List Of Marine Fishes Of South Africa
   HOME

TheInfoList



Click Here for Items Related To - List Of Marine Fishes Of South Africa
OR:
List Of Marine Fishes Of South Africa on:   [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Amazon]

This is a list of fishes recorded from the
oceans The ocean (also the sea or the world ocean) is the body of salt water that covers approximately 70.8% of the surface of Earth and contains 97% of Earth's water. An ocean can also refer to any of the large bodies of water into which the worl ...
bordering South Africa. This part of the list includes any fishes that are not bony fishes., which are the jawless and jawed cartilagenous fishes. This list comprises locally used
common names In biology, a common name of a taxon or organism (also known as a vernacular name, English name, colloquial name, country name, popular name, or farmer's name) is a name that is based on the normal language of everyday life; and is often contra ...
,
scientific names In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...
with author citation and recorded
ranges In the Hebrew Bible and in the Old Testament, the word ranges has two very different meanings. Leviticus In Leviticus 11:35, ranges probably means a cooking furnace for two or more pots, as the Hebrew word here is in the dual number; or perhaps ...
. Ranges specified may not be the entire known range for the species, but should include the known range within the waters surrounding the Republic of South Africa. List ordering and
taxonomy Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...
complies where possible with the current usage in
World Register of Marine Species The World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) is a taxonomic database that aims to provide an authoritative and comprehensive list of names of marine organisms. Content The content of the registry is edited and maintained by scientific specialis ...
, and may differ from the cited source, as listed citations are primarily for range or existence of records for the region. Sub-taxa within any given
taxon In biology, a taxon ( back-formation from '' taxonomy''; plural taxa) is a group of one or more populations of an organism or organisms seen by taxonomists to form a unit. Although neither is required, a taxon is usually known by a particular n ...
are arranged alphabetically as a general rule. Details of each species may be available through the relevant internal links. Synonyms may be listed where useful (usually when recorded under the synonym).


Infraphylum

Agnatha Agnatha (, Ancient Greek 'without jaws') is an infraphylum of jawless fish in the phylum Chordata, subphylum Vertebrata, consisting of both present (cyclostomes) and extinct (conodonts and ostracoderms) species. Among recent animals, cyclosto ...
– Jawless fishes (Cyclostomes)


Class Myxini


Order Myxiniformes – Hagfishes

Family: Myxinidae *Six-gill hagfish or snotslang ''
Eptatretus hexatrema ''Eptatretus hexatrema'', the sixgill hagfish or snotslang, is a species of marine fish in the hagfish family (family Myxinidae) of order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are rec ...
'' (Müller, 1834) (Walvis Bay to Durban)Ed. Smith, Margaret M, and Heemstra, P. ''Smith's sea fishes''. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, Grahamstown. Struik publishers, Cape Town, 2003. *Eightgill hagfish '' Eptatretus octatrema'' Barnard, 1923 (Agulhas bank) *Fivegill hagfish '' Eptatretus profundus'' Barnard, 1923 (off Cape Point) *Cape hagfish ''
Myxine capensis ''Myxine'' is a genus of hagfish, from the Greek μυξῖνος (''myxinos'', "slimy"). In 2021, three new species of ''Myxine'' were described from the Galápagos including '' M. phantasma'', the only species of ''Myxine'' to not have mela ...
'' Regan, 1913 (Cape of Good Hope)


Infraphylum

Gnathostomata Gnathostomata (; from Greek: (') "jaw" + (') "mouth") are the jawed vertebrates. Gnathostome diversity comprises roughly 60,000 species, which accounts for 99% of all living vertebrates, including humans. In addition to opposing jaws, living ...
– Jawed fishes


Parvphylum

Chondrichthyes Chondrichthyes (; ) is a class that contains the cartilaginous fishes that have skeletons primarily composed of cartilage. They can be contrasted with the Osteichthyes or ''bony fishes'', which have skeletons primarily composed of bone tissue. ...
– Cartilaginous fishes


Class

Elasmobranchii Elasmobranchii () is a subclass of Chondrichthyes or cartilaginous fish, including sharks (superorder Selachii), rays, skates, and sawfish (superorder Batoidea). Members of this subclass are characterised by having five to seven pairs of ...
– Sharks and Rays


=Infraclass

Batoidea Batoidea is a superorder of cartilaginous fishes, commonly known as rays. They and their close relatives, the sharks, comprise the subclass Elasmobranchii. Rays are the largest group of cartilaginous fishes, with well over 600 species in 26 fa ...
– Rays (including skates, guitarfish and sawfish)

=


Order
Myliobatiformes Myliobatiformes () is one of the four orders of batoids, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. They were formerly included in the order Rajiformes, but more recent phylogenetic studies have shown the myliobatiforms to be a monophyletic grou ...
– Stingrays

