Agnatha – jawless fishes (cyclostomes) Order
Myxiniformes – hagfishes Family:
Myxinidae • Sixgill hagfish or snotslang,
Eptatretus hexatrema (Müller, 1834) (Walvis Bay to Durban) •
Blue stingray,
Dasyatis chrysonota (Smith, 1828) (Central Angola to Delagoa Bay) •
African dwarf skate,
Neoraja stehmanni (Hulley, 1972) (west of Cape Town to south of Agulhas Bank) •
Thornback skate,
Raja clavata Linnaeus, 1758 (Walvis Bay to Durban) •
Smoothback skate,
Rajella ravidula (Hulley, 1970), recorded as syn.
Raja ravidula Hulley, 1970 (off Cape Town) •
Amblyraja hyperborea (Collett, 1879) recorded as syn.
Raja robertsi Hulley, 1970 (west of Cape Town) •
Malacoraja spinacidermis (Barnard, 1923) recorded as syn.
Raja spinacidermis Barnard, 1923 (off west coast) • Thornback skate,
Raja clavata Linnaeus, 1758, (TMNP MPA). (West Africa to East London) •
Bigthorn skate,
Rajella barnardi (Norman, 1935), recorded as syn.
Raja confundens Hulley, 1970 (West coast from 19°S to east of Cape Point) •
Ghost skate,
Rajella dissimilis (Hulley, 1970) recorded as syn.
Raja dissimilis Hulley, 1970 (west of Cape Town) • Spearnose skate,
bottlenose skate,
Rostroraja alba (Lacepède, 1803) (West Africa to Madagascar) • Short-tail lanternshark,
Etmopterus brachyurus Smith and Radcliffe, 1912 (Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and southern Mozambique) •
Doublesash butterflyfish,
Chaetodon marleyi Regan, 1921 (
Lamberts Bay to Maputo. Endemic) •
Louvar,
Luvarus imperialis Rafinesque, 1810 (All oceans and Mediterranean sea, not reported in polar seas or near equator) •
Gaper,
Champsodon capensis (Regan, 1908) (
Cape of Good Hope to
Durban) •
Pencil cardinal,
Epigonus denticulatus Dieuzeide, 1950 (
Walvis Bay to
Cape Point) •
Howella sherborni (Norman, 1930) (off Cape Town to Natal) Family:
Pentacerotidae – armourheads • Cape armourhead,
Pentaceros capensis Cuvier, 1829 (
Port Nolloth to Southern Mozambique) • Wreckfish,
Polyprion americanus (Schneider, 1801) (Norway to South Africa) • Gnomefish,
Scombrops boops (Houttuyn, 1782) (
Cape of Good Hope to
Delagoa Bay) •
Bathyuroconger vicinus (Vaillant, 1888) (off Cape Point) • Cape conger,
Conger wilsoni (Bloch and Schneider 1801) (Cape to southern Mozambique) • Strap conger,
Gnathophis habenatus (Richardson, 1848) (southern Cape to East London) Family
Nemichthyidae – snipe eels •
Avocettina acuticeps (Regan, 1916) (offshore Cape to Natal) •
Nemichthys curvirostris (Strömman, 1896) (off the Cape) Family:
Nettastomatidae – witch eels •
Venefica proboscidea (Vaillant, 1888) (off the Cape) Family
Ophichthidae – snake-eels and worm-eels • Slender snake-eel,
Ophichthus serpentinus Seale, 1917. syn.
