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The fauna of Africa, in its broader sense, is all the
After that, four to six faunal assemblages, the so-called African Faunal Strata (AFSs) can be distinguished. The isolation of Africa was broken intermittently by discontinuous "filter routes" that linked it to some other Gondwanan continents (
animal
Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...
s living in Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
and its surrounding seas and islands. The more characteristic African fauna is found in the Afrotropical realm. Lying almost entirely within the tropics
The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the Equator. They are defined in latitude by the Tropic of Cancer in the Northern Hemisphere at N and the Tropic of Capricorn in
the Southern Hemisphere at S. The tropics are also referr ...
, and equally to north and south of the equator creates favourable conditions for rich wildlife. Africa is home to many of the world's most famous fauna in human culture such as lions‚ rhino
A rhinoceros (; ; ), commonly abbreviated to rhino, is a member of any of the five extant species (or numerous extinct species) of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. (It can also refer to a member of any of the extinct species o ...
s‚ cheetahs
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
‚ giraffes
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, '' Giraffa camelopardal ...
‚ antelope, hippo
The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant ...
s, leopards, zebra
Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. zebr ...
s‚ and African elephants among many others.
Origins and history of African fauna
Whereas the earliest traces of life in fossil record of Africa date back to the earliest times, the formation of African fauna as we know it today, began with the splitting up of the Gondwana supercontinent in the mid- Mesozoic era.
After that, four to six faunal assemblages, the so-called African Faunal Strata (AFSs) can be distinguished. The isolation of Africa was broken intermittently by discontinuous "filter routes" that linked it to some other Gondwanan continents (Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
, South America
South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the sout ...
, and perhaps India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
), but mainly to Laurasia. Interchanges with Gondwana were rare and mainly "out-of-Africa" dispersals, whereas interchanges with Laurasia were numerous and bidirectional, although mainly from Laurasia to Africa. Despite these connections, isolation resulted in remarkable absences, poor diversity, and emergence of endemic taxa in Africa. Madagascar separated from continental Africa during the break-up of Gondwanaland early in the Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of ...
, but was probably connected to the mainland again in the Eocene
The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...
.
The first Neogene faunal interchange took place in the Middle Miocene (the introduction of Myocricetodontinae, Democricetodontinae
The Democricetodontinae are a subfamily of fossil rodents from Miocene epoch.
The Democricetodontini were named as a paraphyletic taxon within the Cricetidae
The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroide ...
, and Dendromurinae
Dendromurinae is a subfamily of rodents in the family Nesomyidae and superfamily Muroidea. The dendromurines are currently restricted to Africa, as is the case for all extant members of the family Nesomyidae. The authorship of the subfamily h ...
). A major terrestrial faunal exchange between North Africa and Europe began at about 6.1 Ma, some 0.4 Myr before the beginning of the Messinian salinity crisis
The Messinian salinity crisis (MSC), also referred to as the Messinian event, and in its latest stage as the Lago Mare event, was a geological event during which the Mediterranean Sea went into a cycle of partial or nearly complete desiccation (d ...
(for example introduction of Murinae
The Old World rats and mice, part of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species. Members of this subfamily are called murines. In terms of species richness, this subfamily is larger than all mammal families excep ...
, immigrants from southern Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
)
During the early Tertiary
Tertiary ( ) is a widely used but obsolete term for the geologic period from 66 million to 2.6 million years ago.
The period began with the demise of the non-avian dinosaurs in the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, at the start ...
, Africa was covered by a vast evergreen forest inhabited by an endemic forest fauna with many types common to southern Asia. In the Pliocene
The Pliocene ( ; also Pleiocene) is the epoch in the geologic time scale that extends from 5.333 million to 2.58steppe fauna into Africa. At the beginning of the
There are large gaps in human knowledge about African invertebrates. East Africa has a rich coral fauna with about 400 known species. More than 400 species of Echinoderms and 500 species of
Approximately 100,000 species of insects have been described from Sub-Saharan Africa, but there are very few overviews of the fauna as a whole (it has been estimated that the African insects make up about 10-20% of the global insect species richness, and about 15% of new species descriptions come from Afrotropics). The only endemic African insect order is Mantophasmatodea.
About 875 African species of
Africa is the richest continent of freshwater fish, with about 3000 species. The East African Great Lakes (
The center of chameleon diversity is Madagascar. Snakes found in Africa include atractaspidids,
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene ( , often referred to as the ''Ice age'') is the geological epoch that lasted from about 2,580,000 to 11,700 years ago, spanning the Earth's most recent period of repeated glaciations. Before a change was finally confirmed in ...
a moist period set in and much of the forest was renewed while the grassland fauna was divided and isolated, as the forest fauna had previously been. The present forest fauna is therefore of double origin, partly descended of the endemic fauna and partly from steppe forms that adapted themselves to forest life, while the present savanna fauna is similarly explained. The isolation in past times has resulted in the presence of closely related subspecies in widely separated regions Africa, where humans originated, shows much less evidence of loss in the Pleistocene megafauna
Pleistocene megafauna is the set of large animals that lived on Earth during the Pleistocene epoch. Pleistocene megafauna became extinct during the Quaternary extinction event resulting in substantial changes to ecosystems globally. The role of ...
l extinction, perhaps because co-evolution
In biology, coevolution occurs when two or more species reciprocally affect each other's evolution through the process of natural selection. The term sometimes is used for two traits in the same species affecting each other's evolution, as well ...
of large animals alongside early humans provided enough time for them to develop effective defenses. Its situation in the tropics spared it also from Pleistocene glaciations
A glacial period (alternatively glacial or glaciation) is an interval of time (thousands of years) within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier advances. Interglacials, on the other hand, are periods of warmer climate betwe ...
and the climate has not changed much.
Invertebrates
There are large gaps in human knowledge about African invertebrates. East Africa has a rich coral fauna with about 400 known species. More than 400 species of Echinoderms and 500 species of Bryozoa
Bryozoa (also known as the Polyzoa, Ectoprocta or commonly as moss animals) are a phylum of simple, aquatic invertebrate animals, nearly all living in sedentary colonies. Typically about long, they have a special feeding structure called a ...
live there too, as well as one Cubozoa
Box jellyfish (class Cubozoa) are cnidarian invertebrates distinguished by their box-like (i.e. cube-shaped) body. Some species of box jellyfish produce potent venom delivered by contact with their tentacles. Stings from some species, including ...
n species ('' Carybdea alata''). Of Nematodes, the ''Onchocerca volvulus
''Onchocerca volvulus'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm) that causes onchocerciasis (river blindness), and is the second-leading cause of blindness due to infection worldwide after trachoma. It is one of the 20 neglected tr ...
'', ''Necator americanus
''Necator americanus'' is a species of hookworm (a type of helminth) commonly known as the New World hookworm. Like other hookworms, it is a member of the phylum Nematoda. It is an obligatory parasitic nematode that lives in the small intestine ...
'', ''Wuchereria bancrofti
''Wuchereria bancrofti'' is a filarial (arthropod-borne) nematode (roundworm) that is the major cause of lymphatic filariasis. It is one of the three parasitic worms, together with '' Brugia malayi'' and '' B. timori'', that infect the lymphat ...
'' and ''Dracunculus medinensis
''Dracunculus medinensis'', or Guinea worm, is a nematode that causes dracunculiasis, also known as guinea worm disease. The disease is caused by the female which, at up to in length, is among the longest nematodes infecting humans. In contr ...
'' are human parasites. Some of important plant-parasitic nematodes of crops include ''Meloidogyne
Root-knot nematodes are plant-parasitic nematodes from the genus ''Meloidogyne''. They exist in soil in areas with hot climates or short winters. About 2000 plants worldwide are susceptible to infection by root-knot nematodes and they cause appr ...
'', ''Pratylenchus
''Pratylenchus'' is a genus of nematodes known commonly as lesion nematodes.Crow, W. TAmaryllis lesion nematode, ''Pratylenchus hippeastri''.EENY-546. University of Florida IFAS. 2012. They are parasitic on plants and are responsible for root le ...
'', '' Hirschmanniella'', '' Radopholus'', '' Scutellonema'' and ''Helicotylenchus
''Helicotylenchus'' is a genus of nematodes in the family Hoplolaimidae. They are known generally as spiral nematodes.O'Bannon, J. H. and R. N. Inserra''Helicotylenchus'' species as crop damaging parasitic nematodes.Nematology Circular 165. Flori ...
''. Of the few Onychophora
Onychophora (from grc, ονυχής, , "claws"; and , , "to carry"), commonly known as velvet worms (due to their velvety texture and somewhat wormlike appearance) or more ambiguously as peripatus (after the first described genus, '' Peripatus ...
ns, '' Peripatopsis'' and '' Opisthopatus'' live in Africa. Greatest diversity of freshwater mollusks is found in East African lakes. Of marine snails, less diversity is present in Atlantic coast, more in tropical Western Indian Ocean region (over 3000 species of gastropods with 81 endemic species). Cowry
Cowrie or cowry () is the common name for a group of small to large sea snails, marine gastropod mollusks in the family Cypraeidae, the cowries.
The term ''porcelain'' derives from the old Italian term for the cowrie shell (''porcellana'') d ...
shells have been used as a money by native Africans. The land snail fauna is especially rich in Afromontane regions, and there are some endemic families in Africa (e.g. Achatinidae
Achatinidae (New Latin, from Greek "''agate''") is a family of medium to large sized tropical land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks from Africa.
Well known species include ''Achatina achatina'' the Giant African Snail, and ''Liss ...
, Chlamydephoridae) but other tropical families are common too (Charopidae
Charopidae is a taxonomic family of small air-breathing land snails (and semi-slugs such as '' Otoconcha dimidiata''), terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the superfamily Punctoidea.MolluscaBase eds. (2021). MolluscaBase. Charopidae Hu ...
, Streptaxidae, Cyclophoridae
Cyclophoridae is a taxonomic family of small to large tropical land snails with an operculum, terrestrial gastropod mollusks in the order Architaenioglossa belonging to the subclass Caenogastropoda (according to the taxonomy of the Gastropo ...
, Subulinidae
Subulininae is a subfamily of small tropical air-breathing land snails, terrestrial pulmonate gastropod mollusks in the family Achatinidae.
Distribution
Worldwide.
, Rhytididae
Rhytididae is a taxonomic family of medium-sized predatory air-breathing land snails, carnivorous terrestrial pulmonate gastropod molluscs in the superfamily Rhytidoidea. MolluscaBase eds. (2020). MolluscaBase. Rhytididae Pilsbry, 1893. Acces ...
).
156 tardigrade species have been found, and about 8000 species of arachnid
Arachnida () is a class of joint-legged invertebrate animals (arthropods), in the subphylum Chelicerata. Arachnida includes, among others, spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions, harvestmen, camel spiders, whip spiders and vinegar ...
s. The African millipede ''Archispirostreptus gigas
''Archispirostreptus gigas'', known as the giant African millipede or shongololo, is the largest extant species of millipede, growing up to in length, in circumference. It has approximately 256 legs, although the number of legs changes with eac ...