Family: Dasyatidae – Whiptail stingrays * Short-tail stingray, '' Dasyatis brevicaudata'' (Hutton, 1875) (False Bay to Delagoa Bay) *
Blue stingray The blue stingray (''Dasyatis chrysonota'') is a species of whiptail stingray of the family Dasyatidae often found in the coastal waters of southern Africa. Distribution and similar species The species' common geographical distribution ranges ...
'' Dasyatis chrysonota'' (Smith, 1828) (Central Angola to Delagoa Bay) (syn. ''Dasyatis marmoratis'') * Thorntail stingray, '' Dasyatis thetidis'' Ogilby, 1899 (Algoa Bay to Mozambique) *
Pelagic stingray The pelagic stingray (''Pteroplatytrygon violacea'') is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae, and the sole member of its genus. It is characterized by the wedge-like shape of its pectoral fin disc, which is much wider than long, as wel ...
, '' Dasyatis violacea'' (Bonaparte, 1832) (offshore, two records from SA) *Dragon stingray, Jenkins' whipray, '' Himantura draco'' Compagno and Heemstra, 1984 (off Durban) *Sharpnose stingray,
whitespotted whipray The whitespotted whipray or sharpnose stingray (''Maculabatis gerrardi'') is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. It is found in coastal regions including estuaries, in the Indo-Pacific, and has also been recorded in the Ganges River. ...
'' Himantura gerrardi'' (Gray, 1851) (Eastern Cape to Mozambique) *Honeycomb stingray,
reticulate whipray The reticulate whipray or honeycomb stingray (''Himantura uarnak'') is a species of stingray in the family Dasyatidae. It inhabits coastal waters in the western Indian Ocean including the Red Sea, Natal and the Arabian Sea; also a Lessepsian tra ...
, '' Himantura uarnak'' (Forsskål, 1775) (Port Alfred to Mozambique) *Roundnose stingray '' Himantura'' sp. (Durban bay) *Bluespotted stingray, Kuhl's maskray, '' Neotrygon kuhlii'' (Müller & Henle, 1841) (Durban to tropical Indo-West Pacific)(Syn. ''Dasyatis kuhlii'') *Feathertail stingray, Cowtail stingray, '' Pastinachus sephen'' (Forsskål, 1775) (Zululand) (syn. ''Hypolophus sephen, Dasyatis sephen'') * Bluespotted ribbontail ray '' Taeniura lymma'' (Forsskål, 1775) * Round ribbontail ray or giant reef ray'' Taeniura meyeni'' Müller & Henle, 1841 (Natal to Red Sea) (syn. ''Taeniura melanospilos'' Bleeker, 1853) * Porcupine ray, '' Urogymnus asperrimus'' (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) (Natal to Indo-West Pacific) Family:
Gymnuridae The butterfly rays are the rays forming the genus ''Gymnura'' and the family Gymnuridae. They are found in warm oceans worldwide, and occasionally in estuaries. The body of butterfly rays is flattened and surrounded by an extremely broad disc f ...
– Butterflyrays * Japanese butterfly ray, '' Gymnura japonica'' (Temminck and Schlegel, 1850) (Agulhas bank) (Identification provisional) * Backwater butterfly ray, '' Gymnura natalensis'' (Gilchrist and Thompson, 1911) (Mossel Bay to southern Mozambique) Family:
Hexatrygonidae The sixgill stingray (''Hexatrygon bickelli'') is a species of stingray and the only extant member of the family Hexatrygonidae. Although several species of sixgill stingrays have been described historically, they may represent variations in a ...
– Sixgill stingrays * Sixgill stingray, '' Hexatrygon bickelli'' Heemstra and Smith, 1980 (Port Elizabeth and Port Alfred) Family: Myliobatidae – Eagle rays * Spotted eagle ray, '' Aetobatus narinari'' (Euphrasen, 1790) (Mossel Bay to Mozambique) * Bull ray, '' Aetomylaeus bovinus'' (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1817), also reported as syn. '' Pteromylaeus bovinus'' (Saint-Hilaire, 1817) (South-western Cape to Zanzibar) *Manta, giant oceanic manta ray, '' Mobula birostris'' (Walbaum, 1792), also reported as syn. '' Manta birostris'' (Donndorff, 1798) (possibly circumtropical, from the Cape eastwards) * Longhorned mobula, '' Mobula eregoodootenkee'' (Cuvier, 1829) (Indo-West Pacific south to Natal) *Spinetail mobula,
devil fish The devil fish or giant devil ray (''Mobula mobular'') is a species of ray in the family Mobulidae. It is currently listed as endangered, mostly due to bycatch mortality in unrelated fisheries. Description The devil fish is larger than its clo ...
, '' Mobula mobular'' (Bonnaterre, 1788), also recorded as syn. '' Mobula japanica'' (Müller & Henle, 1841) (Natal) * Shortfin devil ray '' Mobula kuhlii'' (Valenciennes, 1841) (Port Alfred to Indo-West Pacific) *Spiny mobula, Chilean devil ray, '' Mobula tarapacana'' (Lloyd, 1908) (Reported from Natal and
Jeffrey's Bay Jeffreys Bay ( af, Jeffreysbaai, nicknamed J-bay) is a town of 27,107 inhabitants as of the 2011 census in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It Is the seat of the Kouga municipality and is famous amongst surfers as a surf capital due ...
) *Smoothtail mobula, bentfin devil ray, '' Mobula thurstoni'' (Lloyd, 1908) (Reported from Natal and Algoa Bay) * Common eagle ray, '' Myliobatis aquila'' (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal) * Flapnose ray, '' Rhinoptera javanica'' Muller and Henle, 1841 (Durban and north)


Order
Rajiformes Rajiformes is one of the four orders in the superorder Batoidea, flattened cartilaginous fishes related to sharks. Rajiforms are distinguished by the presence of greatly enlarged pectoral fins, which reach as far forward as the sides of the hea ...
– Rays, skates and guitarfish

Family Anacanthobatidae * Spotted legskate, '' Anacanthobatis marmorata'' von Bonde and Swart, 1923 (Durban to southern Mozambique) Family Arhynchobatidae *'' Bathyraja smithii'' (Müller & Henle, 1841) (Agulhas bank and west of Cape Town) Family Gurgesiellidae *'' Cruriraja durbanensis'' (von Bonde and Swart, 1923) (off Western Cape province) *'' Cruriraja parcomaculata'' von Bonde and Swart, 1923 (Lüderitz to Durban) also recorded as syn. ''Cruriraja triangularis'' Smith, 1964 (Durban to Mozambique) Family: Rajidae – Skates * Arctic skate, '' Amblyraja hyperborea'' (Collett, 1879) recorded as syn. ''Raja robertsi'' Hulley, 1970 (west of Cape Town) * Slimeskate, '' Dipturus pullopunctatus'' (Smith, 1964) also recorded as syn. ''Raja pullopunctata'' Smith, 1964 (Luderitz to Mozambique) *'' Dipturus springeri'' (Wallace, 1967) reported as syn. ''Raja springeri'' Wallace, 1967 (Durban to Mozambique) *Blancmange skate, '' Leucoraja wallacei'' (Hulley, 1970)recorded as syn. ''Raja Wallacei'' Hulley, 1970 (Cape to Limpopo river mouth) *'' Malacoraja spinacidermis'' (Barnard, 1923) recorded as syn. ''Raja spinacidermis'' Barnard, 1923, (off west coast) * African dwarf skate, '' Neoraja stehmanni'' (Hulley, 1972) (West of Cape Town to south of Agulha Bank) * Thornback skate ''
Raja clavata The thornback ray (''Raja clavata''), or thornback skate, is a species of ray (fish), ray fish in the family Rajidae. Distribution The Thornback ray is found in the Atlantic coastal waters of Europe and western Africa. It is also present from ...
'' Linnaeus, 1758, (Walvis Bay to Durban) *Twineye skate, '' Raja miraletus'' Linnaeus, 1758, (False Bay to Durban) * Biscuit skate or false thornback skate, '' Raja straeleni'' Poll, 1951, (West Africa to East London) * Bigthorn skate, '' Rajella barnardi'' (Norman, 1935), also reported as syn. ''Raja confundens'' Hulley, 1970 (West coast from 19°S to east of Cape Point) * Munchkin skate, '' Rajella caudaspinosa'' (von Bonde & Swart, 1923), also recorded as syn. ''Raja caudaspinosa'' von Bonde and Swart, 1923 (Luderitz to Cape Point) * Ghost skate, '' Rajella dissimilis'' (Hulley, 1970) also recorded as syn. ''Raja dissimilis'' Hulley, 1970 (west of Cape Town) * Leopard skate, '' Rajella leoparda'' also reported as syn. ''Raja leopardus'' von Bonde and Swart, 1923, (west coast from 18°S to 35°S) * Smoothback skate, '' Rajella ravidula'' (Hulley, 1970), recorded as ''Raja ravidula'' Hulley, 1970 (off Cape Town) *Spearnose skate,
bottlenose skate The bottlenose skate, spearnose skate, or white skate (''Rostroraja alba'') is a species of skate in the family Rajidae. It is a benthic fish native to the coastal eastern Atlantic Ocean. Due to overfishing, it has been depleted or extirpated i ...
, '' Rostroraja alba'' (Lacepède, 1803) (West Africa to Madagascar) (syn. ''Raja alba'')