Ophichthus bennettai (Cape Province west coast) Family
Serrivomeridae – sawtooth eels • Stout sawpalate,
Serrivomer beanii Gill and Ryder, 1883 (off Cape and Natal) Family
Synaphobranchidae – cutthroat eels • Basketwork eel,
Diastobranchus capensis Barnard, 1923 (off Cape Point) •
Ilyophis brunneus Gilbert, 1892 (off the Cape) • Northern cutthroat eel, slatjaw cutthroat eel,
Synaphobranchus kaupii Johnson, 1862 (off the Cape) =====Order
Ateleopodiformes===== Family
Ateleopodidae – tadpole fishes •
Ateleopus natalensis Regan, 1921 (Cape to Red Sea) Family
Bathysauropsidae •
Bathysauropsis gracilis (Günther, 1878) (off Cape Point; circumglobal in southern oceans) Family
Chlorophthalmidae – greeneyes •
Chlorophthalmus punctatus Gilchrist, 1904 (both coasts of South Africa) Family
Evermannellidae – sabretooth fishes •
Coccorella atlantica (Parr, 1928) (central water areas of all 3 major oceans; off western and south-western Cape coast, 1 specimen from 31°34'S, 30°09'E) Family
Ipnopidae •
Bathypterois filiferus Gilchrist, 1906 (off Cape Point) •
Bathypterois phenax Parr, 1928 (off Cape Point) •
Ipnops agassizii Garman, 1899 (off Cape Point) Family
Notosudidae – notosudids •
Scopelosaurus ahlstromi Bertelsen, Krefft and Marshall, 1976 (all 3 oceans from about 32° to 45°S) •
Scopelosaurus hamiltoni (Waite, 1916) (southern oceans from about 30° to 60°S) •
Scopelosaurus herwigi Bertelson, Kreft and Marshall, 1976 (slope areas of Southern Africa) •
Scopelosaurus meadi Bertelson, Krefft and Marshall, 1976 (from about 19° to 43°S) Family
Paralepididae – barracudinas •
Lestidiops jayakari (Boulenger, 1889) (worldwide in tropical to temperate waters) •
Macroparalepis affinis Ege, 1933 (anti-tropical in Atlantic Ocean) •
Magnisudis prionosa (Rofen, 1963) (circumglobal in southern oceans from 20°S to Antarctic) •
Arctozenus risso (Bonaparte, 1840) (syn,
Notolepis rissoi) (worldwide in temperate and tropical waters) •
Sudis hyalina Rafinesque, 1810 (Atlantic Ocean from 50°N to South Africa) Family
Scopelarchidae – pearleyes •
Benthalbella infans Zugmayer, 1911 (off south-western Cape; tropical/subtropical in all 3 major oceans) •
Lagiacrusichthys macropinnis (Bussing & Bussing, 1966) recorded as syn.
Benthalbella macropinna Bussing and Bussing, 1966 (off south-western Cape coast; circumpolar in subantarctic and Antarctic waters) •
Scopelarchus analis (Brauer, 1902) (common off southern Africa; tropical/subtropical all oceans) Family
Synodontidae • Snakefish,
Trachinocephalus myops (Forster, 1801), (TMNP MPA). =====Order
Batrachoidiformes===== Family
Batrachoididae – toadfishes • Snakehead toadfish,
Batrichthys apiatus (Valenciennes, 1837) (Saldanha Bay to Umtata River, Transkei) • Grass klipfish,
Pavoclinus graminis (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (
False Bay to
Inhambane) •
Sand dragonet,
Callionymus marleyi Regan, 1919 (
Cape of Good Hope eastward to Persian Gulf) Family:
Echeneidae – remoras • Shark remora,
Echeneis naucrates Linnaeus, 1758 (Namibia to Mozambique) • Sailfish,
Istiophorus platypterus (Shaw, 1792), (TMNP MPA). • Prodigal son,
Rachycentron canadum (Linnaeus, 1766) (Warm waters of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, occasionally reaching
False Bay) •
Swordfish,
Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758 (Namibia to Natal) • Redfingers,
Cheilodactylus fasciatus Lacepède, 1803 (Kunene river, Namibia to Durban) • Grey chub, brown chub,
Kyphosus bigibbus Lacepède, 1801 (Red Sea to
Cape Point) • Cape knifejaw,
Oplegnathus conwayi Richardson, 1840 (
False Bay to
Durban) • Pilchard or sardine,
Sardinops sagax (Jenyns, 1842) (Namibia to Mozambique) also reported as syn.