'' is one of the largest in the world. 20 genera of freshwater crabs are present.
The soil animal communities tropical Africa are poorly known. A few ecological studies have been undertaken on macrofauna, mainly in West Africa. Earthworms are being extensively studied in West and South Africa.
Insects
Approximately 100,000 species of insects have been described from Sub-Saharan Africa, but there are very few overviews of the fauna as a whole (it has been estimated that the African insects make up about 10-20% of the global insect species richness, and about 15% of new species descriptions come from Afrotropics). The only endemic African insect order is Mantophasmatodea.
About 875 African species of dragonflies
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of true dragonfly are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threa ...
have been recorded.
The migratory locust
The migratory locust (''Locusta migratoria'') is the most widespread locust species, and the only species in the genus ''Locusta''. It occurs throughout Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. It used to be common in Europe but has now become ...
and desert locust
The desert locust (''Schistocerca gregaria'') is a species of locust, a periodically swarming, short-horned grasshopper in the family Acrididae. They are found primarily in the deserts and dry areas of northern and eastern Africa, Arabia, and sou ...
have been serious threats to African economies and human welfare.
Africa has the biggest number of termite
Termites are small insects that live in colonies and have distinct castes (eusocial) and feed on wood or other dead plant matter. Termites comprise the infraorder Isoptera, or alternatively the epifamily Termitoidae, within the order Blatto ...
genera of all continents, and over 1,000 termite species.
Of Diptera, the number of described African species is about 17,000. Natalimyzidae, a new family of acalyptrate flies has been recently described from South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
. '' Anopheles gambiae'', ''Aedes aegypti
''Aedes aegypti'', the yellow fever mosquito, is a mosquito that can spread dengue fever, chikungunya, Zika fever, Mayaro and yellow fever viruses, and other disease agents. The mosquito can be recognized by black and white markings on its le ...
'' and Tsetse fly
Tsetse ( , or ) (sometimes spelled tzetze; also known as tik-tik flies), are large, biting flies that inhabit much of tropical Africa. Tsetse flies include all the species in the genus ''Glossina'', which are placed in their own family, Glos ...
are important vectors of diseases.
1600 species of bees and 2000 species of ant
Ants are eusocial insects of the family Formicidae and, along with the related wasps and bees, belong to the order Hymenoptera. Ants evolved from vespoid wasp ancestors in the Cretaceous period. More than 13,800 of an estimated total of ...
s among other Hymenopterans are known from Africa.
There live also 3,607 species of butterflies, being the best known group of insects. The caterpillars of mopani moth are part of the South African cuisine. Among the numerous species of African beetles are the famous sacred scarab, the centaurus beetle
''Augosoma centaurus'', the centaurus beetle, is a species of rhinoceros beetle found in tropical Africa, which measures about 40–90 mm. As common in many insect species, the male is larger than the female and usually two males will fight ...
, the manticora tiger beetle and enormous Goliath beetles.
Butterflies
Hotspots
Hotspot, Hot Spot or Hot spot may refer to:
Places
* Hot Spot, Kentucky, a community in the United States
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Hot Spot (comics), a name for the DC Comics character Isaiah Crockett
* Hot Spot (Tr ...
for butterflies include the Congolian forests
The Congolian rainforests are a broad belt of lowland tropical moist broadleaf forests which extend across the basin of the Congo River and its tributaries in Central Africa. They are the only major rainforests which absorb more carbon than they ...
and the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic
Guinea ( ),, fuf, 𞤘𞤭𞤲𞤫, italic=no, Gine, wo, Gine, nqo, ߖߌ߬ߣߍ߫, bm, Gine officially the Republic of Guinea (french: République de Guinée), is a coastal country in West Africa. It borders the Atlantic Ocean to the we ...
. Some butterflies ('' Hamanumida daedalus'', '' Precis'', ''Eurema
''Eurema'' is a widespread genus of grass yellow butterfly, butterflies in the family Pieridae.
Species range from Asia, Africa, Australia, and Oceania, to the New World. The type species is the North American barred yellow (''Eurema daira' ...
'') are grassland or savannah specialists. Many of these have very large populations and a vast range. South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...
has one of the highest proportions of Lycaenid butterflies (48%) for any region in the world with many species restricted in range. North Africa is in the Palaearctic region and has a different species assemblage.
Genera which are species rich in Africa include ''Charaxes
The rajah and pasha butterflies, also known as emperors in Africa and Australia, (genus ''Charaxes'') make up the huge type genus of the brush-footed butterfly subfamily Charaxinae, or leafwing butterflies. They belong to the tribe Charaxini, ...
'', ''Acraea
Acraea (Ancient Greek: means 'of the heights' from ''akraios'') was a name that had several uses in Greek and Roman mythology.
*Acraea, the naiad daughter of the river-god Asterion near Mycenae, who together with her sisters Euboea and Prosymn ...
'', '' Colotis'' and ''Papilio
''Papilio'' is a genus in the swallowtail butterfly family, Papilionidae, as well as the only representative of the tribe Papilionini. The word ''papilio'' is Latin for butterfly.
It includes the common yellow swallowtail (''Papilio machaon''), ...
'', most notably ''Papilio antimachus
''Papilio antimachus'', the African giant swallowtail, is a butterfly in the family Papilionidae. With a wingspan between , it is the largest butterfly in Africa and among the largest butterflies in the world. The wings are long and narrow and th ...
'' and '' Papilio zalmoxis''. The tribe Liptenini is endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to the Afrotropics and includes species rich genera such as ''Ornipholidotos
''Ornipholidotos'' is a genus of butterflies, commonly called glasswings or white mimics, in the family Lycaenidae. The species of this genus are endemic to the Afrotropical realm.
Species
* '' Ornipholidotos abriana'' Libert, 2005
* '' Orniph ...
'', ''Liptenara
''Liptenara'' is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. The three species of this genus are endemic to the Afrotropical realm.
Species
*''Liptenara batesi
''Liptenara batesi'' is a butterfly in the family Lycaenidae. It is found in ...
'', ''Pentila
''Pentila'' is a genus of butterflies, commonly called pentilas or buffs, in the family Lycaenidae. The species of this genus are endemic to the Afrotropics. For other butterflies called buffs, see genus '' Baliochila''.
Species
Listed alphabe ...
'', '' Baliochila'', ''Hypophytala
''Hypophytala'' is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae. The species of this genus are endemic to the Afrotropical realm.
Species
*''Hypophytala benitensis'' (Holland, 1890)
*''Hypophytala henleyi'' (Kirby, 1890)
*''Hypophytala hyetta ...
'', '' Teriomima'', ''Deloneura
''Deloneura'' is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae, endemic to the Afrotropics.
Species
*'' Deloneura abri'' Congdon & Collins, 1998
*'' Deloneura barca'' (Grose-Smith, 1901)
*'' Deloneura immaculata'' Trimen, 1868
*'' Deloneura mi ...
'' and '' Mimacraea''. The Miletinae
Miletinae is a subfamily of the family Lycaenidae of butterflies, commonly called harvesters and woolly legs, and virtually unique among butterflies in having predatory larvae. Miletinae are entirely aphytophagous (do not feed on plants). The eco ...
are mostly African, notably ''Lachnocnema
''Lachnocnema'', commonly called woolly legs, is a genus of butterflies in the family Lycaenidae found mainly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Identification requires dissection to reveal subtle genital distinctions.
Species
Listed alphabetically within s ...
''. Other endemic lycaenids include the genus ''Alaena
''Alaena'' is a genus of butterflies, commonly called Zulus, in the family Lycaenidae. They are endemic to the Afrotropics.
Species
Listed alphabetically:Euphaedra
''Euphaedra'' is a butterfly genus in the subfamily Limenitidinae. The species are confined to the Afrotropical realm mainly in the Guinean Forests of West Africa and the Congolian forests.
Description
''Euphaedra'' are large and showy butterfl ...
'', ''Bebearia
''Bebearia'' is a genus of brush-footed butterflies.
The species are confined to the Afrotropical realm, mainly in the Guinean Forests of West Africa and the Congolian forests.
The genus ''Bebearia'' closely resembles the allied genus '' Euphaed ...
'', '' Heteropsis'', '' Precis'', ''Pseudacraea
''Pseudacraea'' is an Afrotropical butterfly genus in the subfamily Limenitidinae. Their placement in the tribe Limenitidini remains to be verified.
Some of these species are mimics of Acraeinae and the present genus is thus known as false acra ...
'', '' Bicyclus'' and ''Euxanthe
''Euxanthe'' is a genus of butterflies in the subfamily Charaxinae.
Species
There are six species all found in Afrotropical forests. The popular name is forest queen.
*Subgenus ''Euxanthe'' Hübner, 819/small>
**'' Euxanthe crossleyi'' (Ward, ...
''. Endemic Pieridae include ''Pseudopontia paradoxa
''Pseudopontia paradoxa'' is a species of butterfly found only in wet forests of tropical Africa. It was traditionally thought to be the only species (monotypic) in the genus '' Pseudopontia'' and the subfamily Pseudopontiinae. However, a recent ...
'' and '' Mylothris''. Endemic skippers include '' Sarangesa''and '' Kedestes''. The highest species diversity
Species diversity is the number of different species that are represented in a given community (a dataset). The effective number of species refers to the number of equally abundant species needed to obtain the same mean proportional species abundan ...
is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
, home to 2,040 species 181 of which are endemic.
Fish
Africa is the richest continent of freshwater fish, with about 3000 species. The East African Great Lakes (Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
, Malawi
Malawi (; or aláwi Tumbuka: ''Malaŵi''), officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa that was formerly known as Nyasaland. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeas ...
, and Tanganyika
Tanganyika may refer to:
Places
* Tanganyika Territory (1916–1961), a former British territory which preceded the sovereign state
* Tanganyika (1961–1964), a sovereign state, comprising the mainland part of present-day Tanzania
* Tanzania Main ...
) are the center of biodiversity of many fish, especially cichlids (they harbor more than two-thirds of the estimated 2000 species in the family). The West African coastal rivers region covers only a fraction of West Africa, but harbours 322 of West African’s fish species, with 247 restricted to this area and 129 restricted even to smaller ranges. The central rivers fauna comprises 194 fish species, with 119 endemics and only 33 restricted to small areas. The marine diversity is greatest near the Indian Ocean shore with about 2000 species.
Characteristic to African fauna are Perciformes
Perciformes (), also called the Percomorpha or Acanthopteri, is an order or superorder of ray-finned fish. If considered a single order, they are the most numerous order of vertebrates, containing about 41% of all bony fish. Perciformes means ...