Order
Rhinopristiformes Rhinopristiformes is an order of rays, cartilaginous fishes related to sharks, containing shovelnose rays and allied groups. Families * Family Glaucostegidae (giant guitarfishes) * Family Pristidae (sawfishes) * Family Rhinidae (wedgefishes) * ...

Family:
Pristidae Sawfish, also known as carpenter sharks, are a family of rays characterized by a long, narrow, flattened rostrum, or nose extension, lined with sharp transverse teeth, arranged in a way that resembles a saw. They are among the largest fish ...
– Sawfishes *
Largetooth sawfish The largetooth sawfish (''Pristis pristis'', syn. ''P. microdon'' and ''P. perotteti'') is a species of sawfish, family Pristidae. It is found worldwide in tropical and subtropical coastal regions, but also enters freshwater. It has declined dra ...
, '' Pristis microdon'' Latham, 1794 (Natal to tropical Indo-West Pacific) *
Smalltooth sawfish The smalltooth sawfish (''Pristis pectinata'') is a species of sawfish in the family Pristidae. It is found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters in coastal and estuarine parts of the Atlantic. Reports from elsewhere are now believed to be m ...
, '' Pristis pectinata'' Latham, 1794 (Port Alfred to Mozambique) * Longcomb sawfish, '' Pristis zijsron'' Bleeker, 1851 (Port Alfred to Indo-West Pacific) Family: Rhinobatidae – Guitarfish *Lesser sandshark or lesser guitarfish, '' Acroteriobatus annulatus'' (Müller & Henle, 1841), recorded as syn. ''Rhinobatos annulatus'' Smith in Müller & Henle, 1841 (Cape Columbine to Mozambique) * Greyspotted guitarfish, '' Acroteriobatus leucospilus'' (Norman, 1926), recorded as syn. ''Rhinobatos leucospilus'' Norman, 1926 (Durban to Amatikulu Bluff) * Speckled guitarfish, '' Acroteriobatus ocellatus'' (Norman, 1926), recorded as syn. ''Rhinobatos ocellatus'' Norman, 1926 (Algoa Bay) * Bowmouth guitarfish, '' Rhina ancylostomus'' Bloch & Schneider, 1801 (KwaZulu-Natal to tropical Ind-West Pacific) * Bluntnose guitarfish, '' Rhinobatos blochii'' Müller & Henle, 1841 (Cape to Walvis Bay) * Slender guitarfish, ''
Rhinobatos holcorhynchus ''Rhinobatos'' is a genus of fish in the Rhinobatidae family. Although previously used to encompass all guitarfishes, it was found to be polyphyletic, and recent authorities have transferred many species included in the genus to ''Acroteriobatu ...
'' Norman, 1922 (Port Shepstone to Zululand) *Giant sandshark, giant guitarfish, '' Rhynchobatus djiddensis'' (Forsskål, 1775) (Knysna to Mozambique)


Order
Torpediniformes Fernando de Buen y Lozano was a Spanish ichthyologist and oceanographer Oceanography (), also known as oceanology and ocean science, is the scientific study of the oceans. It is an Earth science, which covers a wide range of topics, including ...
– Electric rays

Family: Narkidae *Ornate torpedo ray, ornate sleeper-ray, ''
Electrolux addisoni The ornate sleeper-ray (''Electrolux addisoni'') is a species of electric ray in the family (biology), family Narkidae, and the only member of the genus ''Electrolux''. It lives on reefs feeding on polychaete worms and small crustaceans, it has on ...
'' Compagno & Heemstra, 2007 (Coffee Bay, Eastern Cape Province, to just north of Durban, kwaZulu-Natal) * Natal electric ray, '' Heteronarce garmani'' Regan, 1921 (Algoa Bay to KwaZulu-Natal) * Onefin electric ray or Torpedo ray '' Narke capensis'' (Gmelin, 1789) (Atlantic coast of Cape Peninsula to Madagascar) Family: Torpedinidae *Atlantic electric ray, Atlantic torpedo, '' Tetronarce nobiliana'' (Bonaparte, 1835), recorded as syn. ''Torpedo nobiliana'' Bonaparte, 1835, (Western Cape coast to Algoa Bay) *Blackspotted electric ray, blackspotted torpedo, '' Torpedo fuscomaculata'' Peters, 1855 (Cape Columbine to Mozambique) *Marbled electrical ray, gulf torpedo, '' Torpedo sinuspersici'' Olfers, 1831, (Eastern Cape to Mozambique)


