luderitz to Cape Point)[48]

Family Rhinochimaeridae – longnose chimaeras

• Harriotta raleighana Goode and Bean, 1895 (off Western Cape)[48]
• Rhinochimaera africana Compagno, Stehman and Ebert, 1990 (west coast off Doring Bay and Cape Columbine, Natal coast off Kosi Bay)[48]
• Rhinochimaera atlantica Holt and Byrne, 1909 (Namibia to Plettenberg Bay)[48]

Family Anguillidae – freshwater eels

• Madagascar mottled eel Anguilla marmorata Quoy and Gaimard, 1824 (Western Cape to Kenya)[48]
• Longfin eel Anguilla mossambica (Peters, 1852) (most waters from the Cape northwards)[48]

Family Congridae – conger eels

• Hairy conger Bassanago albescens (Barnard, 1923) (Cape Point)[48][53]
• Bathyuroconger vicinus (Vaillant, 1888) (off Cape Point)[48][54]
• Cape conger Conger wilsoni (Bloch and Schneider 1801) (Cape to southern Mozambique)[48]
• Southern conger Gnathophis capensis (Kaup, 1856) (False Bay to Plettenberg Bay)[48][55]
• Strap conger Gnathophis habenatus (Richardson, 1848) (southern Cape to East London)[48]

Family Derichthyidae – longneck eels

• Derichthys serpentinus Gill, 1884 (west of Cape Town; worldwide)[48]
• Duckbill oceanic eel, spoonbill eel Nessorhamphus ingolfianus (Schmidt, 1912) (off the Cape, also worldwide)[48][56]

Family Nemichthyidae – snipe eels

• Avocettina acuticeps (Regan, 1916) (offshore Cape to Natal)[48][57]
• Nemichthys curvirostris (Strömman, 1896) (off the Cape)[48]
• Slender snipe-eel Nemichthys scolopaceus (Richardson, 1848) (off the Cape to Natal)[48][58]

Family: Nettastomatidae – witch eels

• Venefica proboscidea (Vaillant, 1888) (off the Cape)[48][59]

Family Ophichthidae – snake-eels and worm-eels

• Slender snake-eel Ophichthus serpentinus Seale, 1917. syn. Ophichthus bennettai (Cape Province west coast)[48][60]

Family Serrivomeridae – sawtooth eels

• Stout sawpalate Serrivomer beanii Gill and Ryder, 1883 (off Cape and Natal)[48][61]

Family Synaphobranchidae – cutthroat eels

• Basketwork eel Diastobranchus capensis Barnard, 1923 (off Cape Point)[48][62]
• Ilyophis brunneus Gilbert, 1892 (off the Cape)[48]
• Snubnose eel Simenchelys parasitica Gill, 1879 (off the Cape)[48][63]
• Northern cutthroat eel, slatjaw cutthroat eel Synaphobranchus kaupii Johnson, 1862 (off the Cape)[48][64]

Family Ateleopodidae – tadpole fishes

• Ateleopus natalensis Regan, 1921 (Cape to Red Sea)[48]
• Guentherus altivela Osorio, 1917 (West coast of Africa from Cabo Blanco to the Cape)[48]
• Ijimaia loppei Roule, 1922 (Morocco to Cape Peninsula)[48]

Order Atheriniformes
Family Atherinidae – silversides

• Cape silverside Atherina breviceps Valenciennes, 1835 (Luderitz to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2][48]

Order Aulopiformes
Family Alepisauridae – lancetfishes

• Longsnout lancetfish Alepisaurus ferox Lowe, 1833 (Walvis Bay to Sodwana Bay; in all major oceans)[48][65]

Family Bathysauropsidae

• Bathysauropsis gracilis (Günther, 1878) (off Cape Point; circumglobal in southern oceans)[48][66]

Family Chlorophthalmidae – greeneyes

• Chlorophthalmus punctatus Gilchrist, 1904 (both coasts of South Africa)[48][67]

Family Evermannellidae – sabretooth fishes

• Coccorella atlantica (Parr, 1928) (central water areas of all 3 major oceans; off western and south-western Cape coast, 1 specimen from 31°34'S, 30°09'E)[48][68]

Family Ipnopidae

• Bathypterois filiferus Gilchrist, 1906 (off Cape Point)[48][69]
• Bathypterois phenax Parr, 1928 (off Cape Point)[48][70]
• Ipnops agassizii Garman, 1899 (off Cape Point)[48][71]

Family Notosudidae – notosudids

• Scopelosaurus ahlstromi Bertelsen, Krefft and Marshall, 1976 (all 3 oceans from about 32° to 45°S)[48][72]
• Scopelosaurus hamiltoni (Waite, 1916) (southern oceans from about 30° to 60°S)[48][73]
• Scopelosaurus herwigi Bertelson, Kreft and Marshall, 1976 (slope areas of Southern Africa)[48][74]
• Scopelosaurus meadi Bertelson, Krefft and Marshall, 1976 (from about 19° to 43°S)[48][75]