(''Lates
''Lates'' is a genus of freshwater and euryhaline lates perches belonging to the family Latidae. The generic name is also used as a common name, lates, for many of the species.
All species are predatory, and the Nile perch (''L. niloticus''), in ...
'', tilapia
Tilapia ( ) is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the coelotilapine, coptodonine, heterotilapine, oreochromine, pelmatolapiine, and tilapiine tribes (formerly all were "Tilapiini"), with the economically most ...
s, Dichistiidae
''Dichistius'' is a genus of perciform fishes, the galjoen fishes, native to the Atlantic coast of southern Africa (''D. capensis'') and the Indian Ocean coast of southern Africa (''D. multifasciatus''). Growing to lengths of (''D. capensis'') ...
, Anabantidae, Mudskippers, ''Parachanna
''Parachanna'' is a genus of snakeheads native to freshwater habitats in tropical Africa. Three recognized extant (living) species are in this genus, but a phylogenetic study from 2017 indicates that a fourth, currently undescribed species also ...
'', ''Acentrogobius
''Acentrogobius'' is a genus of gobies native to marine, fresh and brackish waters of the coasts of the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.
''Acentrogobius matsya'' is an otolith-based fossil species found in the Burdigalian (Miocene) Qu ...
'', '' Croilia'', ''Glossogobius
''Glossogobius'' is a genus of gobies native to fresh, brackish and marine waters from Africa to the coasts of the western Pacific Ocean. They are found in Madagascar, South Africa, Japan, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, the Philippin ...
'', '' Hemichromis'', ''Nanochromis
''Nanochromis'' is a genus of small cichlids endemic to the Congo River Basin in Central Africa.
Species
The genus ''Congochromis'' was split from ''Nanochromis'' in 2007. The following species remain in ''Nanochromis'':
* '' Nanochromis conso ...
'', '' Oligolepis'', ''Oreochromis
''Oreochromis'' is a large genus of oreochromine cichlids, fishes endemic to Africa and the Middle East. A few species from this genus have been introduced far outside their native range and are important in aquaculture. Many others have very ...
'', '' Redigobius'', ''Sarotherodon
''Sarotherodon'' is a genus of oreochromine cichlids that are native to the northern half of Africa (south as far as the Congo River basin), with a single species, ''S. galilaeus'', also ranging into the Levant. A couple of species from this ge ...
'', '' Stenogobius'' and others), Gonorhynchiformes (Kneriidae
The Kneriidae are a small family of freshwater gonorhynchiform fishes native to Africa.
They typically live in fast-flowing highland streams, and are small fish, no more than in length. Some species are sexually dimorphic, with the male posses ...
, Phractolaemidae
The hingemouth (''Phractolaemus ansorgii'') is a small freshwater fish that is found only in west central Africa, the sole member of the subfamily Phractolaeminae of the family Kneriidae.
The mouth can extend like a small trunk, thus the name, ...
), some lungfishes
Lungfish are freshwater vertebrates belonging to the order Dipnoi. Lungfish are best known for retaining ancestral characteristics within the Osteichthyes, including the ability to breathe air, and ancestral structures within Sarcopterygii, i ...
(''Protopterus
''Protopterus'' is the genus of four species of lungfish found in Africa. ''Protopterus'' was formerly thought to be the sole genus in the family Protopteridae, but more recent studies have classified it with ''Lepidosiren'' in the family Lepi ...
''), many Characiformes
Characiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising the characins and their allies. Grouped in 18 recognized families, more than 2000 different species are described, including the well-known piranha and tetras.; Buckup P.A.: "Relationsh ...
(Distichodontidae
The Distichodontidae are a family of African freshwater fishes of the order Characiformes.
Two evolutionary grades are found in this family; micropredators (predators of very small organisms like aquatic insect larvae) and herbivores have a nonp ...
, Hepsetidae
''Hepsetus'' is a genus of African fishes, the African pikes or African pike characins, in the order Characiformes. It is the sole genus in the family Hepsetidae. It was long believed that only a single widespread species existed, ''H. odoe'', b ...
, Citharinidae, Alestiidae), Osteoglossiformes
Osteoglossiformes (Greek: "bony tongues") is a relatively primitive order of ray-finned fish that contains two sub-orders, the Osteoglossoidei and the Notopteroidei. All of at least 245 living species inhabit freshwater. They are found in South ...
( African knifefish, Gymnarchidae
''Gymnarchus niloticus'' – commonly known as the ''aba'', ''aba aba'', frankfish, freshwater rat-tail, ''poisson-cheval'', or African knifefish – is an electric fish, and the only species in the genus ''Gymnarchus'' and the family Gymnarchid ...
, Mormyridae
The Mormyridae, sometimes called "elephantfish" (more properly freshwater elephantfish), are a family of weakly electric freshwater fish in the order Osteoglossiformes native to Africa. It is by far the largest family in the order with around 2 ...
, Pantodontidae), Siluriformes
Catfish (or catfishes; order Siluriformes or Nematognathi) are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the three largest species alive, ...
( Amphiliidae, Anchariidae
The Anchariidae are a family of catfishes containing two genera, '' Ancharius'' and '' Gogo'' with 6 species. Anchariids are a strictly freshwater group endemic to Madagascar. Anchariids are characterized by the presence of fringed barbels and a ...
, Ariidae
The Ariidae or ariid catfish are a family of catfish that mainly live in marine waters with many freshwater and brackish water species. They are found worldwide in tropical to warm temperate zones. The family includes about 143 species.
Taxonomy ...
, Austroglanididae
''Austroglanis'' is the only genus in the catfish family Austroglanididae. This family was split off from the Bagridae catfish family. All three species of catfishes in the family Austroglanididae are endemic to southern Africa (South Africa and ...
, Clariidae, Claroteidae
The Claroteidae are a family of catfish (order Siluriformes) found in Africa. This family was separated from Bagridae. However, the monophyly of the family is sometimes contested.
The 12 genera contain 86 known species of claroteids in two subfa ...
, Malapteruridae
Electric catfish or Malapteruridae is a family of catfishes (order Siluriformes). This family includes two genera, '' Malapterurus'' and '' Paradoxoglanis'', with 21 species. Several species of this family have the ability to generate electricit ...
, Mochokidae
The Mochokidae are a family of catfishes (order Siluriformes) that are known as the squeakers and upside-down catfish (although not all species swim upside-down). There are nine genera and about 200 species of mochokids. All the mochokids are fre ...
, Schilbeidae
Schilbeidae is a family of catfishes native to Africa and Asia. These fish tend to swim in open water.
Schilbid catfishes usually have dorsal fins with a short base and a spine, but '' Parailia'' lack a dorsal fin altogether. Most species also ...
), Osmeriformes
The Osmeriformes are an order of ray-finned fish that includes the true or freshwater smelts and allies, such as the galaxiids and noodlefishes; they are also collectively called osmeriforms. They belong to the teleost superorder Protacanthopt ...
(Galaxiidae
The Galaxiidae are a family of mostly small freshwater fish in the Southern Hemisphere. The majority live in Southern Australia or New Zealand, but some are found in South Africa, southern South America, Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia, and the ...
), Cyprinodontiformes
Cyprinodontiformes is an order of ray-finned fish, comprising mostly small, freshwater fish. Many popular aquarium fish, such as killifish and live-bearers, are included. They are closely related to the Atheriniformes and are occasionally inc ...
(Aplocheilidae
Aplocheilidae, the Asian killifishes or Asian rivulines, is a family of fish in the order Cyprinodontiformes found in Asia. Some authorities use this family-group name, which is well-established, for a single lumped aplocheiloid family as it giv ...
, Poeciliidae
The Poeciliidae are a family of freshwater fishes of the order Cyprinodontiformes, the tooth-carps, and include well-known live-bearing aquarium fish, such as the guppy, molly, platy, and swordtail. The original distribution of the family was t ...
) and Cypriniformes
Cypriniformes is an order of ray-finned fish, including the carps, minnows, loaches, and relatives. Cypriniformes is an Order within the Superorder Ostariophysi consisting of " Carp-like" Ostariophysins. This order contains 11-12 famili ...
(''Labeobarbus
''Labeobarbus'' is a mid-sized ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae. Its species are widely distributed throughout eastern Africa and especially southern Africa, but also in Lake Tana in Ethiopia. A common name, in particular for the s ...
'', ''Pseudobarbus
''Pseudobarbus'' is a ray-finned fish genus in the family Cyprinidae. The type species is Burchell's redfin (''P. burchelli''). The scientific name is derived from the Ancient Greek ''pseudes'' ("false") and the Latin word ''barbus'' ("beard", ...
'', ''Tanakia
''Tanakia'' is a genus of cyprinid fish, consisting of five species that occurs in Eastern Asia. The type species is the '' Tanakia limbata''.
Genus is named for Shigeho Tanaka (1878-1974), “accomplished” ichthyologist of the Imperial Unive ...
'' and others).
Amphibians
Endemic to Africa are the familiesArthroleptidae
The Arthroleptidae are a family of frogs found in sub-Saharan Africa. This group includes African treefrogs in the genus ''Leptopelis'' along with the terrestrial breeding squeakers '' Arthroleptis'', and several genera restricted to the Guinea ...
, Astylosternidae, Heleophrynidae, Hemisotidae
The shovelnose frogs are the species of frogs in the genus, ''Hemisus'', the only genus in the family Hemisotidae. They are found in tropical and subtropical sub-Saharan Africa. The shovelnose frogs are moderate-sized frogs, reaching a length o ...
, Hyperoliidae
The Hyperoliidae, or sedge frogs and bush frogs, are a large family of small to medium-sized, brightly colored frogs which contains more than 250 species in 19 genera. Seventeen genera are native to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, the monotypic ...
, Petropedetidae
The Petropedetidae are a family of frogs containing three genera and 12 species. They are found in sub-Saharan tropical Africa and are sometimes known under common name African torrent frogs.
They are inhabitants of the splash-water zone of cle ...
, Mantellidae. Also widespread are Bufonidae {{Cat main, Toad
This category contains both species commonly called toads, and the true toads from the family Bufonidae {{Cat main, Toad
This category
Category, plural categories, may refer to:
Philosophy and general uses
*Categorization, cat ...
(''Bufo
''Bufo'' is a genus of true toads in the amphibian family Bufonidae. As traditionally defined, it was a wastebasket genus containing a large number of toads from much of the world, but following taxonomic reviews most of these have been moved t ...
'', '' Churamiti'', ''Capensibufo
''Capensibufo'' is a genus of true toads commonly known as Cape toads or mountain toadlets. They are found in the Republic of South Africa from Breede River to north of Knysna, Western Cape Province
The Western Cape is a province of South A ...
'', ''Mertensophryne
''Mertensophryne'' is a genus of true toads (family Bufonidae). They are found in eastern and southern Democratic Republic of Congo to Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, southeastern Zimbabwe, and adjacent Mozambique. Their common names include snouted fr ...
