List of marine molluscs of South Africa

Last updated
Map of the Southern African coastline showing some of the landmarks referred to in species range statements Marine species distribution reference map Southern Africa.png
Map of the Southern African coastline showing some of the landmarks referred to in species range statements

The list of marine molluscs of South Africa is a list of saltwater species that form a part of the molluscan fauna of South Africa. This list does not include the land or freshwater molluscs.

Contents

Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals, after Arthropoda; members are known as molluscs or mollusks ( /ˈmɒləsk/ ). Around 76,000  extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is estimated between 60,000 and 100,000 additional species. The proportion of undescribed species is very high. Many taxa remain poorly studied.

Molluscs are the largest marine phylum, comprising about 23% of all the named marine organisms. Numerous molluscs also live in freshwater and terrestrial habitats. They are highly diverse, not just in size and anatomical structure, but also in behaviour and habitat. The phylum is typically divided into 7 or 8  taxonomic classes, of which two are entirely extinct. Cephalopod molluscs, such as squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses, are among the most neurologically advanced of all invertebrates—and either the giant squid or the colossal squid is the largest known extant invertebrate species. The gastropods (snails and slugs) are by far the most diverse molluscs and account for 80% of the total classified species. ( Full article... )

Gastropoda

See List of marine gastropods of South Africa

Bivalvia

Bivalves in South Africa include:

Nuculidae

Mytilidae – Mussels

Perna perna Perna perna 002.jpg
Perna perna

Arcidae – Ark clams

Noetiidae

Pinnidae – Pen shells

Gryphaeidae

Ostreidae – True oysters

Anomiidae – Saddle oysters

Gryphaeidae – Honeycomb oysters

Pteriidae – Pearl oysters

Pectinidae – Scallops

Limidae – File shells

Cardiidae – Cockles

Tridacnidae – Giant clams

Mactridae – Trough shells

Carditidae

Condylocardiidae

Solenidae

Lucinidae

Unionidae

Lasaeidae

Tellinidae

Gastrana matadoa Gastrana matadoa 002.jpg
Gastrana matadoa

Teredinidae

Donacidae – Wedge shells

Psammobiidae – Sunset clams

Veneridae – Venus shells

Polyplacophora

Hairy chiton Chaetopleura (Chaetopleura) papilio Chaetopleura papilio.jpg
Hairy chiton Chaetopleura (Chaetopleura) papilio

Chitons (Polyplacophora) in South Africa include:

Ischnochitonidae

Chitonidae

Callochitonidae

Acanthochitona

Chaetopleuridae

Cephalopoda

Cephalopods in South Africa include:

Octopoda – Octopus
Common octopus Octopus vulgaris Octopus vulgaris2.jpg
Common octopus Octopus vulgaris

Octopodidae

Argonautidae

Paper nautilus Argonauta argo Argonauta argo - Oslo Zoological Museum - IMG 9071.jpg
Paper nautilus Argonauta argo
Teuthida – Squid

Loliginidae

Sepiolida – Bobtail squid
Sepiida – Cuttlefish

Sepiidae

Spirulida – Ram's horn squid

Spirulidae

Scaphopoda

Tusk shells (Scaphopoda) in South Africa include:

Dentaliidae

Gadilidae

See also

Lists of molluscs of surrounding countries:

Related Research Articles

In 1758, in the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, the Swedish scientist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus described the class "Vermes" as:

Animals of slow motion, soft substance, able to increase their bulk and restore parts which have been destroyed, extremely tenacious of life, and the inhabitants of moist places. Many of them are without a distinct head, and most of them without feet. They are principally distinguished by their tentacles. By the Ancients they were not improperly called imperfect animals, as being destitute of ears, nose, head, eyes and legs; and are therefore totally distinct from Insects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molluscs in culture</span>

Molluscs play a variety of roles in culture, including but not limited to art and literature, with both practical interactions—whether useful or harmful—and symbolic uses.

<i>Chiton politus</i> Species of mollusc

Chiton politus, the tulip chiton, is a medium-sized polyplacophoran mollusc in the family Chitonidae, found on the coast of southern Africa.

<i>Acanthochitona garnoti</i> Species of mollusc

Acanthochitona garnoti, the spiny chiton, is a medium-sized polyplacophoran mollusc in the family Acanthochitonidae, found on the coast of southern Africa.

<i>Dinoplax validifossus</i> Species of mollusc

Dinoplax validifossus, the Natal giant chiton, is a large polyplacophoran mollusc in the family Chaetopleuridae, found on the eastern coast of southern Africa. It was originally considered a subspecies of the giant chiton.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Day, J.H. A guide to marine life on South African shores. Balkema, Cape Town, 1969
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 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. ISBN   0-86486-250-4
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN   978-0-620-41639-9
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Kilburn, R. and Rippey, E. Sea Shells of Southern Africa MacMillan South Africa 1982 ISBN   0-86954-094-7
  5. ↑ www.marinespecies.org http://www.marinespecies.org . Retrieved 11 January 2010.{{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)[ title missing ]
  6. 1 2 Branch, George. and Branch, Margo. The living shores of southern Africa. Struik, Cape Town, 1981. ISBN   0-86977-115-9

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.