Family Paralepididae – barracudinas

• Lestidiops jayakari (Boulenger, 1889) (worldwide in tropical to temperate waters)[48][76]
• Macroparalepis affinis Ege, 1933 (anti-tropical in Atlantic ocean)[48][77]
• Magnisudis prionosa (Rofen, 1963) (circumglobal in southern oceans from 20°S to Antarctic)[48][78]
• Arctozenus risso (Bonaparte, 1840) (syn, Notolepis rissoi) (worldwide in temperate and tropical waters)[48][79]
• Sudis hyalina Rafinesque, 1810 (Atlantic ocean from 50°N to South Africa)[48][80]

Family Scopelarchidae – pearleyes

• Benthalbella infans Zugmayer, 1911 (off south-western Cape; tropical/subtropical in all 3 major oceans)[48][81]
• Benthalbella macropinna Bussing and Bussing, 1966 (off south-western Cape coast; circumpolar in subantarctic and Antarctic waters)[48][82]
• Scopelarchus analis (Brauer, 1902) (common off southern Africa; tropical/subtropical all oceans)[48][83]

Family Batrachoididae – toadfishes

• Snakehead toadfish Batrichthys apiatus (Valenciennes, 1837) (Saldanha Bay to Umtata River, Transkei)[2]
• Pleated toadfish Chatrabus felinus (Smith, 1952). syn. Batrichthys felinus (Cape to Port Alfred)[48][84]

Family Exocoetidae – flyingfishes

• Smallhead flyingfish Cheilopogon pinnatibarbatus altipinnis (Valenciennes, 1846) (Cape to Kosi Bay))[48]
• Subtropical flyingfish Hirundichthys rondeletii (Valenciennes, 1846) (widely distributed in subtropical waters of all oceans, common off the Cape)[48]
• Mirrorwing flyingfish Hirundichthys speculiger (Valenciennes, 1846) (worldwide in tropical waters, one juvenile from Mbibi, Zululand, another from False Bay)[48]

Family Hemiramphidae – halfbeaks

• Ribbon halfbeak Euleptorhamphus viridis (van Hasselt, 1823) (reported from Table Bay, also known from Algoa Bay and Kei River mouth, tropical and temperate waters of Indo-Pacific))[48]
• Cape halfbeak Hyporhamphus capensis (Thominot, 1886) (False Bay to southern Mozambique))[2][48]

Family Belonidae – needlefishes

• Cape needlefish Petalichthys capensis Regan, 1904 (False Bay to Pondoland)[48]

Family Scomberesocidae – sauries

• Dwarf saury Nanichthys simulans Hubbs and Wisner, 1980 (off the Cape up the west coast, warm temperate waters of the Atlantic and southern Indian oceans)[48]

Family Berycidae – berycids

• Beryx Beryx decadactylus Cuvier, 1829 (Saldanha Bay to Natal)[48]
• Slender beryx Beryx splendens Lowe, 1834 (Saldanha Bay to Natal)[48]
• Short alfonsino Centroberyx spinosus (Gilchrist, 1903) (False Bay and Storms River to Durban)[48]

Family Monocentridae – pineapple fishes

• Pineapple fish Monocentris japonicus (Houttuyn, 1782) (Indo-West Pacific and Red Sea south to Mossel Bay)[48](Recorded from False Bay on at least two occasions)[49]

Family Trachichthyidae – slimeheads

• Gephyroberyx darwini (Johnson, 1866) (all round South African coast)[48]
• Hoplostethus atlanticus Collett, 1896 (From Iceland to Morocco and Walvis Bay to off Durban)[48]
• Black slimehead Hoplostethus cadenati Quero, 1974 (West coast of Africa from 36°N – 26°S, and off Transkei)[48]
• Hoplostethus mediterraneus Cuvier, 1829 (Namibia to Natal)[48]
• Hoplostethus melanops (Weber, 1913) (Indo-West pacific from Indonesia to Natal, also off Namibia and Cape Town)[48]

Family Clupeidae – herrings, sardines and pilchards

• Round sardinelle Sardinella aurita Valenciennes, 1847 (Walvis Bay to Saldanha Bay)[48][85]
• Pilchard or Sardine Sardinops sagax (Jenyns, 1842) (Namibia to Mozambique)[2][48][86]

Family Dussumieriidae

• Roundherring Etrumeus whiteheadi Wongratana, 1983 (Walvis Bay to KwaZulu-Natal)[2][48][87]

Family Engraulidae – anchovies

• Cape anchovy Engraulis japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1846 (Walvis Bay to Mozambique and Indo-Pacific)[2][48][88]

Order Elopiformes
Family Elopidae – ladyfishes

• Atlantic ladyfish Elops lacerta Valenciennes, 1846 (Atlantic coast to 23°S)[48]

Order Gadiformes
Family: Bregmacerotidae – codlets

• Antenna codlet Bregmaceros atlanticus Goode and Bean, 1886 (off south Cape and Natal coasts; circumtropical)[48][89]
• Spotted codlet Bregmaceros mcclellandi Thompson, 1840 (from Cape eastwards; circumtropical but not known from east Pacific)[48][90]
• Bregmaceros nectabanus Whitley, 1941 (Cape eastwards to tropical Indo-West Pacific; Tropical eastern Atlantic)[48]