=Infraclass Selachii – Sharks

=


Order Carcharhiniformes – Ground sharks

Family: Carcharhinidae – Requiem sharks * Silvertip shark '' Carcharhinus albimarginatus'' (Rüppell, 1837) (North of Cape Vidal) * Bignose shark '' Carcharhinus altimus'' (Springer, 1950) (Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal) *Shortnose blacktail reef shark or
grey reef shark The grey reef shark (''Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos'', sometimes misspelled ''amblyrhynchus'' or ''amblyrhinchos'') is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae. One of the most common reef sharks in the Indo-Pacific, it is found as ...
'' Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos'' (Bleeker, 1856) (Northern KwaZulu-Natal to Red Sea) also recorded as syn. ''Carcharhinus wheeleri'' (Garrick, 1982) *Java shark, pigeye shark, '' Carcharhinus amboinensis'' (Müller and Henle, 1839) (Eastern Cape and Natal) *
Copper shark The copper shark (''Carcharhinus brachyurus''), bronze whaler, or narrowtooth shark, is a species of requiem shark, family Carcharhinidae, and the only member of its genus found mostly at temperate latitudes. It is distributed in a number of sepa ...
, bronze whaler, '' Carcharhinus brachyurus'' (Günther, 1870) (Namibia to Durban) * Spinner shark, '' Carcharhinus brevipinna'' (Müller and Henle, 1838) (Mossel Bay to Red sea) * Silky shark, ''
Carcharhinus falciformis The silky shark (''Carcharhinus falciformis''), also known by numerous names such as blackspot shark, gray whaler shark, olive shark, ridgeback shark, sickle shark, sickle-shaped shark and sickle silk shark, is a species of requiem shark, in the f ...
'' (Bibron, 1839) (Durban to Zanzibar) *Zambezi or
Bull shark The bull shark (''Carcharhinus leucas''), also known as the Zambezi shark (informally zambi) in Africa and Lake Nicaragua shark in Nicaragua, is a species of requiem shark commonly found worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in ri ...
, '' Carcharhinus leucas'' (Valenciennes in Müller & Henle, 1839) (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique) * Blacktip shark, '' Carcharhinus limbatus'' (Müller and Henle, 1839) (Southern Cape to Madagascar) * Oceanic whitetip shark '' Carcharhinus longimanus'' (Poey, 1861) (South-eastern Cape and Natal) * Dusky shark '' Carcharhinus obscurus'' (Lesueur, 1818) (Cape Point to Mozambique) * Sandbar shark, '' Carcharhinus plumbeus'' (Nardo, 1827) (Algoa Bay to Madagascar) * Blackspot shark, '' Carcharhinus sealei'' (Pietschmann, 1913) (Natal to Zanzibar) * Spot-tail shark, '' Carcharhinus sorrah'' (Valenciennes, 1839) (Northern Natal to Red Sea) *
Tiger shark The tiger shark (''Galeocerdo cuvier'') is a species of requiem shark and the last extant member of the family Galeocerdonidae. It is a large macropredator, capable of attaining a length over . Populations are found in many tropical and tempera ...
, '' Galeocerdo cuvier'' (Péron & Lesueur, 1822) (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique) * Sliteye shark, '' Loxodon macrorhinus'' Müller and Henle, 1839, (Natal to Tropical Indo-West Pacific) * Sicklefin lemon shark, '' Negaprion acutidens'' (Rüppell, 1837) (Natal and Indo-Pacific) * Blue shark, '' Prionace glauca'' (Linnaeus, 1758) (off south-western Cape coast) * Milk shark, '' Rhizoprionodon acutus'' (Rüppell, 1837) (Southern KwaZulu-Natal to Indo-West Pacific) *
Whitetip reef shark The whitetip reef shark (''Triaenodon obesus'') is a species of requiem shark, in the family Carcharhinidae, and the only member of its genus. A small shark that does not usually exceed in length, this species is easily recognizable by its slen ...
'' Triaenodon obesus'' (Rüppell, 1837) (Southern KwaZulu-Natal to Mozambique) Family: Hemigaleidae * Snaggletooth shark, ''
Hemipristis elongata The snaggletooth shark, or fossil shark (''Hemipristis elongata''), is a species of weasel shark in the family Hemigaleidae, and the only extant member of the genus ''Hemipristis''. It is found in the Indo-West Pacific, including the Red Sea, fro ...
'' (Klunzinger, 1871) (Natal and Indo-West Pacific) * Whitetip weasel shark, '' Paragaleus leucolomatus'' Compagno and Smale, 1985 (Kosi Bay) Family: Pentanchidae * Smalleye catshark, '' Apristurus microps'' (Gilchrist, 1922) (Western Cape to Agulhas) * Saldanha catshark, '' Apristurus saldanha'' (Barnard 1925) (Saldanha bay) * Lined catshark or Banded catshark '' Halaelurus lineatus'' Bass, D'Aubrey & Kistnasamy, 1975 (KwaZulu-Natal to Mozambique) * Tiger catshark '' Halaelurus natalensis'' (Regan, 1904) *Spotted catshark, white-spotted Izak, '' Holohalaelurus punctatus'' (Gilchrist, 1914) (Natal to Mozambique) *
Izak catshark The Izak catshark or simply Izak (''Holohalaelurus regani'') is a species of catshark, belonging to the family Scyliorhinidae, common off the coasts of South Africa and southern Namibia. It typically inhabits the outer continental shelf at depth ...
, '' Holohalaelurus regani'' (Gilchrist, 1922) (South-western Cape to Zanzibar) Family: Proscylliidae * African ribbontail catshark, '' Eridacnis sinuans'' (Smith, 1927) (Natal to Tanzania) Family: Scyliorhinidae – Catsharks *Swell shark, balloon shark, '' Cephaloscyllium sufflans'' (Regan, 1921) (Central KwaZulu-Natal to Gulf of Aden) * Puffadder shyshark or Happy Eddie '' Haploblepharus edwardsii'' (Schinz, 1822) (Cape Point to central KwaZulu-Natal) * Brown shyshark '' Haploblepharus fuscus'' Smith, 1950 (Cape Agulhas to southern KwaZulu-Natal) * Dark shyshark, dusky shyshark or skaamoog '' Haploblepharus pictus'' (Müller & Henle, 1838) (Namibia to Cape Agulhas) *
Pyjama shark The pyjama shark or striped catshark (''Poroderma africanum'') is a species of catshark, and part of the family Scyliorhinidae, endemic to the coastal waters of South Africa. This abundant, bottom-dwelling species can be found from the interti ...
or striped catshark '' Poroderma africanum'' (Gmelin, 1789) (Cape Columbine to central KwaZulu-Natal) *
Leopard catshark The leopard catshark (''Poroderma pantherinum'') is a species of catshark, and part of the family Scyliorhinidae, endemic to the coastal waters of South Africa. Abundant in inshore waters under deep, this bottom-dweller favors rocky reefs, kel ...
'' Poroderma pantherinum'' (Müller & Henle, 1838) (Cape Columbine to Durban) also recorded as syn. blackspotted catshark ''Poroderma marleyi'' Fowler, 1933 (Port St. Johns to Natal) * Yellowspotted catshark, '' Scyliorhinus capensis'' (Müller & Henle, 1838), (South-western Cape to KwaZulu-Natal) Family: Sphyrnidae – Hammerhead sharks *
Scalloped hammerhead The scalloped hammerhead (''Sphyrna lewini'') is a species of hammerhead shark in the family Sphyrnidae. It was originally known as ''Zygaena lewini''. The Greek word ''sphyrna'' translates into "hammer" in English, referring to the shape of thi ...
shark, '' Sphyrna lewini'' (Griffith & Smith, 1834) (East London to Mozambique) *
Great hammerhead The great hammerhead (''Sphyrna mokarran'') or great hammerhead shark is the largest species of hammerhead shark, belonging to the family Sphyrnidae, attaining an average length of and reaching a maximum length of . It is found in tropical and w ...
'' Sphyrna mokarran'' (Rüppell, 1837) (Natal to tropical Indo-Pacific) * Smooth hammerhead '' Sphyrna zygaena'' (Linnaeus, 1758) (South Cape to southern Mozambique, occasionally on west coast. Warm temperate waters of both hemispheres) Family: Triakidae – Houndsharks *Soupfin shark,
school shark The school shark (''Galeorhinus galeus'') is a houndshark of the family Triakidae, and the only member of the genus ''Galeorhinus''. Common names also include tope, tope shark, snapper shark, and soupfin shark. It is found worldwide in temperate ...
, '' Galeorhinus galeus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) (Angola to East London) *Lesser soupfin shark, blacktip tope, '' Hypogaleus hyugaensis'' (Miyosi, 1939) (Natal to Zanzibar) *Hardnosed smooth-hound, Arabian smooth-hound, '' Mustelus mosis'' Hemprich and Ehrenberg, 1899 (Durban to Red Sea) * Common smooth-hound shark '' Mustelus mustelus'' (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia to KwaZulu-Natal) * Whitespotted smooth-hound '' Mustelus palumbes'' Smith, 1957 (Walvis bay to Algoa bay) * Flapnose houndshark, '' Scylliogaleus quecketti'' Boulenger, 1902 (north-eastern Cape to Natal) *Spotted gully shark,
sharptooth houndshark The sharptooth houndshark, or spotted gully shark (''Triakis megalopterus'') is a species of houndshark in the family Triakidae found in shallow inshore waters from southern Angola to South Africa. Favoring sandy areas near rocky reefs and gullie ...
, '' Triakis megalopterus'' (Smith, 1839) (Walvis Bay to East London)