'', ''Nectophryne
''Nectophryne'', or African tree toads, is a small genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, ...
'', ''Nectophrynoides
''Nectophrynoides'' is a genus of true toads, family Bufonidae. They are endemic to Eastern Arc forests and wetlands in Tanzania,Channing and Howell. (2006). ''Amphibians of East Africa.'' Pp. 104–117. and all except '' N. tornieri'' are thr ...
'', '' Schismaderma'', '' Stephopaedes'', ''Werneria
''Werneria'', also known as the torrent toads or smalltongue toads, is a small genus of "true toads", family Bufonidae. They are found in western Central Africa (Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Cameroon), with the greatest species richness in th ...
'', ''Wolterstorffina
''Wolterstorffina'', also known as Wolterstorff toads, is a genus of " true toads" (family Bufonidae) native to Nigeria and Cameroon. Its sister taxon is either genus '' Werneria'' or the clade ''Werneria''+'' Nectophryne''. The name of the genu ...
''), Microhylidae
The Microhylidae, commonly known as narrow-mouthed frogs, are a geographically widespread family of frogs. The 683 species are in 63 genera and 11 subfamilies, which is the largest number of genera of any frog family.
Evolution
A molecular phylo ...
('' Breviceps'', '' Callulina'', '' Probreviceps'', Cophylinae
Cophylinae is a subfamily of microhylid frogs endemic to Madagascar. It has over 100 species in eight genera. Members of this subfamily range from minute ( 100 mm adult body size), and they are highly ecologically diverse. DNA barcode res ...
, '' Dyscophus'', Melanobatrachinae
''Melanobatrachus'' is a genus of narrow-mouthed frogs in the family Microhylidae. It is the only remaining genus in the monotypic subfamily Melanobatrachinae. It contains a single species, ''Melanobatrachus indicus'', also known as the India ...
, Scaphiophryninae), Rhacophoridae
The Rhacophoridae are a family of frogs that occur in tropical sub-Saharan Africa, South India and Sri Lanka, Japan, northeastern India to eastern China and Taiwan, south through the Philippines and Greater Sundas, and Sulawesi. They are co ...
('' Chiromantis''), Ranidae (''Afrana
''Amietia'' is a genus of frogs, commonly known as large-mouthed frogs or river frogs, in the family Pyxicephalidae. They are Endemism, endemic to central and southern Africa. Formerly, the genus was named ''Afrana'' and was placed in the family ...
'', '' Amietia'', ''Amnirana
''Amnirana'' is a genus of frogs in the family Ranidae, "true frogs". The genus is primarily found in Sub-Saharan Africa, but one species occurs in parts of southern and southeastern Asia. Some of the African species are widespread but contain u ...
'', '' Aubria'', ''Conraua
''Conraua'', known as slippery frogs or giant frogs is a genus of large frogs from sub-Saharan Africa. ''Conraua'' is the only genus in the family Conrauidae. Alternatively, it may be placed in the family Petropedetidae.
This genus includes the ...
'', '' Hildebrandtia'', ''Lanzarana
''Lanzarana'' is a genus of frogs in the family Ptychadenidae. It is monotypic, being represented by the singles species, ''Lanzarana largeni'', commonly known as Lanza's frog.
''Lanzarana largeni'' is endemic to Somalia.
''Lanzarana largeni'' ...
'', '' Ptychadena'', '' Strongylopus'', ''Tomopterna
''Tomopterna'' (common names: sand frogs, burrowing frogs, Old World bullfrogs) is a genus of frogs from sub-Saharan Africa.
Species
The following species are recognised in the genus ''Tomopterna'':
* '' Tomopterna ahli'' (Deckert, 1938)
* '' T ...
'') and Pipidae ('' Hymenochirus'', '' Pseudhymenochirus'', ''Xenopus
''Xenopus'' () (Gk., ξενος, ''xenos''=strange, πους, ''pous''=foot, commonly known as the clawed frog) is a genus of highly aquatic frogs native to sub-Saharan Africa. Twenty species are currently described within it. The two best-know ...
'').
The 2002–2004 ‘Global Amphibian Assessment’ by IUCN, Conservation International and NatureServe revealed that for only about 50% of the Afrotropical amphibians, there is least concern about their conservation status; approximately 130 species are endangered, about one-fourth of which are at a critical stage. Almost all of the amphibians of Madagascar (238 species) are endemic to that region. The West African goliath frog
The goliath frog (''Conraua goliath''), otherwise known commonly as the giant slippery frog and the goliath bullfrog, is a species of frog in the family Conrauidae. The goliath frog is the largest living frog. Specimens can grow up to in lengt ...
is the largest frog species in the world.
Reptiles
The center of chameleon diversity is Madagascar. Snakes found in Africa include atractaspidids, elapids
Elapidae (, commonly known as elapids ; grc, ἔλλοψ ''éllops'' "sea-fish") is a family of snakes characterized by their permanently erect fangs at the front of the mouth. Most elapids are venomous, with the exception of the genus Emydocep ...
( cobras, '' Aspidelaps'', ''Boulengerina
''Boulengerina'' is a genus or subgenus of elapid venomous snakes known commonly as water cobras, so named because of their semiaquatic nature. The genus has two recognised species, which are native to central and southern Africa.
Taxonomy
Som ...
'', ''Dendroaspis
Mambas are fast moving highly venomous snakes of the genus ''Dendroaspis'' (which literally means "tree asp") in the family Elapidae. Four extant species are recognised currently; three of those four species are essentially arboreal and green ...
'', ''Elapsoidea
''Elapsoidea'' is a genus of venomous elapid snakes commonly known as African garter snakes. Despite the common name, they are unrelated to the harmless North American garter snake species.
Species
The following ten species are recognized as be ...
'', '' Hemachatus'', '' Homoroselaps'' and '' Paranaja''), viperines, (''Atheris
''Atheris'' is a genus of vipers known as bush vipers.Spawls S, Branch B (1995). ''The Dangerous Snakes of Africa''. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. . They are found only in tropical subsaharan Africa (excluding southern Afri ...
'', ''Bitis
''Bitis'' is a genus of venomous vipers found in Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. It includes the largest and the smallest vipers in the world. Members are known for their characteristic threat displays that involve inflating and defl ...
'', ''Cerastes
The cerastes (Greek: κεράστης, transliteration: ''kerastēs'', meaning "having horns"Causus
''Causus'' is a genus of vipers found only in sub-Saharan Africa. It is a group considered to be among the most primitive members of the family Viperidae based on head scalation, oviparity, venom apparatus, and because they have round pupils. Ho ...
'', ''Echis
''Echis'' (common names: saw-scaled vipers, carpet vipersSpawls S, Branch B. 1995. ''The Dangerous Snakes of Africa''. Dubai: Ralph Curtis Books. Oriental Press. 192 pp. .) is a genus of vipers found in the dry regions of Africa, the Middle E ...
'', '' Macrovipera'', '' Montatheris'', ''Proatheris
''Proatheris'' (commonly referred to as the lowland viper and swamp viper among other names) is a monotypic genus created for the viper species, ''Proatheris superciliaris''. This is a small terrestrial species endemic to East Africa. Like all ...
'', '' Vipera''), colubrid
Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from la, coluber, 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest species of the family date back to the Oligocene epoch. Colubrid snakes are found on ev ...
s (''Dendrolycus
The Cameroon rainforest snake (''Dendrolycus elapoides'') is a species of snake. It is monotypical of the genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as ...
'', ''Dispholidus
''Dispholidus'' is a genus of reptiles belonging to the family Colubridae.Gonionotophis'', '' Grayia'', '' Hormonotus'', ''
There live (temporarily or permanently) more than 2600
More than 1100 mammal species live in Africa.
Africa has three endemic orders of mammals, the
''African Invertebrates''''African Fauna''''FAUNA(French)FRI - A tool to assess and monitor the distribution of fresh and brackish waters fish species in Africa''''PPEAO - An information system on fish communities and artisanal fisheries in estuarine and lagoon ecosystems in West Africa (in French)''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fauna Of Africa Afrotropical realm fauna
Lamprophis
''Lamprophis'' is a genus of medium-sized, nonvenomous snakes commonly referred to as African house snakes, in the family Lamprophiidae.
Description
Species of ''Lamprophis'' exhibit a wide variety of pattern variation, and may be spotted, strip ...
'', '' Psammophis'', '' Leioheterodon'', '' Madagascarophis'', ''Poecilopholis
The Cameroon racer, ''Poecilopholis cameronensis'', is a species of rear-fanged venomous snake endemic to Africa. ''Poecilopholis'' is a monotypic genus created for this species.
Geographic range
As the specific name implies, ''Poecilopholis ca ...
'', '' Dasypeltis'' etc.), the pythonids (''Python
Python may refer to:
Snakes
* Pythonidae, a family of nonvenomous snakes found in Africa, Asia, and Australia
** ''Python'' (genus), a genus of Pythonidae found in Africa and Asia
* Python (mythology), a mythical serpent
Computing
* Python (pro ...
''), typhlopids (''Typhlops
''Typhlops'' is a genus of blind snakes in the family Typhlopidae. The genus is endemic to the West Indies. Some species which were formerly placed in the genus ''Typhlops'' have been moved to the genera ''Afrotyphlops, Amerotyphlops, Anilios, ...
'') and leptotyphlopids ('' Leptotyphlops'', ''Rhinoleptus
''Rhinoleptus koniagui'', also known commonly as Villiers's blind snake, is a species of snake in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The species, which is indigenous to West Africa, is monotypic in the genus ''Rhinoleptus''. It is among the smallest ...
'').
Of the lizards, many species of geckos (day gecko
''Phelsuma'' is a large genus of geckos in the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae. Species in the genus ''Phelsuma'' are commonly referred to as day geckos.
Some day geckos are seriously endangered and some are common, but all ''Phelsuma'' spec ...
s, '' Afroedura'', '' Afrogecko'', '' Colopus'', ''Pachydactylus
''Pachydactylus'' is a genus of insectivorous geckos, lizards in the family Gekkonidae. The genus is endemic to Africa, and member species are commonly known as thick-toed geckos. The genus also displays rich speciation, having 57 distinct spec ...
'', ''Hemidactylus
__NOTOC__
''Hemidactylus'' is a genus of the common gecko family, Gekkonidae. It has 189 described species, newfound ones being described every few years. These geckos are found in all the tropical regions of the world, extending into the subtrop ...
'', ''Narudasia
Narudasia is a monotypic genus of geckos endemic to Namibia better known as festive gecko.
*Festive gecko (''Narudasia festiva'') is a Diurnal animal, diurnal, rock-dwelling gecko, reaching 2 to 3 inches in length, that lives on small insects. ...
'', ''Paroedura
''Paroedura'' (Madagascar ground geckos) is a genus of geckos, Endemism, endemic to Madagascar and the Comoros. These geckos are typically Terrestrial animal, terrestrial, though the young of most species can climb until they are too heavy for th ...