Family Gadidae – cods

• Cape rockling Gaidropsarus capensis (Kaup, 1858) (Cape Town to East London)[48]
• Comb rockling Gaidropsaris insularum Sivertsen, 1945 (Cape Peninsula and West coast)[48]

Family Macrouridae – grenadiers

• Bathygadus favosus Goode and Bean, 1886 (off Cape Town)[48]
• Bathygadus melanobranchus Vaillant, 1888 (Table Bay and Natal coast. Unverified, specimens missing)[48]
• Surgeon grenadier Coelorhinchus acanthiger Barnard, 1925 (off Namibia to Cape Point)[48][91]
• Shovelnose grenadierCoelorhinchus braueri Barnard, 1925 (Saldanha and Table Bay, Cape Point, East London; Angola to Mozambique)[48][92]
• Abyssal grenedier, armoured rat-tail, russet grenadier, smoothscale rattail Coryphaenoides armatus (Hector, 1875) (abyssal, all oceans except Arctic. One Atlantic record off South Africa)[48][93]
• Coryphaenoides striaturus Barnard, 1925 (off Cape Point)[48]
• Gadomus capensis (Gilchrist and von Bonde, 1924) (Table Bay to Mozambique)[48]
• Bigeye grenadier Macrourus holotrachys Günther, 1878 (Cape Point and Prince Edward Island; also off New Zealand and southwestern Australia)[48][94]
• Softhead grenadier, softhead rat-tail Malacocephalus laevis (Lowe, 1843) (off South Africa; widespread in Atlantic and Indian oceans)[48][95]
• Nezumia brevibarbata (Barnard, 1925) (Cape Point; known only off the Cape, where it is common)[48]
• Kuronezumia leonis (Barnard, 1925), sun. Nezumia leonis (off Cape Point, Namibia, southwestern Atlantic)[48][96]
• Roughsnout grenadier, roughsnout rat-tail Trachyrincus scabrus (Rafinesque, 1810) (Namibia, west coast of South Africa; eastern North Atlantic and Mediterranean sea)[48][97]

Family Melanonidae – melanonids

• Pelagic cod Melanonus gracilis Günther, 1878 (circum-Antarctic south of Subtropical convergence; off Cape Peninsula)[48][98]

Family Merlucciidae – hakes

• Lyconodes argenteus (Gilchrist, 1922) (west of Cape of Good Hope)[48]
• Cape hake, shallow water hake, stockfish, South African whiting Merluccius capensis Castelnau, 1861 (Namibia to East London)[2][99]
• Deep water hake, deep-water Cape hake Merluccius paradoxus Franca, 1960 (Cape Frio to East London)[2][100]

Family Moridae – deepsea cods

• Blackcod, blue antimora, blue hake Antimora rostrata (Günther, 1878) (locally abundant, found in most oceans)[2][101]
• Guttigadus globiceps (Gilchrist, 1906), syn. Laemonema globiceps (off south-western Cape coast)[2][102]
• Lepidion capensis Gilchrist, 1922 (Cape to East London)[2]
• Physiculus capensis Gilchrist, 1922 (Cape Peninsula to East London)[2]
• Tripterophycis gilchristi Boulenger, 1902 (upper slope off the Cape and Durban)[2]

Family Gonorynchidae – beaked sandfish

• Beaked sandfish Gonorynchus gonorynchus (Linnaeus 1766) (Cape of Good Hope)[48][49]

Family Lampridae – opahs

• Spotted opah, Jerusalem haddock, moonfish Lampris guttatus (Brünnich, 1788) (all oceans but not in polar waters, occurs throughout South African waters, usually well offshore)[48][103]
• Southern opah Lampris immaculatus Gilchrist, 1904 (circumglobal south of 30°S)[48]

Family Lophotidae – crestfishes

• Unicorn crestfish Eumecichthys fiski (Günther, 1890) (1 specimen, Kalk Bay in False Bay)[48]
• Crestfish Lophotus lacepede Giorna, 1809 (Cape to Plettenberg Bay, rare but widely distributed in all oceans)[48]

Family Radiicephalidae – tapertails

• Tapertail Radiicephalus elongatus Osorio, 1917 (70 miles SW of Cape Point)[48]

Family Regalecidae – oarfishes

• Streamer fish Agrostichthys parkeri (Benham 1904) (southeast Atlantic, New Zealand and Tasmania)[48][104]
• Oarfish Regalescus glesne Ascanius, 1772 (worldwide distribution)[48]

Family Trachipteridae – ribbonfishes

• Polka-dot ribbonfish Desmodema polysticum (Ogilby, 1897) (1 juvenile washed ashore at Xora river and 1 found at Simon's Town, False Bay)[48]
• Blacktail ribbonfish Trachipterus jacksonensis (Ramsay, 1881) (East London and off Cape Town)[48]
• Peregrine ribbonfish Trachipterus trachypterus (Gmelin, 1789) (off Table Bay)[48]
• Taper tail ribbonfish Zu elongatus (Heemstra and Kannemeyer, 1984) (4 specimens trawled off the western Cape coast)[48]