Sardinops ocellatus (Pappe, 1853). Family
Ehiravidae • Estuarine roundherring,
Gilchristella aestuaria (Gilchrist, 1913), (TMNP MPA). =====Order
Elopiformes===== Family
Elopidae – ladyfishes • Atlantic ladyfish,
Elops lacerta Valenciennes, 1846 (Atlantic coast to 23°S) • Southern rover,
Emmelichthys nitidus nitidus Richardson 1845 (occasionally taken off western Cape coast) • Spotted grunter,
Pomadasys commersonnii (Lacepède, 1801) (
False Bay to India) • Forktail tilefish,
Hoplolatilus fronticinctus (Günther, 1887) (Postlarvae collected off
Cape Peninsula; India and Western Pacific) • Cape moony,
Monodactylus falciformis Lacepède, 1801 (Red Sea to
False Bay) •
Argyrosomus inodorus Griffiths & Heemstra, 1995, (TMNP MPA). • Steentjie,
Spondyliosoma emarginatum (Valenciennes, 1830) (
Saldanha Bay to
Durban) •
Spotted codlet,
Bregmaceros mcclellandi Thompson, 1840 (from Cape eastwards; circumtropical but not known from east Pacific) •
Bregmaceros nectabanus Whitley, 1941 (Cape eastwards to tropical Indo-West Pacific; Tropical eastern Atlantic) • Shovelnose grenadier,
Coelorhinchus braueri Barnard, 1925 (Saldanha and Table Bay, Cape Point, East London; Angola to Mozambique) •
Abyssal grenadier, armoured rat-tail, russet grenadier, smoothscale rattail,
Coryphaenoides armatus (Hector, 1875) (abyssal, all oceans except Arctic. One Atlantic record off South Africa) •
Coryphaenoides striaturus Barnard, 1925 (off Cape Point) • Softhead grenadier, softhead rat-tail,
Malacocephalus laevis (Lowe, 1843) (off South Africa; widespread in Atlantic and Indian oceans) •
Nezumia brevibarbata (Barnard, 1925) (Cape Point; known only off the Cape, where it is common) Family
Melanonidae – melanonids • Pelagic cod,
Melanonus gracilis Günther, 1878 (circum-Antarctic south of Subtropical convergence; off Cape Peninsula) Family
Merlucciidae – hakes •
Lyconodes argenteus (Gilchrist, 1922) (west of Cape of Good Hope) Family
Moridae – deepsea cods • Blackcod, blue antimora, blue hake,
Antimora rostrata (Günther, 1878) (locally abundant, found in most oceans) •
Guttigadus globiceps (Gilchrist, 1906), syn.
Laemonema globiceps (off south-western Cape coast) •
Lepidion capensis Gilchrist, 1922 (Cape to East London) • Chubby clingfish,
Apletodon pellegrini (Chabanaud, 1925) (Senegal (west Africa) to
Port Alfred) Subfamily
Gobiinae • Agulhas goby,
Caffrogobius agulhensis (Barnard, 1927) (
False Bay to
East London) • Southern opah,
Lampris immaculatus Gilchrist, 1904 (circumglobal south of 30°S) • Oarfish,
Regalecus glesne Ascanius, 1772 (worldwide distribution) •
Ceratias tentaculatus (Norman, 1930) (off Saldanha Bay, off southern Natal, off Delagoa Bay and throughout southern oceans) Family
Himantolophidae – footballfish • Atlantic footballfish,
Himantolophus groenlandicus Reinhardt, 1837 (all major oceans) Family
Melanocetidae – devil-anglers •
Melanocetus johnsonii Günther, 1864 (off all coasts of South Africa; all major oceans) • Blackmouth angler,
Lophiomus setigerus (Vahl, 1797) (Indo-West Pacific south to False Bay) • Monkfish, devil anglerfish,
Lophius vomerinus (Valenciennes, 1837), syn.