'', '' Pristurus'', ''Quedenfeldtia
''Quedenfeldtia'' is a small genus containing two attractive lizard species, both Common name, commonly known as the Atlas day gecko, in the Family (biology), family Sphaerodactylidae. The genus is Endemism, endemic to the Atlas Mountains of nor ...
'', '' Rhoptropus'', ''Tropiocolotes
''Tropiocolotes'' is a genus of geckos, lizards in the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae. The genus is native to North Africa and the Middle East. Species in the genus ''Tropiocolotes'' grow to a total length (including tail) of about . They ar ...
'', ''Uroplatus
''Uroplatus'' is a genus of geckos, commonly referred to as leaf-tail geckos or flat-tailed geckos, which are endemic to Madagascar and its coastal islands, such as Nosy Be. They are nocturnal, insectivorous lizards found exclusively in prim ...
''), Cordylidae
Cordylidae is a family of small- to medium-sized lizards that occur in southern and eastern Africa. They are commonly known as girdled lizards, spinytail lizards, or girdle-tail lizards.
Cordylidae is closely related to the family Gerrhosauridae ...
, as well as Lacertidae (''Nucras
''Nucras'' is a genus of African lacertid lizards, commonly called sandveld lizards.
Species
The following 13 species are recognized as being valid.
*''Nucras aurantiaca''
*'' Nucras boulengeri'' - Uganda savannah lizard, Boulenger's scrub l ...
'', ''Lacerta
Lacerta is one of the 88 modern constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union. Its name is Latin for lizard. A small, faint constellation, it was defined in 1687 by the astronomer Johannes Hevelius. Its brightest stars form a "W" ...
'', '' Mesalina'', '' Acanthodactylus'', '' Pedioplanis''), Agamas
Religion
*Āgama (Buddhism), a collection of Early Buddhist texts
*Āgama (Hinduism), scriptures of several Hindu sects
*Jain literature (Jain Āgamas), various canonical scriptures in Jainism
Other uses
* ''Agama'' (lizard), a genus of lizards ...
, skinks, plated lizards and some monitor lizards are common. There are 12 genera and 58 species of African amphisbaenians (e.g. ''Chirindia
''Chirindia'' is a genus of amphisbaenians in the family Amphisbaenidae. Commonly known as pink round-headed worm lizards, species in the genus ''Chirindia'' are native to East Africa and southern Africa, from Tanzania to South Africa. They are ...
'', '' Zygaspis'', '' Monopeltis'', '' Dalophia'').
Several genera of tortoise
Tortoises () are reptiles of the family Testudinidae of the order Testudines (Latin: ''tortoise''). Like other turtles, tortoises have a shell to protect from predation and other threats. The shell in tortoises is generally hard, and like oth ...
s (''Kinixys
''Kinixys'' is a genus of turtles in the family Testudinidae. The genus was erected by Thomas Bell in 1827. The species in the genus ''Kinixys'' are native to Sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar and commonly known as hinged tortoises or hinge-ba ...
'', ''Pelusios
''Pelusios'' is a genus of African side-necked turtles. With 17 described species, it is one of the most diverse genera of the turtle order (Testudines).
Etymology
The Latin name ''Pelusios'' means "mud" or "clay", and this is reflected by the ...
'', ''Psammobates
''Psammobates'' is a genus of tortoise erected by Leopold Fitzinger in 1835. This genus contains three species, all of which are indigenous to southern Africa.
'', ''Geochelone
''Geochelone'' is a genus of tortoises.
''Geochelone'' tortoises, which are also known as typical tortoises or terrestrial turtles, can be found in southern Asia. They primarily eat plants. Species
The genus consists of two extant species:
A ...
'', ''Homopus
''Homopus'' is a genus of tiny tortoises in the family Testudinidae, endemic to southern Africa. Three species have been moved to the genus Chersobius.
Naming
As a group, these closely related species are commonly known in Europe and Africa a ...
'', '' Chersina''), turtles (Pelomedusidae
:''Alternatively, "Pelomedusidae" may refer to the Pelomedusoidea. See below for details.''
Pelomedusidae is a family of freshwater turtles endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, including Madagascar, São Tomé, and the Seychelles(Although this pop. ma ...
, '' Cyclanorbis'', ''Cycloderma
''Cycloderma'' is a genus of softshell turtles in the subfamily Cyclanorbinae of the family Trionychidae. The genus is endemic to Africa.
Species
The genus ''Cycloderma'' contains the following extant species:
* Aubry's flapshell turtle – '' ...
'', ''Erymnochelys
The Madagascan big-headed turtle (''Erymnochelys madagascariensis'') is a turtle native to the waters of permanent slow moving rivers and lakes in western Madagascar. These turtles are critically endangered and have been evaluated to be the most ...
''), and 5-7 species of crocodiles (the Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile (''Crocodylus niloticus'') is a large crocodilian native to freshwater habitats in Africa, where it is present in 26 countries. It is widely distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa, occurring mostly in the central, eastern, ...
, the West African crocodile
The West African crocodile, desert crocodile, or sacred crocodile (''Crocodylus suchus'') is a species of crocodile related to – and often confused with – the larger and more aggressive Nile crocodile (''C. niloticus'').
Taxonomy
Compared ...
, two species of slender-snouted crocodile, and 1-3 species of dwarf crocodile) are also present.
Birds
There live (temporarily or permanently) more than 2600 bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
species in Africa (about 1500 of them passerine
A passerine () is any bird of the order Passeriformes (; from Latin 'sparrow' and '-shaped'), which includes more than half of all bird species. Sometimes known as perching birds, passerines are distinguished from other orders of birds by th ...
s). Some 114 of them are threatened species.
The Afrotropic has various endemic bird
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweig ...
families, including ostrich
Ostriches are large flightless birds of the genus ''Struthio'' in the order Struthioniformes, part of the infra-class Palaeognathae, a diverse group of flightless birds also known as ratites that includes the emus, rheas, and kiwis. There ...
es (Struthionidae), mesites, sunbird
Sunbirds and spiderhunters make up the family Nectariniidae of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from the Old World, usually with downward-curved bills. Many are brightly coloured, often with iridescent feathers, particularly ...
s, secretary bird
The secretarybird or secretary bird (''Sagittarius serpentarius'') is a large, mostly terrestrial bird of prey. Endemic to Africa, it is usually found in the open grasslands and savanna of the sub-Saharan region. John Frederick Miller describe ...
(Sagittariidae), guineafowl
Guineafowl (; sometimes called "pet speckled hens" or "original fowl") are birds of the family Numididae in the order Galliformes. They are endemic to Africa and rank among the oldest of the gallinaceous birds. Phylogenetically, they branched ...
(Numididae), and mousebird
The mousebirds are birds in the order Coliiformes. They are the sister group to the clade Eucavitaves, which includes the Leptosomiformes (the cuckoo roller), Trogoniformes (trogons), Bucerotiformes (hornbills and hoopoes), Piciformes (wood ...
s (Coliidae). Also, several families of passerines are limited to the Afrotropics. These include rock-jumpers (Chaetopidae), bushshrikes (Malaconotidae), wattle-eye
Platysteiridae is a family of small, stout passerine birds of the African tropics. The family contains the wattle-eyes, batises and shrike-flycatchers. They were previously classed as a subfamily of the Old World flycatchers, Muscicapidae. Thes ...
s, (Platysteiridae) and rockfowl (Picathartidae). Other common birds include parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines (), are birds of the roughly 398 species in 92 genera comprising the order Psittaciformes (), found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three superfamilies: the Psittacoide ...
s (lovebird
Lovebird is the common name for the genus ''Agapornis'', a small group of parrots in the Old World parrot family Psittaculidae. Of the nine species in the genus, all are native to the African continent, with the grey-headed lovebird being native ...
s, ''Poicephalus
The genus ''Poicephalus'' belongs to the subfamily Psittacinae of the true parrots (Psittacidae) and comprises ten species of parrots native to various regions of the Afrotropical realm, which encompasses Sub-Saharan Africa, ranging from Sene ...
'', ''Psittacus
''Psittacus'' is a genus of African grey parrots in the subfamily Psittacinae. It contains the two species: the grey parrot (''Psittacus erithacus'') and the Timneh parrot (''Psittacus timneh'').
For many years, the grey parrot and Timneh p ...
''), various cranes ( crowned cranes, blue crane
The blue crane (''Grus paradisea''), also known as the Stanley crane and the paradise crane, is the national bird of South Africa. The species is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.
Description
The blue crane is a tall, ground-dwelling bird, ...
, wattled crane
The wattled crane (''Grus carunculata'') is a large bird found in Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. It is sometimes placed in the monotypic genus ''Bugeranus''.
Taxonomy
The first formal description of the wattled crane was by the German nat ...
), storks ( marabous, Abdim's stork
Abdim's stork (''Ciconia abdimii''), also known as the white-bellied stork, is a stork belonging to the family Ciconiidae. It is the smallest species of stork, feeds mostly on insects, and is found widely in open habitats in Sub-Saharan Africa a ...
, saddle-billed stork
The saddle-billed stork or saddlebill (''Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis'') is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa from Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya south ...
), herons (slaty egret
The slaty egret (''Egretta vinaceigula'') is a small, dark egret. It is one of the species to which the ''Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds'' (AEWA) applies. It is classified as Vulnerable, the biggest thre ...
, black heron, goliath heron
The Goliath heron (''Ardea goliath''), also known as the giant heron, is a very large wading bird of the heron family, Ardeidae. It is found in sub-Saharan Africa, with smaller, declining numbers in Southwest and South Asia.
Description
This ...
), shoebill
The shoebill (''Balaeniceps rex'') also known as the whalebill, whale-headed stork or shoe-billed stork, is a very large long-legged wading bird. It derives its name from its enormous shoe-shaped bill. It has a somewhat stork-like overall form ...
, bustard
Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large, terrestrial birds living mainly in dry grassland areas and on the steppes of the Old World. They range in length from . They make up the family Otididae (, formerly known as Otidae). Bustar ...
s (kori bustard
The kori bustard (''Ardeotis kori'') is the largest flying bird native to Africa. It is a member of the bustard family, which all belong to the order Otidiformes and are restricted in distribution to the Old World. It is one of the four species ( ...
, ''Neotis
''Neotis'' is a bird genus in the family Otididae
Bustards, including floricans and korhaans, are large, terrestrial birds living mainly in dry grassland areas and on the steppes of the Old World. They range in length from . They make up the ...
'', ''Eupodotis
''Eupodotis'' is a genus of bird in the bustard family Otididae. It contains the five species, all restricted to Africa. Species in the genera '' Afrotis'' and '' Lophotis'' are sometimes included in this genus; however some authorities separate ...