Family Lophiidae – monks

• Blackmouth anglerLophiomus setigerus (Vahl, 1797) (Indo-West Pacific south to False Bay)[48][105]
• Monkfish, devil anglerfish Lophius vomerinus (Valenciennes, 1837), syn. Lophius upsicephalus (off Cape of Good Hope; eastern South Atlantic and south western Indian ocean off South Africa; Bay of Bengal off Burma)[48][106]

Family Ceratiidae – seadevils

• Deepsea angler, twoclub angler Ceratias holboelli Krøyer, 1845 (single specimen off Cape Town at 34°12'S, 16°35'E; nearly cosmopolitan in the world's oceans)[48][107]
• Ceratias tentaculatus (Norman, 1930) (off Saldanha Bay, off southern Natal, off Delagoa Bay and throughout southern oceans)[48]
• Triplewart seadevil Cryptopsaras couesii Gill, 1883 (off Cape of Good Hope, all major oceans)[48][108]

Family Himantolophidae – footballfish

• Atlantic footballfish Himantolophus groenlandicus Reinhardt, 1837 (all major oceans)[48][109]

Family Melanocetidae – devil-anglers

• Melanocetus johnsonii Günther, 1864 (off all coasts of South Africa; all major oceans)[48]

Order Lophiiformes – anglerfishes
Family Antennariidae – anglers

• Sargassum fish Histrio histrio (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cape Point to Mozambique)[2][48]

Family Myctophidae – lanternfishes

• Bolinichthys supralateralis (Parr, 1928) (off Cape Peninsula and in Agulgas current; Atlantic (40°N – 02°S and 32° to 40°S); Indian ocean (21° – 30°S); west coast of Australia and near Hawaii)[48]
• Diaphus effulgens (Goode and Bean, 1896) (off all SA coasts)[48]
• Diaphus mollis Tåning, 1928 (off all SA coasts, broadly tropical distribution in all major oceans)[48]
• Diaphus taaningi Norman, 1930 (over west coast continental shelf/slope southward to 24°S. Amphitropical species in Atlantic (western sector); tropical waters to 42°N; eastern sector: southward from Mauretanian upwelling region to South African region)[48]
• Electrona risso (Cocco, 1829) (off east and west coasts of South Africa. Widespread in Atlantic (55°N – 40°S), Mediterranean, Indian ocean (0° – 40°S), Tasman sea and Cook Strait, and eastern Pacific (42°N – 20°S))[48]
• Gonichthys barnesi Whitley, 1943 (off east and west coasts, south of 30°S. Convergence species in all 3 oceans (30° – 40°S))[48]
• Gymnoscopelus braueri (Lönnberg, 1905) (circumglobal between Subtropical convergence and Antarctica)[48]
• Hygophum hanseni (Tåning, 1932) (from 30°S on west coast to 33°S on east coast. Convergence species (30° to 43°S) in all 3 oceans)[48]
• Hygophum hygomii (Lütken, 1892) (west of Cape Peninsula and off east coast (25° – 37°S))[48]
• Hygophum proximum Bekker, 1965) (south to about 37°S in Agulhas current; Indian ocean (25°N – 10°S))[48]
• Lampadena notialis Nafpaktitis and Paxton, 1968 (Off east coast and Cape Peninsula; convergence species in all 3 oceans)[48]
• Mirror lampfish, mirror lanternfish Lampadena speculigera Goode and Bean, 1896 (off west and southeast coasts. Atlantic (66° – 35°N and 35° – 45°S), Indian ocean (30° to 45°S) and Pacific ocean (30° – 45°S))[48][110]
• Lampanyctus alatus Goode and Bean, 1896 (off all South African coasts; Atlantic (46°N – 38°S), Indian ocean (0° – 39°S)[48]
• Southern lanternfish Lampanyctus australis Tåning, 1932 (off all South African coasts; circumglobal convergence species(33° – 43°S with northern extension to about 27°S in eastern boundary currents))[48][111]
• Lampanyctus festivus Tåning, 1928 (off all South African coasts. Atlantic(53° – 18°N and 28° – 40°S with northern extension to 12°S in Benguela current and Indo-West Pacific.)[48]
• Lampanyctus lepidolychnus Bekker, 1967 (off all South African coasts, circumglobal convergence species (23° – 48°S))[48]
• Rakery beaconlamp Lampanyctus macdonaldi (Goode and Bean, 1896) (west of Cape Peninsula, circumglobal between subtropical convergence and Antarctic polar front)[48][112]
• Lampanyctus pusillus (Johnson, 1890) (off all South African coasts. Bisubtropical species in all major oceans)[48]
• Lampichthys procerus (Brauer, 1904) (off Cape Peninsula, circumglobal convergence species (32° – 48°S) with extensions into lower latitudes in eastern boundary currents)[48]
• Lobianchia dofleini (Zugmayer, 1911) (off all South African coasts. Mediterranean, Atlantic (50°N – 40°S), Indian ocean (23° – 38°S), Tasman sea and south Pacific(region of subtropical convergence))[48]
• Lobianchia gemellarii (Cocco, 1838) (off all South African coasts, worldwide in tropical/subtropical waters)[48]
• Metelectrona ventralis (Bekker, 1063) (west of Cape Peninsula in southern Benguela upwelling region; circumglobal subantarctic species (36°-51°S))[48]
• Myctophum phengodes (Lütken, 1892) (off all South African coasts)[48]
• Myctophum selenops Tåning, 1928 (west of Cape peninsula in Agulhas water pockets)[48]
• Nannobrachium atrum (Tåning, 1928), syn. Lampanyctus ater (off all South African coasts; Atlantic (58° – 17°N and 15° – 40°S) and Indian ocean (12° – 44°S))[48][113]
• Notolychnus valdiviae (Brauer, 1904) (off all South African coasts)[48]
• Patchwork lampfishNotoscopelus resplendens (Richardson, 1845) (off all South African coasts)[48][114]
• Protomyctophum normani Tåning, 1932 (once west of Slangkop lighthouse; circumglobal convergence species (36° – 43°S))[48]
• Scopelopsis multipunctatus Brauer, 1906 (off all South African coasts)[48]
• Symbolophorus barnardi (Tåning, 1932) (off all South African coasts)[48]