Order Echinorhiniformes

Family: Echinorhinidae – Bramble sharks * Bramble shark '' Echinorhinus brucus'' (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Namibia to southern KwaZulu-Natal)


Order Hexanchiformes – Cow and frill sharks

Family: Hexanchidae – Cow sharks * Sharpnose sevengill shark, '' Heptranchias perlo'' Bonnaterre, 1788 (KwaZulu-Natal) * Bluntnose sixgill shark, ''
Hexanchus griseus The bluntnose sixgill shark (''Hexanchus griseus''), often simply called the cow shark, is the largest hexanchoid shark, growing to in length. It is found in tropical and temperate waters worldwide and its diet is widely varied by region. The ...
'' (Bonnaterre, 1788) (All oceans) *Bigeye sixgill shark, Atlantic sixgill shark, ''
Hexanchus nakamurai The bigeyed sixgill shark (''Hexanchus nakamurai'') is a cow shark of the family Hexanchidae. Its dorsal surface has a brownish-gray color, and is sharply separated from the light coloring of its ventral surface. The eyes are a fluorescent gre ...
'' Teng, 1962, recorded as syn. '' Hexanchus vitulus'' Springer and Waller, 1969 (Atlantic, south-west Indian Ocean) *Spotted sevengill cowshark or
broadnose sevengill shark The broadnose sevengill shark (''Notorynchus cepedianus'') is the only extant member of the genus ''Notorynchus'', in the family Hexanchidae. It is recognizable because of its seven gill slits, while most shark species have five gill slits, with ...
, '' Notorynchus cepedianus'' (Péron, 1807) (Namibia to East London)


Order
Lamniformes The Lamniformes (, from Greek ''lamna'' "fish of prey") are an order of sharks commonly known as mackerel sharks (which may also refer specifically to the family Lamnidae). It includes some of the most familiar species of sharks, such as the grea ...
– Mackerel sharks