'', ''Lissotis
''Lissotis'' is a genus of bird in the bustard family, Otididae. Some authorities, such as the IUCN, consider it part of '' Eupodotis''; the separation adopted here follows the ''Handbook of the Birds of the World''.
It contains the following sp ...
''), sandgrouse
Sandgrouse is the common name for Pteroclidae , a family of sixteen species of bird, members of the order Pterocliformes . They are traditionally placed in two genera. The two central Asian species are classified as '' Syrrhaptes'' and the othe ...
(''Pterocles
''Pterocles '' is a genus of near passerine birds in the sandgrouse family. It includes all the species in the family except for two central Asian species in '' Syrrhaptes''
These sandgrouse have small, pigeon-like heads and necks, but sturdy co ...
''), Coraciiformes
The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful birds including the kingfishers, the bee-eaters, the rollers, the motmots, and the todies. They generally have syndactyly, with three forward-pointing toes (and toes 3 & 4 fused at their base) ...
(bee-eater
The bee-eaters are a group of non-passerine birds in the family Meropidae, containing three genera and thirty species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by ...
s, hornbills
Hornbills (Bucerotidae) are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly coloured and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandibl ...
, ''Ceratogymna
''Ceratogymna'' is a genus of large, primarily frugivorous hornbills (family Bucerotidae) found in the humid forests of Central and West Africa. They are sexually dimorphic: males are all black, while females have brown heads and a smaller casqu ...
''), phasianid
The Phasianidae are a family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular gamebirds. The family is a large one and i ...
s (francolin
Francolins are birds in the tribe Gallini that traditionally have been placed in the genus ''Francolinus'', but now commonly are divided into multiple genera.
As previously defined, they were paraphyletic as the genus '' Pternistis'', which wa ...
s, Congo peafowl
The Congo peafowl (''Afropavo congensis''), also known as the African peafowl or ''mbulu'' by the Bakôngo, is a species of peafowl native to the Congo Basin. It is one of three peafowl species and the only member of the subfamily Pavoninae nat ...
, blue quail, harlequin quail
The harlequin quail (''Coturnix delegorguei'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It occurs in sub-Saharan Africa and in the Arabian Peninsula.Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sull ...
, stone partridge, Madagascar partridge
The Madagascar partridge (''Margaroperdix madagarensis'') is a species of bird in the family Phasianidae. It is widespread across Madagascar (except extreme south). It has been introduced to Réunion.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tro ...
). The woodpeckers and allies include honeyguide
Honeyguides (family Indicatoridae) are near passerine birds in the order Piciformes. They are also known as indicator birds, or honey birds, although the latter term is also used more narrowly to refer to species of the genus '' Prodotiscus''. Th ...
s, African barbets, African piculet, ground woodpecker, ''Dendropicos
''Dendropicos'' is a genus of woodpeckers in the family Picidae. They are small woodpeckers that are native to the sub-Saharan woodlands and forests.
Taxonomy
The genus ''Dendropicos'' was introduced by the French ornithologist, Alfred Malherbe ...
'' and '' Campethera''. The birds of prey include the buzzard
Buzzard is the common name of several species of birds of prey.
''Buteo'' species
* Archer's buzzard (''Buteo archeri'')
* Augur buzzard (''Buteo augur'')
* Broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'')
* Common buzzard (''Buteo buteo'')
* Eastern ...
s, harriers, Old World vulture
Old World vultures are vultures that are found in the Old World, i.e. the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and which belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks.
Old World vultures are not cl ...
s, bateleur
The bateleur (; ''Terathopius ecaudatus'') is a medium-sized eagle in the family Accipitridae. It is often considered a relative of the snake eagles and, like them, it is classified within the subfamily Circaetinae.Kemp, A. C., G. M. Kirwan, ...
, ''Circaetus
''Circaetus'', the snake eagles, is a genus of medium-sized eagles in the bird of prey family Accipitridae. They are mainly resident African species, but the migratory short-toed snake eagle breeds from the Mediterranean basin into Russia, the ...
'', ''Melierax
''Melierax'' is a genus of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. Established by George Robert Gray in 1840, it contains the following species:
The name ''Melierax'' is a combination of the Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, fr ...
'' and others. Trogon
The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family Trogonidae contains 46 species in seven genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the Early E ...
s are represented by one genus ('' Apaloderma''). African penguin is the only penguin species. Madagascar was once home to the now extinct elephant bird
Elephant birds are members of the extinct ratite family Aepyornithidae, made up of flightless birds that once lived on the island of Madagascar. They are thought to have become extinct around 1000-1200 CE, probably as a result of human activity. ...
s.
Africa is home to numerous songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 5000 ...
s (pipit
The pipits are a cosmopolitan genus, ''Anthus'', of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. Along with the wagtails and longclaws, the pipits make up the family Motacillidae. The genus is widespread, occurring across most of the world, ...
s, orioles, antpeckers, brubru
The brubru (''Nilaus afer'') is a species of bushshrike (family Malaconotidae) found in most of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus ''Nilaus''.
Distribution and habitat
Its habitat is dry open woodland, but varies geographica ...
s, cisticola
__NOTOC__
Cisticolas (pronounced ''sis-TIC-olas'') are a genus of very small insectivorous birds formerly classified in the Old World warbler family Sylviidae, but now usually considered to be in the separate family Cisticolidae, along with other ...
s, nigrita
Nigrita ( el, Νιγρίτα) is a town and a former municipality in the Serres regional unit, Macedonia, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Visaltia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The ...
s, olivebacks, pytilia
Pytilia is a genus of small brightly coloured seed-eating birds in the family Estrildidae. They are distributed across Africa.
Taxonomy
The genus ''Pytilia'' was introduced in 1837 by the English naturalist William John Swainson for the red-win ...
s, green-backed twinspot
The green-backed twinspot or green twinspot (''Mandingoa nitidula'') is an estrildid finch found in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The IUCN has classified the species as being of least concern.
Subspecies
The green-backed twinspot has four ...
, crimson-wings, seedcrackers, bluebill
The bluebills are the genus ''Spermophaga '' of the estrildid finches family. These birds are found in tropical Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3&nb ...
s, firefinch
The firefinches form a genus, ''Lagonosticta'', of small seed-eating African birds in the family Estrildidae.
The genus was introduced by the German ornithologists Jean Cabanis in 1851. The type species was subsequently designated as the Africa ...
es, waxbills, amandava
''Amandava'' is a genus of the estrildid finches. These birds are found in dense grass or scrub in Africa and South Asia. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, red bills. In earlier literature, ''amadavat'' and ''amidavad'' have been used. ...
s, quailfinch
The quailfinch (''Ortygospiza atricollis'') is a species of the estrildid finch. It is found in open grasslands in Africa. They are gregarious seed-eaters with short, thick, red bills. They are very terrestrial, with lark-like feet and claws.
...
es, munia
''Lonchura'' is a genus of the estrildid finch family, and includes munias (or minias) and mannikins. They are seedeating birds that are found in South Asia from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka east to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippin ...
s, weavers
Weaver or Weavers may refer to:
Activities
* A person who engages in weaving fabric
Animals
* Various birds of the family Ploceidae
* Crevice weaver spider family
* Orb-weaver spider family
* Weever (or weever-fish)
Arts and entertainmen ...
, tit-hylia, '' Amadina'', ''Anthoscopus
''Anthoscopus'' is a genus of birds in the penduline tit family Remizidae. The genus is restricted to Sub-Saharan Africa, where it ranges from the Sahel to South Africa. Unlike many of the Eurasian penduline, these species are not generally bird ...
'', ''Mirafra
''Mirafra'' is a genus of lark in the family Alaudidae. Some ''Mirafra'' species are called "larks", while others are called "bush larks". They are found from Africa through South Asia to Australia.
Taxonomy and systematics
The phylogeny of lark ...
'', '' Hypargos'', ''Eremomela
The eremomelas are a genus, ''Eremomela'', of passerines in the cisticola family Cisticolidae. The genus was previously placed with the larger Old World warbler family Sylviidae prior to that genus being broken up into several families. The genus ...
'', ''Euschistospiza
''Euschistospiza'' is a genus of birds in the family Estrildidae, found in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sub-Saharan Africa is, geographically, the area and regions of the continent of Africa that lies south of the Sahara. These include West Africa ...
'', '' Erythrocercus'', ''Malimbus
''Malimbus'' is a genus of birds in the family Ploceidae. It was erected by the French ornithologist Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot in 1805.
The genus contains the following ten species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classificat ...
'', ''Pitta
Pittas are a family, Pittidae, of passerine birds found in Asia, Australasia and Africa. There are thought to be 40 to 42 species of pittas, all similar in general appearance and habits. The pittas are Old World suboscines, and their closest ...
'', ''Uraeginthus
''Uraeginthus'' is a genus of small seed-eating birds in the family Estrildidae that are found in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The genus was introduced by the German ornithologist Jean Cabanis in 1851. The type species was subsequently designated as the ...
'', pied crow
The pied crow (''Corvus albus'') is a widely distributed African bird species in the crow genus.
Structurally, the pied crow is better thought of as a small crow-sized raven, especially as it can hybridise with the Somali crow (dwarf raven) whe ...
, white-necked raven
The white-necked raven (''Corvus albicollis'') is somewhat smaller (50–54 cm in length) than the common raven or its nearest relative, the thick-billed raven ''C. crassirostris''. It is native to eastern and southern Africa.
Descriptio ...
, thick-billed raven
The thick-billed raven (''Corvus crassirostris''), a corvid from the Horn of Africa, shares with the common raven the distinction of being the largest bird in the corvid family, and indeed the largest of the passerines. The thick-billed raven a ...
, Cape crow
The Cape crow or black crow (''Corvus capensis'') is slightly larger (48–50 cm in length) than the carrion crow and is completely black with a slight gloss of purple in its feathers. It has proportionately longer legs, wings and tail too an ...
and others). The red-billed quelea
The red-billed quelea (; ''Quelea quelea''), also known as the red-billed weaver or red-billed dioch, is a small—approximately long and weighing —migratory, sparrow-like bird of the weaver family, Ploceidae, native to Sub-Saharan Africa.
...
is the most abundant bird species in the world.
Of the 589 species of birds (excluding seabirds) that breed in the Palaearctic
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is the largest of the eight biogeographic realms of the Earth. It stretches across all of Eurasia north of the foothills of the Himalayas, and North Africa.
The realm consists of several bioregions: the Euro-Sibe ...
(temperate Europe and Asia), 40% spend the winter elsewhere. Of those species that leave for the winter, 98% travel south to Africa.
See also: Endemic birds of southern Africa.
Mammals
More than 1100 mammal species live in Africa.
Africa has three endemic orders of mammals, the Tubulidentata
Orycteropodidae is a family of afrotherian mammals. Although there are many fossil species, the only species surviving today is the aardvark, ''Orycteropus afer''. Orycteropodidae is recognized as the only family within the order Tubulidentata ...