Family Halosauridae – halosaurs

• Gilbert's halosaurid Aldrovandia affinis (Günther, 1877) (both coasts of SA; cicumglobal tropical and temperate)[48][115]
• Hawaiian halosauridAldrovandia phalacra (Vaillant, 1888) (off Cape Point)[48][116]
• Abyssal halosaurHalosauropsis macrochir (Günther, 1878) (off Cape Point)[48][117]
• Halosaurus ovenii Johnson, 1863 (off Cape Point to Walvis Bay)[48]

Family Notacanthidae – spiny eels

• Notacanthus sexspinis Richardson, 1846 (Walvis Bay to Durban)[48]
• Polyacanthonotus africanus (Gilchrist and von Bonde, 1924) (off Cape Point)[48]
• Shortspine tapirfishPolyacanthonotus rissoanus (De Filippi & Verany, 1857) (off Cape Point to Table Bay)[48][118]

Family Aphyonidae – aphyonids

• Barathronus bicolor? Goode and Bean, 1886 (off Cape Point, specimen lost, identification dubious)[48]

Family Bythitidae – bythitids or brotulas

• Cataetyx niki Cohen, 1981 (2 specimens from off the Cape)[48]
• Lesser orange brotula Dermatopsoides talboti Cohen, 1966 (Saldanha Bay to Algoa Bay)[48]

Family Ophidiidae – cuskeels

• Slender brotula Dicrolene multifilis (Alcock, 1889) (off Table Bay and east coast of South Africa)[48][119]
• Kingklip Genypterus capensis (Smith, 1847) (Walvis Bay to Algoa Bay)[2][48]
• Penopus microphthalmus (Vaillant, 1888) (one specimen off the Cape)[48]
• Slender cuskeel Porogadus miles Goode and bean, 1886 (one specimen off the Cape; relatively common both sides of the Atlantic; also recorded from Indian ocean)[48][120]
• Barbed brotula Selachophidium guentheri Gilchrist, 1903 (Angola to Mozambique)[48][121]

Family Alepocephalidae – slickheads

• Alepocephalus australis Barnard 1923 (off Cape Point; apparently widely distributed in temperate waters of southern hemisphere)[48]
• Atlantic gymnast, English bluntsnout smoothhead Xenodermichthys copei (Gill, 1884) (common off South Africa)[48][122]

Family Opisthoproctidae – barreleyes

• Rhynchohyalus natalensis (Gilchrist and von Bonde, 1924) (off Cape Town to Bermuda)[48]

Family Microstomatidae

• Nansenia macrolepis (Gilchrist, 1922) (west of Cape Peninsula; off Natal)[48]

Family Bathylagidae

• Bathylagus bericoides (Borodin, 1929) (off Cape Town, throughout tropical and subtropical seas)[48][123]

Family Luvaridae – louvar

• Louvar Luvarus imperialis Rafinesque, 1810 (All oceans and Mediterranean sea, not reported in polar seas or near equator)[48]

Family Blenniidae – blennies

• Looseskin blenny Chalaroderma capito (Valenciennes, 1836) (Saldanha Bay to East London)[48]
• Two-eyed blenny Chalaroderma ocellata (Gilchrist and Thompson, 1908) ((Saldanha Bay to Port Elizabeth)[48]
• Horned blenny Parablennius cornutus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Northern Namibia to Sodwana Bay, Endemic)[2][48]
• Piano blenny Plagiotremus tapeinosoma (Bleeker, 1857) (Indo-Pacific south to False Bay)[48]
• Maned blenny Scartella emarginata (Günther, 1861) (Southern Angola to India)[2][48]
• Japanese snakeblenny Xiphasia matsubarai Okada & Suzuki, 1952 (Western Indian Ocean south to False Bay)[48]
• Snakeblenny Xiphasia setifer Swainson, 1839 (Red Sea to False Bay)[48]