Family:
Alopiidae Thresher sharks are large lamniform sharks of the family Alopiidae found in all temperate and tropical oceans of the world; the family contains three extant species, all within the genus ''Alopias''. All three thresher shark species have been l ...
– Thresher sharks *Smalltooth thresher,
pelagic thresher The pelagic thresher (''Alopias pelagicus'') is a species of thresher shark, family Alopiidae; this group of sharks is characterized by the greatly elongated upper lobes of their caudal fins. The pelagic thresher occurs in the tropical and subtr ...
, '' Alopias pelagicus'' Nakamura, 1935 (Durban to northwest Indian Ocean) *
Bigeye thresher The bigeye thresher (''Alopias superciliosus'') is a species of thresher shark, family Alopiidae, found in temperate and tropical oceans worldwide. Like the other thresher sharks, nearly half its total length consists of the elongated upper lobe ...
, '' Alopias superciliosus'' (Lowe, 1840) (Eastern Cape and Natal, Warm oceanic waters) *Thintail thresher,
common thresher The common thresher (''Alopias vulpinus''), also known as Atlantic thresher, is the largest species of thresher shark, family Alopiidae, reaching some in length. About half of its length consists of the elongated upper lobe of its caudal fin. Wi ...
''
Alopias vulpinus The common thresher (''Alopias vulpinus''), also known as Atlantic thresher, is the largest species of thresher shark, family (biology), family Alopiidae, reaching some in length. About half of its length consists of the elongated upper lobe of ...
'' (Bonnaterre, 1788) (throughout SA waters, more common in southern part) Family: Cetorhinidae – Basking sharks *
Basking shark The basking shark (''Cetorhinus maximus'') is the second-largest living shark and fish, after the whale shark, and one of three plankton-eating shark species, along with the whale shark and megamouth shark. Adults typically reach in leng ...
, ''
Cetorhinus maximus The basking shark (''Cetorhinus maximus'') is the second-largest living shark and fish, after the whale shark, and one of three plankton-eating shark species, along with the whale shark and megamouth shark. Adults typically reach in length. ...
'' (Gunnerus, 1765) (Temperate waters of all oceans, a few records from south-western Cape) Family:
Lamnidae The Lamnidae are the family of mackerel sharks known as white sharks. They are large, fast-swimming predatory fish found in oceans worldwide, though prefer environments with colder water. The name of the family is formed from the Greek word ''la ...
– Mackerel sharks *
Great white shark The great white shark (''Carcharodon carcharias''), also known as the white shark, white pointer, or simply great white, is a species of large Lamniformes, mackerel shark which can be found in the coastal surface waters of all the major ocean ...
, '' Carcharodon carcharias'' (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia to Mozambique)Branch, G.M. Griffiths, C.L. Branch, M.L. Beckley, L.E. ''Two Oceans: A guide to the marine life of southern Africa.'' 5th impression, David Philip, Cape Town, 2000. Jones, Georgina. ''A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula.'' SURG, Cape Town, 2008. Zsilavecz, Guido, ''Coastal fishes of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay: A divers' identification guide.'' SURG, Cape Town, 2005. King, Dennis. ''Reef fishes and corals: East coast of southern Africa.'' Struik, Cape Town, 1996. *
Shortfin mako shark The shortfin mako shark (; ; ''Isurus oxyrinchus''), also known as the blue pointer or bonito shark, is a large mackerel shark. It is commonly referred to as the mako shark, as is the longfin mako shark (''Isurus paucus''). The shortfin mako can ...
, '' Isurus oxyrinchus'' Rafinesque, 1810, (Warm temperate and tropical waters of all oceans) *
Porbeagle The porbeagle (''Lamna nasus'') is a species of mackerel shark in the family Lamnidae, distributed widely in the cold and temperate marine waters of the North Atlantic and Southern Hemisphere. In the North Pacific, its ecological equivalent is ...
, ''
Lamna nasus The porbeagle (''Lamna nasus'') is a species of mackerel shark in the family Lamnidae, distributed widely in the cold and temperate marine waters of the North Atlantic and Southern Hemisphere. In the North Pacific, its ecological equivalent is ...
'' (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Temperate oceans, recorded from False Bay and possibly Knysna) Family:
Mitsukurinidae Mitsukurinidae is a family of sharks with one living genus, '' Mitsukurina'', and four fossil genera: ''Anomotodon'', '' Protoscapanorhynchus'', ''Scapanorhynchus'', and '' Woellsteinia'', though some taxonomists consider ''Scapanorhynchus'' to ...
– Goblin sharks *
Goblin shark The goblin shark (''Mitsukurina owstoni'') is a rare species of deep-sea shark. Sometimes called a "living fossil", it is the only extant representative of the family Mitsukurinidae, a lineage some 125 million years old. This pink-skinned anima ...
, '' Mitsukurina owstoni'' Jordan, 1898 (west of Cape Town and off Transkei coast) Family: Odontaspididae *Ragged-tooth shark, spotted ragged-tooth shark, or
sand tiger shark The sand tiger shark (''Carcharias taurus''), gray nurse shark, spotted ragged-tooth shark or blue-nurse sand tiger, is a species of shark that inhabits subtropical and temperate waters worldwide. It inhabits the continental shelf, from sandy sho ...
, '' Carcharias taurus'' Rafinesque, 1810, also recorded as syn. ''Eugomphodus taurus'', (Cape Point to Mozambique) *Bumpytail ragged-tooth shark,
smalltooth sand tiger The smalltooth sand tiger or bumpytail ragged-tooth (''Odontaspis ferox'') is a species of mackerel shark in the family Odontaspididae, with a patchy but worldwide distribution in tropical and warm temperate waters. They usually inhabit deepwat ...
, '' Odontaspis ferox'' (Risso, 1810) (Natal) Family: Pseudocarchariidae – Crocodile sharks * Crocodile shark ''
Pseudocarcharias kamoharai The crocodile shark (''Pseudocarcharias kamoharai'') is a species of mackerel shark and the only extant member of the family Pseudocarchariidae. A specialized inhabitant of the mesopelagic zone, the crocodile shark can be found worldwide in tropi ...
'' (Matsubara, 1936) (once found near Cape Town)


Order
Orectolobiformes Carpet sharks are sharks classified in the order Orectolobiformes . Sometimes the common name "carpet shark" (named so because many species resemble ornately patterned carpets) is used interchangeably with "wobbegong", which is the common name ...
– Carpet sharks

Family:
Ginglymostomatidae The Ginglymostomatidae are a cosmopolitan family of carpet sharks known as nurse sharks, containing four species in three genera. Common in shallow, tropical and subtropical waters, these sharks are sluggish and docile bottom-dwellers.
*Giant sleepy shark,
tawny nurse shark The tawny nurse shark (''Nebrius ferrugineus'') is a species of carpet shark in the family Ginglymostomatidae, and the only extant member of the genus '' Nebrius''. It is found widely along coastlines in the Indo-Pacific, preferring reefs, s ...
, ''
Nebrius ferrugineus The tawny nurse shark (''Nebrius ferrugineus'') is a species of carpet shark in the family Ginglymostomatidae, and the only extant member of the genus ''Nebrius''. It is found widely along coastlines in the Indo-Pacific, preferring reefs, sa ...
'' (Lesson, 1831), recorded as syn. ''Nebrius concolor'' Ruppell, 1837 (Natal to Indo-West Pacific) Family:
Rhincodontidae The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, D ...
– Whale sharks *
Whale shark The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, D ...
, ''
Rhincodon typus The whale shark (''Rhincodon typus'') is a slow-moving, filter-feeding carpet shark and the largest known extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of .McClain CR, Balk MA, Benfield MC, Branch TA, Chen C, Cosgrove J, D ...
'' Smith, 1828 (Northern Natal) Family: Stegostomatidae *
Zebra shark The zebra shark (''Stegostoma tigrinum'') is a species of carpet shark and the sole member of the family Stegostomatidae. It is found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific, frequenting coral reefs and sandy flats to a depth of . Adult zebra sharks ...
, '' Stegostoma tigrinum'' (Forster, 1781), recorded as syn. ''Stegostoma fasciatum'' (Hermann, 1783) (KwaZulu-Natal to Mozambique)King, Dennis., and Fraser, Valda. ''More reef fishes and nudibranchs.'' Struik, Cape Town, 2001.