(aardvark
The aardvark ( ; ''Orycteropus afer'') is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa. It is the only living species of the order Tubulidentata, although other prehistoric species and genera of Tubulidentata are known. Unlik ...
s), Afrosoricida
The order Afrosoricida (a Latin-Greek compound name which means "looking like African shrews") contains the golden moles of Southern Africa, the otter shrews of equatorial Africa and the tenrecs of Madagascar. These three families of small mamm ...
(tenrec
A tenrec is any species of mammal within the afrotherian family Tenrecidae endemic to Madagascar. Tenrecs are wildly diverse; as a result of convergent evolution some resemble hedgehogs, shrews, opossums, rats, and mice. They occupy aquatic, a ...
s and golden mole
Golden moles are small insectivorous burrowing mammals endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa. They comprise the family Chrysochloridae and as such they are taxonomically distinct from the true moles, family Talpidae, and other mole-like families, all ...
s), and Macroscelidea (elephant shrew
Elephant shrews, also called jumping shrews or sengis, are small insectivorous mammals native to Africa, belonging to the family Macroscelididae, in the order Macroscelidea. Their traditional common English name "elephant shrew" comes from a perc ...
s). The current mammalian phylogeny recognizes the clade Afrotheria
Afrotheria ( from Latin ''Afro-'' "of Africa" + ''theria'' "wild beast") is a clade of mammals, the living members of which belong to groups that are either currently living in Africa or of African origin: golden moles, elephant shrews (also k ...
(often viewed as a superorder), which includes the exclusively African orders, as well as others believed to be of African origin. The East African plains are well known for their diversity of large mammals.
African Eulipotyphla
Eulipotyphla (, which means "truly fat and blind") is an order of mammals suggested by molecular methods of phylogenetic reconstruction, which includes the laurasiatherian members of the now-invalid polyphyletic order Lipotyphla, but not the ...
include the subfamilies Myosoricinae
According to the current taxonomy, the Myosoricinae are a subfamily of shrews. As such, they form one of three main types of shrews, the other two being the red-toothed shrews and the white-toothed shrews. They are the only one of the three to ...
and Crocidurinae
The white-toothed shrews or Crocidurinae are one of three subfamilies of the shrew family Soricidae.
The outer layer of these shrews' teeth is white, unlike that of the red-toothed shrews. These species are typically found in Africa and souther ...
. Hedgehog
A hedgehog is a spiny mammal of the subfamily Erinaceinae, in the eulipotyphlan family Erinaceidae. There are seventeen species of hedgehog in five genera found throughout parts of Europe, Asia, and Africa, and in New Zealand by introductio ...
s include desert hedgehog
The desert hedgehog (''Paraechinus aethiopicus'') is a species of mammal in the family Erinaceidae.
Basic facts
The desert hedgehog is one of the smallest of hedgehogs. It is long and weighs about . The quills (or spines to give their corre ...
s, ''Atelerix
''Atelerix'' is a genus of hedgehog in the family Erinaceidae. It contains four species, all native to Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million ...
'' and others. The rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents. They are n ...
s are represented by African bush squirrels, African ground squirrels, African striped squirrels, gerbil
The Mongolian gerbil or Mongolian jird (''Meriones unguiculatus'') is a small rodent belonging to the subfamily Gerbillinae. Their body size is typically , with a tail, and body weight , with adult males larger than females. The animal is us ...
s, cane rat
The genus ''Thryonomys'', also known as the cane rats or grasscutters, is a genus of rodent found throughout Africa south of the Sahara, the only members of the family Thryonomyidae. They are eaten in some African countries and are a pest species ...
s, acacia rat
The acacia rat (''Thallomys paedulcus''), or black-tailed tree rat, is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is a small arboreal rodent that is extensively dependent on Acacia trees.
It is found in Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Co ...
s, Nesomyidae
The Nesomyidae are a family of African rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes several subfamilies, all of which are native to either continental Africa or to Madagascar. Included in this family are Malagasy rodents, ...
, springhare
''Pedetes'' is a genus of rodent, the springhares, in the family Pedetidae. Members of the genus are distributed across southern and Eastern Africa.
Species
A number of species both extant and extinct are classified in the genus ''Pedetes''. ...
, mole rats, dassie rat
The dassie rat (''Petromus typicus'') is an African rodent found among rocky outcroppings. It is the only living member of its genus, ''Petromus'', and family, Petromuridae. The name " dassie" means " hyrax" in Afrikaans,dassie rats are not to ...
s, striped grass mice, sun squirrels, thicket rats, Old World porcupine
The Old World porcupines, or Hystricidae, are large terrestrial rodents, distinguished by the spiny covering from which they take their name. They range over the south of Europe and the Levant, most of Africa, India, and Southeast Asia as far ea ...
s, target rats, maned rat
The maned rat or (African) crested rat (''Lophiomys imhausi'') is a nocturnal, long-haired and bushy-tailed East African rodent that superficially resembles a porcupine. The world's only poisonous rodent, the maned rat borrows toxins from plants ...
s, Deomyinae, ''Aethomys
''Aethomys'' is a genus of rodent from Africa.CHIMIMBA, CHRISTIAN T., NICO J. DIPPENAAR, and TERENCE J. ROBINSON.Morphometric and morphological delineation of southern African species of Aethomys (Rodentia: Muridae)" Biological Journal of the Li ...
'', ''Arvicanthis
''Arvicanthis'' is a genus of rodent from Africa. They are commonly referred to as unstriped grass mice, unstriped grass rats, and kusu rats.
Species
Genus ''Arvicanthis'' - unstriped grass mice
*Abyssinian grass rat, ''Arvicanthis abyssinicus' ...
'', '' Colomys'', ''Dasymys
''Dasymys'' is a genus of semiaquatic rodents in the subfamily Murinae, the Old World rats and mice. The genus is endemic to Africa.
'', '' Dephomys'', ''Epixerus
''Epixerus ebii'', also known as Ebian's palm squirrel, Temminck's giant squirrel, or the western palm squirrel, is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is the only species in the genus ''Epixerus'', although eastern populations (subs ...
'', '' Grammomys'', ''Graphiurus
The African dormice (genus ''Graphiurus'') are dormice that live throughout sub-Saharan Africa in a variety of habitats. They are very agile climbers and have bushy tails. They eat invertebrates and small vertebrates.
Species
Genus ''Graphiurus' ...
'', '' Hybomys'', '' Hylomyscus'', '' Malacomys'', ''Mastomys
''Mastomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square ...
'', '' Mus'', ''Mylomys
''Mylomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae
The Muridae, or murids, are the largest family of rodents and of mammals, containing approximately 1,383 species, including many species of mice, rats, and gerbils found naturally througho ...
'', ''Myomyscus
Verreaux's mouse or Verreaux's white-footed rat (''Myomyscus verreauxii'') is a species of rodent in the family Muridae. It is the only member of the genus ''Myomyscus''. Other species that had been previously assigned to ''Myomyscus'' are now co ...
'', ''Oenomys
''Oenomys'' is a genus of African rodent
Rodents (from Latin , 'to gnaw') are mammals of the order Rodentia (), which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% o ...
'', ''Otomys
African vlei rats (''Otomys''), also known as groove-toothed rats, live in many areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Most species live in marshlands, grasslands, and similar habitats and feed on the vegetation of such areas, occasionally supplementing ...
'', '' Parotomys'', '' Pelomys'', ''Praomys
''Praomys'' is a genus of rodent in the family Muridae endemic to Sub-Saharan Africa. It contains the following species:
* '' Praomys coetzeei''
* Dalton's mouse, ''Praomys daltoni''
* De Graaff's soft-furred mouse, ''Praomys degraaffi''
* Der ...
'', ''Rhabdomys
''Rhabdomys'' is a largely Southern African genus of muroid rodents slightly larger than house mice. They are known variously as striped or four-striped mice or rats. Traditionally the genus has been seen as a single species, ''Rhabdomys pumilio ...
'', '' Stenocephalemys'' and many others. African rabbits and hares include riverine rabbit, Bunyoro rabbit, Cape hare
The Cape hare (''Lepus capensis''), also called the brown hare and the desert hare, is a hare native to Africa and Arabia extending into India.
Taxonomy
The Cape hare was one of the many mammal species originally described by Carl Linnaeus ...
, scrub hare, Ethiopian highland hare, African savanna hare, Abyssinian hare and several species of '' Pronolagus''.
Among the marine mammals there are several species of dolphin
A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae (the oceanic dolphins), Platanistidae (the Indian river dolphins), Iniidae (the New World river dolphins), Pontoporiidae (the ...
s, 2 species of sirenia
The Sirenia (), commonly referred to as sea-cows or sirenians, are an order of fully aquatic, herbivorous mammals that inhabit swamps, rivers, estuaries, marine wetlands, and coastal marine waters. The Sirenia currently comprise two distinct ...
ns and seals (e.g. Cape fur seals). Of the carnivorans there are 60 species, including the conspicuous hyenas, lions, leopards, cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
s, serval
The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a wild cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, except rainforest regions. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in ran ...
, African wild dog
The African wild dog (''Lycaon pictus''), also called the painted dog or Cape hunting dog, is a wild canine which is a native species to sub-Saharan Africa. It is the largest wild canine in Africa, and the only extant member of the genus '' Lyca ...
as well as the less prominent and understudied Side-striped jackal
The side-striped jackal (''Lupulella adusta)'' is a canine native to central and southern Africa.
Unlike the smaller and related black-backed jackal (''Lupulella mesomelas''), which dwells in open plains, the side-striped jackal primarily dwell ...
, striped polecat, African striped weasel
The African striped weasel (''Poecilogale albinucha''), the lone member of the genus ''Poecilogale'', is a small, black and white weasel native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
The African striped weasel is one of the smallest mammalian carni ...
, caracal
The caracal (''Caracal caracal'') () is a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and arid areas of Pakistan and northwestern India. It is characterised by a robust build, long legs, a short face, long tufted e ...
, honey badger
The honey badger (''Mellivora capensis''), also known as the ratel ( or ), is a mammal widely distributed in Africa, Southwest Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. Because of its wide range and occurrence in a variety of habitats, it is liste ...
, speckle-throated otter
The spotted-necked otter (''Hydrictis maculicollis''), or speckle-throated otter, is an otter native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Description
The spotted-necked otter is a relatively small species, with males measuring from nose to rump, and weighin ...
, several mongoose
A mongoose is a small terrestrial carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Herpestidae. This family is currently split into two subfamilies, the Herpestinae and the Mungotinae. The Herpestinae comprises 23 living species that are native to so ...
s, fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
es and civet
A civet () is a small, lean, mostly nocturnal mammal native to tropical Asia and Africa, especially the tropical forests. The term civet applies to over a dozen different species, mostly from the family Viverridae. Most of the species diversit ...
s. The family Eupleridae
Eupleridae is a family of carnivorans endemic to Madagascar and comprising 10 known living species in seven genera, commonly known as euplerids, Malagasy mongooses or Malagasy carnivorans. The best known species is the fossa (''Cryptoproct ...
is restricted to Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...