Family Clinidae – klipfishes

• Lace klipfish Blennioclinus brachycephalus (Valenciennes, 1836) (Melkboschstrand to Kei River)[48]
• Snaky klipfish Blenniophis anguillaris (Valenciennes, 1836) (Lüderitz Bay to East London)[48]
• Striped klipfish Blenniophis striatus (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (Saldanha Bay to East London)[48]
• Slender platanna-klipfish Cancelloxus burrelli Smith, 1961 (Orange River to Algoa Bay)[48]
• Elongated sand klipfish Cancelloxus longior Prochazka & Griffiths, 1991 (Both sides of the peninsula)[36]
• Barbelled klipfish Cirrhibarbus capensis Valenciennes, 1836 (Lamberts Bay to East London)[48]
• Fleet klipfish Climacoporus navalis Barnard, 1935 (Still Bay to Port St, Johns. Once from False Bay)[48]
• Ladder klipfish Clinoporus biporosus (Gilchrist and Thompson, 1908) (Saldanha Bay to False Bay)[48]
• Sad klipfish Clinus acuminatus (Schneider, 1801) (Lüderitz Bay to west of Algoa Bay)[48]
• Agile klipfish Clinus agilis Smith, 1931 (Namibia (20°49'S) to Port Alfred)[2][48]
• Onrust klipfish Clinus berrisfordi Penrith, 1967 (Weedy areas of False Bay to Skoenmakerskop, just west of Algoa Bay)[48]
• Cape klipfish Clinus brevicristatus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908 (Lamberts Bay to False Bay)[48]
• Bluntnose klipfish Clinus cottoides Valenciennes, 1836 (Olifants River (Western Cape) to Kei River)[2][48]
• West coast klipfish Clinus heterodon Valenciennes, 1836 (Orange River to Cape Agulhas)[2][48]
• False Bay klipfish Clinus latipennis Valenciennes, 1836 (Table Bay to Cape Agulhas)[48]
• Chinese klipfish Clinus nemopterus Günther, 1861 (False Bay and Algoa Bay)[48]
• Robust klipfish Clinus robustus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908 (Cape of Good Hope to East London)[48]
• Kelp klipfish Clinus rotundifrons Barnard, 1937 (Lüderitz Bay to Cape of Good Hope)[48]
• Super klipfish or highfin klipfish Clinus superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia (18°59'S) to Kei River)[2][48]
• Bull klipfish Clinus taurus Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908 (Möwe Point (Namibia) to Port Alfred)[48]
• Speckled klipfish Clinus venustris Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908 (Orange River to East London)[2](Lüderitz Bay to Port Alfred)[48]
• Mousey klipfish Fucomimus mus (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (False Bay to Coffee Bay)[48]
• Nosestripe klipfish Muraenoclinus dorsalis (Bleeker, 1860) (Orange River to Durban)[2](Lüderitz Bay to southern Natal)[48]
• Grass klipfish Pavoclinus graminis (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (False Bay to Inhambane)[2][48]
• Slinky klipfish Pavoclinus litorafontis Penrith, 1965 (False Bay; Strandfontein and Onrust River mouth)[48]
• Peacock klipfish Pavoclinus pavo (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (Lüderitz Bay to Kei River)[48]
• Deepwater klipfish Pavoclinus profundus Smith, 1961 (Cape Peninsula, off Knysna to Algoa Bay)[48]
• Deep reef klipfish Pavoclinus smalei Heemstra & Wright, 1986 (False Bay, off Storm's River mouth)[48]
• Leafy klipfish Smithichthys fucorum (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (Cape Point to Bashee River)[48]
• Platanna klipfish Xenopoclinus kochi Smith, 1948 (Lamberts Bay to Algoa Bay)[48]
• Leprous platanna klipfish Xenopoclinus leprosus Smith, 1961 Orange River mouth to Algoa Bay)[48]

Family Tripterygiidae – threefin blennies or triplefins

• Cape triplefin Cremnochorites capensis (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (False Bay to Port Alfred)[2][48]

Family Callionymidae – dragonets

• Sand dragonet Callionymus marleyi Regan, 1919 (Cape of Good Hope eastward to Persian Gulf)[48]
• Ladder dragonet Paracallionymus costatus (Boulenger, 1898) (Lüderitz Bay to Inhaca)[48]

Family Gobiesocidae – clingfishes

• Chubby clingfish Apletodon pellegrini (Chabanaud, 1925) (Senegal (west Africa) to Port Alfred)[48]
• Rocksucker Chorisochismus dentex (Pallas, 1769) (Port Nolloth to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2][48]
• Bigeye clingfish Diplecogaster megalops Briggs, 1955 (False Bay to Durban)[48]
• Weedsucker Eckloniaichthys scylliorhiniceps Smith, 1943 (Lüderitz to Kei River mouth)[48]

Family: Gobiidae — Gobies

Subfamily Gobiinae

• Agulhas goby Caffrogobius agulhensis (Barnard, 1927) (False Bay to East London)[48]
• Banded goby Caffrogobius caffer (Günther, 1874) (Natal to False Bay)[2][48]
• Prison goby Caffrogobius gilchristi (Boulenger, 1898) (Table Bay to Mozambique Island)[2][48](syn. Caffrogobius multifasciatus)
• Barehead goby Caffrogobius nudiceps (Valenciennes, 1827) (Walvis Bay to East London)[2][48]
• Commafin goby Caffrogobius saldanha (Barnard, 1927) (Saldanha Bay to southern Transkei)[48]
• Knysna sandgoby Psammogobius knysnaensis Smith, 1935 (Port Nolloth to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[2][48]
• Pelagic goby Sufflogobius bibarbatus (von Bonde, 1923) (Port Nolloth to Saldanha Bay)[48]