Order Pristiophoriformes – Sawsharks

Family: Pristiophoridae *
Sixgill sawshark The sixgill sawshark, ''Pliotrema warreni'' is a sawshark of the family (biology), family Pristiophoridae. Presence of 6 pairs of gill slits highlights this genus among sharks; outside Hexanchiformes order, ''Pliotrema'' is the only shark with m ...
, ''
Pliotrema warreni The sixgill sawshark, ''Pliotrema warreni'' is a sawshark of the family Pristiophoridae. Presence of 6 pairs of gill slits highlights this genus among sharks; outside Hexanchiformes order, ''Pliotrema'' is the only shark with more than 5 gill s ...
'' Regan, 1906 (False Bay to southern Mozambique)


Order
Squaliformes The Squaliformes are an order (biology), order of sharks that includes about 126 species in seven families. Members of the order have two dorsal fins, which usually possess spines, they usually have a sharp head, no anal fin or nictitating me ...
– Dogfish sharks

Family:
Centrophoridae The Centrophoridae are a family of squaliform sharks. The family contains just two genera and about 15 species. They are sometimes called gulper sharks, but this is also the name of a specific species in the family, ''Centrophorus granulosus''. ...
*
Gulper shark The gulper shark (''Centrophorus granulosus'') is a long and slender dogfish usually about three feet in length generally found in deep, murky waters all around the world. It is a light grayish brown, paler ventrally, with a long snout and lar ...
, ''
Centrophorus granulosus The gulper shark (''Centrophorus granulosus'') is a long and slender Squalidae, dogfish usually about three feet in length generally found in deep, murky waters all around the world. It is a light grayish brown, paler ventrally, with a long snou ...
'' (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) (Western Cape) *
Smallfin gulper shark The smallfin gulper shark (''Centrophorus moluccensis'') is a medium-sized deepwater dogfish in the family Centrophoridae. Physical characteristics The smallfin gulper has no anal fin, two dorsal fins with spines, long free rear tips on pectora ...
, ''
Centrophorus lusitanicus The lowfin gulper shark (''Centrophorus lusitanicus'') is a large deepwater dogfish in the family Centrophoridae. Physical characteristics The lowfin gulper shark has no anal fin, two dorsal fins (with spines with the first dorsal fin being muc ...
'' Barbosa du Bocage & de Brito Capello, 1864 (Natal) *
Smallfin gulper shark The smallfin gulper shark (''Centrophorus moluccensis'') is a medium-sized deepwater dogfish in the family Centrophoridae. Physical characteristics The smallfin gulper has no anal fin, two dorsal fins with spines, long free rear tips on pectora ...
, ''
Centrophorus moluccensis The smallfin gulper shark (''Centrophorus moluccensis'') is a medium-sized deepwater dogfish in the family Centrophoridae. Physical characteristics The smallfin gulper has no anal fin, two dorsal fins with spines, long free rear tips on pectoral ...
'' Bleeker, 1860, recorded as syn. ''Centrophorus scalpratus'' McCulloch, 1915 (Natal to southern Mozambique) *
Leafscale gulper shark The leafscale gulper shark (''Centrophorus squamosus'') is a dogfish of the family Centrophoridae. ''C. squamosus'' is reported to have a lifespan of approximately 70 years, based on otolith ring counts. It was the first described species in ...
, ''
Centrophorus squamosus The leafscale gulper shark (''Centrophorus squamosus'') is a dogfish of the family Centrophoridae. ''C. squamosus'' is reported to have a lifespan of approximately 70 years, based on otolith ring counts. It was the first described species in t ...
'' Bonnaterre, 1788 (Western Cape and Algoa Bay) *
Birdbeak dogfish The birdbeak dogfish (''Deania calcea'') is a dogfish shark of the family Centrophoridae found in the Pacific Ocean around Honshū, Japan, southern Australia, New Zealand, and Chile, and in the Atlantic Ocean from Iceland south to the Cape ...
, '' Deania calceus'' (Lowe, 1839), (Cape Point and Algoa Bay) *
Arrowhead dogfish The arrowhead dogfish (''Deania profundorum'') is a small little known deepwater dogfish of the family Centrophoridae. Physical characteristics The arrowhead dogfish has an extremely long angular snout, no anal fin, small first dorsal and lon ...
, '' Deania profundorum'' (Smith and Radcliffe, 1912) (West coast and Natal) * Longsnout dogfish, '' Deania quadrispinosa'' (McCulloch, 1915) (Northern Namibia to Southern Mozambique) Family:
Dalatiidae The Dalatiidae are the family of kitefin sharks of the order Squaliformes (the term "kitefin shark" also refers specifically to the species '' Dalatias licha''). Members of this family are small, under long, and are found worldwide. They have ci ...
*
Kitefin shark The kitefin shark or seal shark (''Dalatias licha'') is a species of squaliform shark in the family Dalatiidae, and the type species in its genus. It is found sporadically around the world, usually close to the sea floor at depths of . With a s ...
, seal shark, ''
Dalatias licha The kitefin shark or seal shark (''Dalatias licha'') is a species of squaliform shark in the family Dalatiidae, and the type species in its genus. It is found sporadically around the world, usually close to the sea floor at depths of . With a s ...
'' (Bonnaterre, 1788), recorded as syn. ''Scymnorhinus licha'' (Bonnaterre, 1788) (Algoa bay to Mozambique) Family:
Somniosidae The Somniosidae are a family of sharks in the order Squaliformes, commonly known as sleeper sharks. The common name ''"sleeper shark"'' comes from their slow swimming, low activity level, and perceived non-aggressive nature. Distribution and ha ...
* Velvet dogfish, '' Zameus squamulosus'' (Günther, 1877), recorded as syn. ''Centroscymnus obscurus'' Vaillant, 1888, (off Durban) Family: Squalidae – Dogfishes *
Black dogfish The black dogfish (''Centroscyllium fabricii'') is a species of dogfish shark in the family Etmopteridae. It is common over the outer continental shelf and continental slope at depths of . Females generally inhabit deeper water than males, and ...
, '' Centroscyllium fabricii'' (Reinhardt, 1825) (Western Cape) * Longnose velvet dogfish, '' Centroscymnus crepidater'' (Bocage and Capello, 1864) (Western Cape) * Short-tail lanternshark, ''
Etmopterus brachyurus The short-tail lanternshark (''Etmopterus brachyurus'') is a shark of the family Etmopteridae found in the western Pacific between latitude In geography, latitude is a coordinate that specifies the north– south position of a point on t ...
'' Smith and Radcliffe, 1912 (Western Cape, Natal and southern Mozambique) * Southern lanternshark, '' Etmopterus granulosus'' (Günther, 1880) (Cape Point) * Blackbelly lanternshark, '' Etmopterus lucifer'' Jordan and Snyder, 1902 (off Natal) * Smooth lanternshark, ''
Etmopterus pusillus The smooth lanternshark or slender lanternshark (''Etmopterus pusillus'') is a species of Squaliformes, dogfish shark in the family (biology), family Etmopteridae, found widely in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It inhabits benthic environments ...
'' (Lowe, 1839) (off Natal) * Thorny lanternshark, '' Etmopterus sentosus'' Bass, D'Aubrey and Kistnasamy, 1973 (off Natal) *'' Etmopterus'' sp. (off south-western Cape Province, northern KwaZulu-Natal) *
Taillight shark The taillight shark (''Euprotomicroides zantedeschia'') is a little-known species of shark in the family Dalatiidae and the only member of its genus.Stehmann, M.F.W., Van Oijen, M. & Kamminga, P. (2016): Re-description of the rare taillight shar ...
, ''
Euprotomicroides zantedeschia The taillight shark (''Euprotomicroides zantedeschia'') is a little-known species of shark in the family Dalatiidae and the only member of its genus.Stehmann, M.F.W., Van Oijen, M. & Kamminga, P. (2016): Re-description of the rare taillight shar ...
'' Hulley and Penrith, 1966 (West of Cape Town) * Pygmy shark, '' Euprotomicrus bispinatus'' (Quoy and Gaimard, 1824) (all oceans) * Longnose pygmy shark, ''
Heteroscymnoides marleyi The longnose pygmy shark (''Heteroscymnoides marleyi'') is a rare species of squaliform shark in the family Dalatiidae and the only member its genus. It is known only from a handful of specimens collected from the cold oceanic waters of the So ...
'' Fowler, 1934 (Durban) *Flatiron shark, Angular roughshark, '' Oxynotus centrina'' (Linnaeus, 1758) (Walvis Bay to Cape Town) *
Greenland shark The Greenland shark (''Somniosus microcephalus''), also known as the gurry shark, grey shark, or by the Kalaallisut name ''eqalussuaq'', is a large shark of the family Somniosidae ("sleeper sharks"), closely related to the Pacific and souther ...
, ''
Somniosus microcephalus The Greenland shark (''Somniosus microcephalus''), also known as the gurry shark, grey shark, or by the Kalaallisut name ''eqalussuaq'', is a large shark of the family Somniosidae ("sleeper sharks"), closely related to the Pacific and southern ...
'' (Schneider, 1801) (off Cape Columbine) *Spotted
spiny dogfish The spiny dogfish (''Squalus acanthias''), spurdog, mud shark, or piked dogfish is one of the best known species of the Squalidae (dogfish) family of sharks, which is part of the Squaliformes order. While these common names may apply to several ...
, ''
Squalus acanthias The spiny dogfish (''Squalus acanthias''), spurdog, mud shark, or piked dogfish is one of the best known species of the Squalidae (dogfish) family of sharks, which is part of the Squaliformes order. While these common names may apply to several ...
'' Linnaeus, 1758 (South-western Cape to Port Elizabeth) *Roughskin spiny dogfish,
roughskin spurdog The roughskin spurdog (''Cirrhigaleus asper'') is a dogfish of the family Squalidae, found circumglobally between latitudes 35°N and 35°S, at depths of between and . It reaches a length of . The roughskin spurdog is ovoviviparous Ovo ...
, '' Squalus asper'' Merrett, 1973 (Natal to north of Madagascar) *Bluntnose spiny dogfish, shortnose spurdog, '' Squalus megalops'' (MacLeay, 1882) (Namibia to southern Mozambique) *Longnose spiny dogfish, shortspine spurdog, '' Squalus mitsukurii'' Jordan and Fowler, 1903 (Orange river to Beira)