Lophius upsicephalus (off Cape of Good Hope; eastern South Atlantic and south western Indian Ocean off South Africa; Bay of Bengal off Burma) also recorded as
Lophius sp. • Groovy mullet,
Chelon dumerili (Steindachner, 1870), (TMNP MPA). • Striped mullet,
Chelon tricuspidens (Smith, 1935), (TMNP MPA). • Hector's lanternfish,
Lampanyctodes hectoris (Günther, 1876), (TMNP MPA). •
Lampanyctus festivus Tåning, 1928 (off all South African coasts. Atlantic(53° – 18°N and 28° – 40°S with northern extension to 12°S in Benguela current and Indo-West Pacific.) •
Lampanyctus pusillus (Johnson, 1890) (off all South African coasts. Bisubtropical species in all major oceans) •
Notolychnus valdiviae (Brauer, 1904) (off all South African coasts) •
Protomyctophum normani Tåning, 1932 (once west of Slangkop lighthouse; circumglobal convergence species (36° – 43°S)) • Hawaiian halosaurid
, Aldrovandia phalacra (Vaillant, 1888) (off Cape Point) •
Abyssal halosaur,
Halosauropsis macrochir (Günther, 1878) (off Cape Point) •
Halosaurus ovenii Johnson, 1863 (off Cape Point to Walvis Bay) =====Order
Ophidiiformes===== Family
Aphyonidae – aphyonids •
Barathronus bicolor? Goode and Bean, 1886 (off Cape Point, specimen lost, identification dubious) • Lesser orange brotula,
Dermatopsoides talboti Cohen, 1966 (Saldanha Bay to Algoa Bay) Family
Ophidiidae – cuskeels • Slender brotula,
Dicrolene multifilis (Alcock, 1889) (off Table Bay and east coast of South Africa) • Kingklip,
Genypterus capensis (Smith, 1847) (Walvis Bay to Algoa Bay) • Barbed brotula,
Selachophidium guentheri Gilchrist, 1903 (Angola to Mozambique) =====Order
Osmeriformes===== Family
Alepocephalidae – slickheads •
Alepocephalus australis Barnard 1923 (off Cape Point; apparently widely distributed in temperate waters of southern hemisphere) Family
Opisthoproctidae – barreleyes •
Rhynchohyalus natalensis (Gilchrist and von Bonde, 1924) (off Cape Town to Bermuda) =====Order
Ovalentaria incertae sedis===== Family:
Pseudochromidae – dottybacks Subfamily:
Congrogadinae – snakelets • Snakelet,
Halidesmus scapularis Günther, 1872 (
Cape Columbine to Transkei) Family:
Psychrolutidae – fatheads •
Cottunculus spinosus, Gilchrist, 1906 (off Cape Point)
Suborder Percoidei Suborder Serranoidei Family:
Serranidae – rockcods (groupers) and seabasses Subfamily:
Epinephelinae • Yellowbelly rockcod,
Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) (Namibia to Mozambique) •
Smooth horsefish,
Congiopodus torvus (Gronovius, 1772) (Namibia to Pondoland) • Smoothskin scorpionfish,
Coccotropsis gymnoderma (Gilchrist, 1906) (Cape to Algoa bay) • Cape gurnard,
Chelidonichthys capensis (Cuvier, 1829) (Cape Fria to Maputo) (Cape Point to Delagoa Bay) Family:
Ammodytidae – Sandlances • Cape sandlance,
Gymnammodytes capensis (Barnard, 1927) (Angola to
Delagoa Bay) • Lace sole,
Synapturichthys kleinii (Risso, 1827), (Both sides of the Cape Peninsula) =====Order
Scombriformes===== Family:
Ariommatidae • Indian driftfish,
Ariomma indica (Day, 1870) (
Mossel Bay eastwards to Southern Japan) • Pomfret,
Brama brama (Bonnaterre, 1788) (
Algoa Bay to
Walvis Bay) Family:
Centrolophidae – Ruffs • Black ruff,
Centrolophus niger (Gmelin, 1789) (Temperate waters of Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa, also North Atlantic and Mediterranean) •
Chiasmodon niger Johnson, 1863 (Tropical/subtropical in the three major oceans) •
Snake mackerel,
Gempylus serpens Cuvier, 1829 (Worldwide in tropical and subtropical waters, sometimes in temperate latitudes) • Black fathead,
Cubiceps baxteri McCulloch, 1923 (Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans) • Elf or shad,
Pomatomus saltatrix (Linnaeus, 1766)(Namibia to Maputo) Subfamily:
Gasterochismatinae • Bigscale mackerel,
Gasterochisma melampus Richardson, 1845 (Worldwide in southern ocean, mostly between 35° and 50° S, recorded from
Table Bay) • Buttersnoek,
Lepidopus caudatus (Euphrasen, 1788) (Mediterranean, eastern Atlantic from Norway to South Africa, Australia and new Zealand) • Bicolored bristlemouth, tan bristlemouth
Cyclothone pallida Brauer, 1902 (all 3 major oceans) Family
Phosichthyidae – lightfishes •
Ichthyococcus australis Mukhacheva, 1980 (circumglobal in subtropical convergence region of southern hemisphere with records between 30° and 40°S in Atlantic sector of our region) Family
Sternoptychidae – hatchetfishes • Muller's pearlsides,
Maurolicus muelleri (Gmelin, 1788) (all oceans, more common in colder regions) • Lightfish,
Maurolicus walvisensis Parin & Kobyliansky, 1993, (TMNP MPA). • Atlantic silver hatchetfish, longspine silver hatchetfish,
Argyropelecus aculeatus Valenciennes, 1849 (worldwide in tropical and temperate seas) • Greater silver hatchetfish,
Argyropelecus gigas Norman, 1930 (southeast of Cape of Good Hope; Indian Ocean to 40°S and south Atlantic to 38°S) • Short silver hatchetfish
Argyropelecus hemigymnus Cocco, 1829 (worldwide distribution, common in SA waters to 35°S) • Transparent hatchetfish,
Sternoptyx diaphana Hermann, 1781 (worldwide in tropical and temperate seas) •
Sternoptyx pseudodiaphana Borodulina, 1977 (Indian Ocean south of 35°S; circumglobal in Southern Ocean; Benguela current) •
Stomias longibarbatus (Brauer, 1902), syn.
Macrostomias longibarbatus (taken once off Cape of Good Hope, widespread in subtropical and tropical Atlantic and tropical Indian and Pacific oceans) =====Order
Syngnathiformes===== Family
Centriscidae – snipefishes and shrimpfishes • Banded snipefish,
Centriscops humerosus (Richardson, 1846) recorded as syn.
Centriscops obliquus Waite, 1911 (Cape Columbine to False Bay) • Slender snipefish,
Macroramphosus scolopax (Linnaeus, 1758) (Table Bay to Durban) • Trunk fish, slender sunfish,
Ranzania laevis (Pennant, 1776), (TMNP MPA). • Ocean sunfish,
Mola mola (Linnaeus, 1758), (TMNP MPA). Family
Ostraciidae • Backspine cowfish, thornback cowfish,
Lactoria fornasini (Bianconi, 1846), (TMNP MPA). Family
Tetraodontidae – puffers • Evil-eye blaasop,
Amblyrhynchotes honckenii (Bloch, 1785)(False Bay to Delagoa Bay, Indo-West Pacific) =====Order
Zeiformes===== Family
Oreosomatidae • Ox-eyed oreo,
Oreosoma atlanticum Cuvier, 1829, (TMNP MPA). Family
Zeidae • Atlantic John Dory
Zeus faber Linnaeus, 1758, (TMNP MPA). ==Reptiles==