.
The African list of ungulate
Ungulates ( ) are members of the diverse clade Ungulata which primarily consists of large mammals with hooves. These include odd-toed ungulates such as horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs; and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraffes, ...
s is longer than in any other continent. The largest number of modern bovid
The Bovidae comprise the biological family of cloven-hoofed, ruminant mammals that includes cattle, bison, buffalo, antelopes, and caprines. A member of this family is called a bovid. With 143 extant species and 300 known extinct species, ...
s is found in Africa ( African buffalo, duikers, impala, rhebok
The grey rhebok or gray rhebuck (''Pelea capreolus''), locally known as the ''reebok'' in Afrikaans, is a species of antelope native to South Africa, Lesotho, and Eswatini (Swaziland). The specific name ''capreolus'' is Latin for 'little goat'. ...
, Reduncinae
The bovid subfamily Reduncinae or tribe Reduncini is composed of nine species of antelope, all of which dwell in marshes, floodplains, or other well-watered areas, including the waterbucks and reedbucks. These antelopes first appear in the fossi ...
, oryx
''Oryx'' is a genus consisting of four large antelope species called oryxes. Their pelage is pale with contrasting dark markings in the face and on the legs, and their long horns are almost straight. The exception is the scimitar oryx, which ...
, dik-dik
A dik-dik is the name for any of four species of small antelope in the genus ''Madoqua'' that live in the bushlands of eastern and southern Africa.
Dik-diks stand about at the shoulder, are long, weigh and can live for up to 10 years. Dik- ...
, klipspringer
The klipspringer (; ''Oreotragus oreotragus'') is a small antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of its genus and subfamily/tribe, the klipspringer was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zim ...
, oribi
The oribi (; ''Ourebia ourebi'') is a small antelope found in eastern, southern and western Africa. The sole member of its genus, it was described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. While this is the only ...
, gerenuk
The gerenuk (; so, garanuug; ''Litocranius walleri''), also known as the giraffe gazelle, is a long-necked antelope found in parts of East Africa. The sole member of the genus ''Litocranius'', the gerenuk was first described by the naturalist ...
, true gazelles, hartebeest
The hartebeest (; ''Alcelaphus buselaphus''), also known as kongoni or kaama, is an African antelope. It is the only member of the genus ''Alcelaphus''. Eight subspecies have been described, including two sometimes considered to be independ ...
, wildebeest
Wildebeest ( , , ), also called gnu ( or ), are antelopes of the genus ''Connochaetes'' and native to Eastern and Southern Africa. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes true antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep, and other even-to ...
, dibatag
The dibatag (''Ammodorcas clarkei''), or Clarke's gazelle, is a medium-sized slender antelope native to Ethiopia and Somalia. Though not a true gazelle, it is similarly marked, with long legs and neck. It is often confused with the gerenuk due ...
, eland, ''Tragelaphus
''Tragelaphus'' is a genus of medium- to large-sized, spiral- horned antelopes. It contains several species of bovines, all of which are relatively antelope-like. Species in this genus tend to be large in size and lightly built, and have long ne ...
'', ''Hippotragus
''Hippotragus'' is a genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and ...
'', '' Neotragus'', '' Raphicerus'', ''Damaliscus
''Damaliscus'', commonly known as tsessebes, is a genus of antelope in the family Bovidae, subfamily Alcelaphinae
The subfamily Alcelaphinae or tribe Alcelaphini of the family Bovidae contains wildebeest, hartebeest, bonteboks, and sever ...
''). Other even-toed ungulates include giraffes, okapi
The okapi (; ''Okapia johnstoni''), also known as the forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe, or zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal that is endemic to the northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. It is the only species ...
s, hippopotamus
The hippopotamus ( ; : hippopotamuses or hippopotami; ''Hippopotamus amphibius''), also called the hippo, common hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extan ...
es, warthog
''Phacochoerus'' is a genus in the family Suidae, commonly known as warthogs (pronounced ''wart-hog''). They are pigs who live in open and semi-open habitats, even in quite arid regions, in sub-Saharan Africa. The two species were formerly co ...
s, giant forest hog
The giant forest hog (''Hylochoerus meinertzhageni''), the only member of its genus (''Hylochoerus''), is native to wooded habitats in Africa and is generally considered the largest wild member of the pig family, Suidae; however, a few subspecie ...
s, red river hog
The red river hog (''Potamochoerus porcus'') or bushpig (a named also used for the ''Potamochoerus larvatus''), is a wild member of the pig family living in Africa, with most of its distribution in the Guinean and Congolian forests. It is rarely ...
s and bushpig
:''"Bush pig" may also refer to the red river hog.
The bushpig (''Potamochoerus larvatus'') is a member of the pig family that inhabits forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and cultivated areas in East and Southern Africa. Probably introduce ...
s. Odd-toed ungulates are represented by three species of zebra
Zebras (, ) (subgenus ''Hippotigris'') are African equines with distinctive black-and-white striped coats. There are three living species: the Grévy's zebra (''Equus grevyi''), plains zebra (''E. quagga''), and the mountain zebra (''E. zebr ...
s, African wild ass
The African wild ass (''Equus africanus'') or African wild donkey is a wild member of the horse family, Equidae. This species is thought to be the ancestor of the domestic donkey (''Equus asinus''), which is sometimes placed within the same spec ...
, black
Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...
and white rhinoceros
The white rhinoceros, white rhino or square-lipped rhinoceros (''Ceratotherium simum'') is the largest extant species of rhinoceros. It has a wide mouth used for grazing and is the most social of all rhino species. The white rhinoceros consists ...
. The biggest African mammal is the African bush elephant, the second largest being its smaller counterpart, the African forest elephant
The African forest elephant (''Loxodonta cyclotis'') is one of the two living African elephant species. It is native to humid forests in West Africa and the Congo Basin. It is the smallest of the three living elephant species, reaching a shoulde ...
. Four species of pangolins can be found in Africa.
African fauna contains 64 species of primate
Primates are a diverse order of mammals. They are divided into the strepsirrhines, which include the lemurs, galagos, and lorisids, and the haplorhines, which include the tarsiers and the simians ( monkeys and apes, the latter including ...
s.Colin A. et al., What hope for African primate diversity? African Journal of Ecology 44 (2), 116–133.(2006) Four species of great apes
The Hominidae (), whose members are known as the great apes or hominids (), are a taxonomic family of primates that includes eight extant species in four genera: '' Pongo'' (the Bornean, Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutan); ''Gorilla'' (the ...
( Hominidae) are endemic to Africa: both species of gorilla
Gorillas are herbivorous, predominantly ground-dwelling great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. The genus ''Gorilla'' is divided into two species: the eastern gorilla and the western gorilla, and either four or fi ...
(western gorilla
The western gorilla (''Gorilla gorilla'') is a great ape found in Africa, one of two species of the hominid genus ''Gorilla''. Large and robust with males weighing around , the hair is significantly lighter in color than the eastern gorilla, '' ...
, ''Gorilla gorilla'', and eastern gorilla
The eastern gorilla (''Gorilla beringei'') is a critically endangered species of the genus ''Gorilla'' and the largest living primate. At present, the species is subdivided into two subspecies. There are 3,800 eastern lowland gorillas or Graue ...
, ''Gorilla beringei'') and both species of the genus '' Pan'' ( chimpanzee, ''Pan troglodytes'', and bonobo, ''Pan paniscus''). Human
Humans (''Homo sapiens'') are the most abundant and widespread species of primate, characterized by bipedalism and exceptional cognitive skills due to a large and complex brain. This has enabled the development of advanced tools, cultu ...
s and their ancestors originated in Africa. Other primates include colobuses, baboon
Baboons are primates comprising the genus ''Papio'', one of the 23 genera of Old World monkeys. There are six species of baboon: the hamadryas baboon, the Guinea baboon, the olive baboon, the yellow baboon, the Kinda baboon and the chacma ...
s, gelada
The gelada (''Theropithecus gelada'', am, ጭላዳ, translit=č̣əlada), sometimes called the bleeding-heart monkey or the gelada baboon, is a species of Old World monkey found only in the Ethiopian Highlands, living at elevations of above se ...
s, vervet monkey
The vervet monkey (''Chlorocebus pygerythrus''), or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus ''Chlorocebus''. The five distinct ...
s, guenon
The guenons (, ) are Old World monkeys of the genus ''Cercopithecus'' (). Not all members of this genus have the word "guenon" in their common names; also, because of changes in scientific classification, some monkeys in other genera may have co ...
s, macaques, mandrills, crested mangabeys, white-eyelid mangabey
The white-eyelid mangabeys are African Old World monkeys belonging to the genus ''Cercocebus''. They are characterized by their bare upper eyelids, which are lighter than their facial skin colouring, and the uniformly coloured hairs of the fur. ...
s, kipunji
The kipunji (''Rungwecebus kipunji''), also known as the highland mangabey, is a species of Old World monkey that lives in the highland forests of Tanzania. The kipunji has a unique call, described as a 'honk-bark', which distinguishes it from it ...
, Allen's swamp monkey
The Allen's swamp monkey (''Allenopithecus nigroviridis'') is a species of Old World monkey and the only member of the genus ''Allenopithecus''. Phylogenetically, it is a sister clade to the guenons, but differs in dentition and habits.
Allen's ...
s, Patas monkey
The common patas monkey (''Erythrocebus patas''), also known as the wadi monkey or hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa.
Taxonomy
There is some confusion surrounding ...
s and talapoin
__NOTOC__
Talapoins () are the two species of Old World monkeys classified in genus ''Miopithecus''. They live in central Africa, with their range extending from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Angola.
With a typical length ...
s. Lemur
Lemurs ( ) (from Latin ''lemures'' – ghosts or spirits) are wet-nosed primates of the superfamily Lemuroidea (), divided into 8 families and consisting of 15 genera and around 100 existing species. They are endemic to the island of Madagas ...
s and aye-aye
The aye-aye (''Daubentonia madagascariensis'') is a long-fingered lemur, a strepsirrhine primate native to Madagascar with rodent-like teeth that perpetually grow and a special thin middle finger.
It is the world's largest nocturnal primate. ...
are characteristic of Madagascar. See also Lists of mammals of Africa.
See also
* Afrykarium *Fauna of Asia
All of the animals living in Asia and its surrounding seas and islands are considered the fauna of Asia. Since there is no natural biogeographic boundary in the west between Europe and Asia. The term "fauna of Asia" is somewhat elusive. Temperate ...
* Fauna of Australia
* Fauna Europaea Fauna Europaea is a database of the scientific names and distribution of all living multicellular Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight o ...
References
External links
''African Invertebrates''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fauna Of Africa Afrotropical realm fauna