Order Squatiniformes – Angelsharks

Family: Squatinidae * African angelshark, '' Squatina africana'' Regan, 1908 (Eastern Cape and Natal)


Subclass

Holocephali Holocephali ("complete heads"), sometimes given the term Euchondrocephali, is a subclass of cartilaginous fish in the class Chondrichthyes. The earliest fossils are of teeth and come from the Devonian period. Little is known about these primiti ...
– Chimaeras


=Order Chimaeriformes

= Family:
Callorhinchidae Chimaeras are cartilaginous fish in the order Chimaeriformes , known informally as ghost sharks, rat fish, spookfish, or rabbit fish; the last three names are not to be confused with rattails, Opisthoproctidae, or Siganidae, respectively. ...
– Elephantfish *St Joseph shark or Cape elephantfish, '' Callorhinchus capensis'' Duméril, 1865 (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal) Family:
Chimaeridae The Chimaeridae, or short-nosed chimaeras, are a family of cartilaginous fish. They resemble other chimaeras in general form and habits, but have short, rounded snouts, without the modifications found in related families. Many species have lo ...
– Chimaeras * Cape chimaera ''
Chimaera notafricana The cape chimaera (''Chimaera notafricana'') is a chimaera species in the family Chimaeridae, which lives in South Africa and Namibia. Taxonomy The cape chimaera is one of 16 species in the genus Chimaera. The species was described in 2010 b ...
'' (Luderitz to Cape Point) * African chimaera, '' Hydrolagus africanus'' (Gilchrist 1922) (Natal) *''
Hydrolagus ''Hydrolagus'' is a genus of fish in the family Chimaeridae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.Weigmann, S. (2016)Annotated checklist of the living sharks, batoids and chimaeras (Chondrichthyes) of the world, with a focus on biogeog ...
'' sp. (off Durban) Family:
Rhinochimaeridae The Rhinochimaeridae, commonly known as long-nosed chimaeras, are a family (biology), family of cartilaginous fish. They are similar in form and habits to other chimaeras, but have an exceptionally long conical or paddle-shaped snout. The snout h ...
– Longnose chimaeras * Narrownose chimaera, ''
Harriotta raleighana The narrownose chimaera (''Harriotta raleighana'') is a longnose chimaera of the family Rhinochimaeridae, the longnose chimaeras, consisting of eight species belonging three genera. This species is found in temperate seas worldwide, at depths bet ...
'' Goode and Bean, 1895 (off Western Cape) * Paddlenose chimaera, ''
Rhinochimaera africana The paddlenose chimaera or paddlenose spookfish (''Rhinochimaera africana'') is a species of fish in the family Rhinochimaeridae found near China, Japan, Mozambique, South Africa, and Taiwan. Its natural habitat is open seas. It is threatened by ...
'' Compagno, Stehman and Ebert, 1990 (west coast off Doring Bay and Cape Columbine, Natal coast off Kosi Bay) * Broadnose chimaera, '' Rhinochimaera atlantica'' Holt and Byrne, 1909 (Namibia to Plettenberg Bay)


Parvphylum Osteichthyes – Bony fishes

''See article''
List of marine bony fishes of South Africa This is a sublist of the List of marine fishes of South Africa for bony fishes recorded from the oceans bordering South Africa. This list comprises locally used common names, Binomial nomenclature, scientific names with Author citation (zoology ...


References

{{Biodiversity of South Africa, chklst
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
Fishes Fish are aquatic, craniate, gill-bearing animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish as well as various extinct related groups. Approximately 95% of li ...
'