Suborder Percoidei

Superfamily: Cirrhitoidea

Family: Cheilodactylidae — Fingerfins

• Redfingers Cheilodactylus fasciatus Lacepède, 1803 (Kunene river, Namibia to Durban)[48][124]
• Barred fingerfin Cheilodactylus pixi Smith, 1980 (Knysna to Coffee Bay)[48][124](False Bay to Coffee Bay)[7]
• Twotone fingerfin Chirodactylus brachydactylus (Cuvier, 1830) (Walvis Bay to Delagoa Bay)[48][124]
• Bank steenbras Chirodactylus grandis (Günther, 1860) (Walvis Bay to possibly Natal)[48][124]

Superfamily: Percoidea Family: Acropomatidae — Lanternbellies

• Howella sherborni (Norman, 1930) (off Cape Town to Natal)[48]

Family: Bramidae — Pomfrets

• Pomfret Brama brama (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Algoa Bay to Walvis Bay)[48]
• Prickly fanfish Pterycombus petersii (Hilgendorff, 1878) (Mid Pacific to Africa, south round the Cape of good Hope to Cape Town)[48]
• Sickle pomfret Taractichthys steindachneri (Döderlein, 1883) (Indo-Pacific from California to Zanzibar and south to False Bay)[48]

Family: Callanthiidae — Goldies

• Goldie Callanthias legras Smith, 1947 (Dassen Island (Western Cape) to Natal)[48]

Family: Carangidae — Kingfishes

• Leervis or Garrick Lichia amia (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mediterranean sea south along west coast of Africa and around Cape to Delagoa Bay)[48][124]
• White kingfish Pseudocarymx dentex (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) (Durban southwards, anti-tropical on both sides of Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indo-West Pacific)[48]
• Giant yellowtail Seriola lalandi Valenciennes, 1833 (Most common on Atlantic Cape waters, but follows the pilchard migration to Transkei and Natal. Circumglobal in subtropical waters)[48][124]
• Maasbanker Trachurus trachurus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Norway south and round the Cape of Good Hope to Delagoa Bay[124]

Family: Centracanthidae — Picarels

• Windtoy Spicara axillaris (Boulanger, 1900) (Known only from Cape Town to Natal)[48]

Family: Chaetodontidae — Butterflyfishes

• Doublesash butterflyfish Chaetodon marleyii Regan, 1921 (Lamberts Bay to Maputo. Endemic)[48][124]

Family: Coryphaenidae — Dolphinfish or Dorades

• Dolphinfish Coryphaena hippurus Linnaeus,1758 (all tropical and subtropical waters to 35°S)[48]

Family: Dichistiidae — Galjoens

• Galjoen Dichistius capensis (Cuvier, 1831) (Southern Angola to Sodwana Bay)[48][124] (syn. Coracinus capensis)

Family: Echeneidae — Remoras

• Shark remora Echineis naucrates Linnaeus, 1758 (Namibia to Mozambique)[124] (all warm waters except eastern Pacific)[48]
• Whale remora Remora australis (Bennett, 1840) (Worldwide, pelagic: found only on cetaceans)[48]
• Spearfish remora Remora brachyptera (Lowe, 1839) (Worldwide, prefers billfishes)[48]
• Remora Remora remora (Linnaeus, 1758) (Worldwide, prefers sharks)[48]
• White remora Remorina albescens (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845) (Worldwide, prefers Manta rays)

Family: Emmelichthyidae — Rovers

• Southern rover Emmelichthys nitidus nitidus Richardson 1845 (occasionally take off western Cape coast)[48]

Family: Epigonidae — Cardinal fishes (see also Apogonidae)

• Pencil cardinal Epigonus denticulatus Dieuzeide, 1950 (Walvis Bay to Cape Point)[48]
• Epigonus pandionus (Goode & Bean, 1881) (Gulf of Guinea to Agulhas Bank)[48]
• Epigonus robustus (Barnard, 1927) (off west coast of South Africa)[48]
• Telescope cardinal Epigonus telescopus (Risso, 1810) (Walvis Bay to Cape Town)[48]

Family: Haemulidae — Rubberlips and grunters

• Spotted grunter Pomadasys commersonnii (Lacepède, 1801) (False Bay to India)[48][124]

Family: Kyphosidae — Sea chubs

• Grey chub Kyphosus bigibbus Lacepède, 1801 (Red Sea to Cape Point)[48][124]
• Stonebream Neoscorpis lithophilus (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (False Bay to southern Mozambique)[48][124]

Family: Malacanthidae — Tilefishes

• Forktail tilefish Hoplolatilus fronticinctus (Günther, 1887) (Postlarvae collected off Cape Peninsula; India and Western Pacific)[48]

Family: Monodactylidae — Moonies

• Cape moony Monodactylus falciformis Lacepède, 1801 (Red Sea to False Bay)[48][124]

Family: Oplegnathidae — Knifejaws

• Cape knifejaw Oplegnathus conwayi Richardson, 1840 (False Bay to Durban)[48][124]

Family: Parascorpididae — Jutjaw

• Jutjaw (Parascorpis typus) Bleeker, 1875 (Known only from False Bay to Maputo)[48]

Family: Pentacerotidae — Armourheads

• Cape armourhead Pentaceros capensis Cuvier, 1829 (Port Nolloth to Southern Mozambique)[48]
• Pelagic armourhead Pseudopentaceros (Smith, 1844) (Cape Town to Natal)[48]

Family: Polyprionidae — Wreckfishes

• Wreckfish Polyprion americanus (Schneider, 1801) (Norway to South Africa)[48]

Family: Pomatomidae — Elf

• Elf or Shad Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus, 1766)(Namibia to Maputo)[48][124]

Family: Pseudochromidae — Dottybacks Subfamily: Congrogadinae — Snakelets

• Snakelet Halidesmus scapularis Günther, 1872 (Cape Columbine to Transkei)[124](False Bay to Coffee Bay)[48]

Family: Rachycentridae — Cobia

• Prodigal son Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766) (Warm waters of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, occasionally reaching False Bay) [48]

Family: Sciaenidae — Kobs

• Kob, Giant Kob or Kabeljou Argyrosomus japonicus (Temminck & Schlegel, 1843) (Namibia to Natal)[48][124] previously misidentified as Argyrosomus hololepidotus (Lacepède, 1801)[48]
• Geelbek Atractoscion aequidens (Cuvier, 1830) (Angola to northern KwaZulu-Natal)[48][124]
• Baardman or Belman Umbrina canariensis Valenciennes, 1843 (Morocco to the Cape of Good Hope through to Pakistan)[48][124]

Family: Scombropidae — Gnomefishes

• Gnomefish Scombrops boops (Houttuyn, 1782) (Cape of Good Hope to Delagoa Bay)[48]

Family: Serranidae — Rockcods (groupers) and seabasses

Subfamily: Epinephelinae

• Yellowbelly rockcod Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) (Namibia to Mozambique)[124] Formerly identified as Epinephelus guaza (Linnaeus, 1758)[125]

Subfamily: Serraninae

• Koester Acanthistius sebastoides (Castelnau, 1861) (Namibia to Mozambique)[48][124]
• Comber Serranus knysnaensis Gilchrist, 1904 [125] previously identified as serranus cabrilla (Linnaeus, 1758)[48] (Endemic, False Bay to Durban)[125]

Family: Sparidae — Seabreams

• Carpenter Argyrozona argyrozona (Valenciennes, 1830) (Cape Columbine to central KwaZulu-Natal)[48][124]
• Fransmadam Boopsoidea inornata Castelnau, 1861 (Cape Columbine to central KwaZulu-Natal)[48][124]
• Dageraad Chrysoblephus cristiceps (Valenciennes, 1830) (Cape Point to Durban)[48][124]
• Red stumpnose or Miss Lucy Chrysoblephus gibbiceps (Valenciennes, 1830) (Cape Point to East London)[48][124]
• Roman Chrysoblephus laticeps (Valenciennes, 1830) (Cape Point to southern KwaZulu-Natal)[124](Cape to Mauritius)[48]
• Poenskop or Black musselcrackerCymatoceps nasutus (Castelnau, 1861) (Cape Columbine to Durban)[48][124]
• Blacktail Diplodus capensis (Smith, 1844) (Angola to Madagascar)[48][124] (syn. Diplodus sargus capensis)
• Zebra Diplodus cervinus hottentotus (Smith, 1844) (Cape Point to Sodwana Bay)[48][124]
• Janbruin Gymnocrotaphus curvidens Günther, 1859 (Cape Point to Durban)[48][124]
• West coast steenbras Lithognathus aureti Smith, 1962 (West coast; Cape Town to Angola)[48][124]
• White steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus (Cuvier, 1829) (Orange River to Durban)[48][124]
• Sand steenbras Lithognathus mormyrus (Linnaeus, 1758)(Mediterranean to the Cape of Good Hope and round to Mozambique)[48][124]
• Blue hottentot Pachymetopon aeneum (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (Cape Point to Sodwana Bay)[48][124]
• Hottentot Pachymetopon blochii (Valenciennes, 1830) (Angola to Cape Agulhas)[48][124]
• Red steenbras Petrus rupestris (Valenciennes, 1830) (Cape Point to Durban)[48][124]
• Panga Pterogymnus laniarius (Valenciennes, 1830) (Cape Point to Transkei)[124](Cape to Beira)[48]
• White stumpnose Rhabdosargus globiceps (Valenciennes, 1830) (Namibia to East London)[124](Angola to Natal)[48]
• Strepie Sarpa salpa (Linnaeus, 1758) (Cape Columbine to Maputo)[124](Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic round South Africa to southern Mozambique)[48]
• Musselcracker Sparodon durbanensis (Castelnau, 1861) (Cape Columbine to Durban)[48][124]
• Steentjie Spondyliosoma emarginatum (Valenciennes, 1830) (Saldanha Bay to Durban)[124]