Republic of South Africa
Checklist of Endemic Marine Fish Species
This list of marine fish species found exclusively in the Republic of South Africa is based on the taxonomy used in FishBase 2004 (2004). For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.
FishBase 2004: a global information system on fishes. DVD. WorldFish Center - Philippine Office, Los Banos, Philippines. Published in May 2004.
The current version of this electronic database is accessible here.
OC = a FishBase occurrence record suggests a specimen from another country outside normal stated range (these vary widely in reliability from obvious misidentifications to being almost certainly correct)
Galeichthys ater (Ariidae) Black Sea Catfish
Xenobalistes punctatus (Balistidae) Outrigger Triggerfish
Austrobatrachus foedus (Batrachoididae) Puzzled Toadfish
Batrichthys albofasciatus (Batrachoididae) White-ribbed Toadfish
Batrichthys apiatus OC (Batrachoididae) Snakehead Toadfish
Batrichthys felinus (Batrachoididae) Pleated Toadfish
Chatrabus hendersoni (Batrachoididae) Chocolate Toadfish
Perulibatrachus kilburni (Batrachoididae)
Riekertia ellisi (Batrachoididae) Broadbodied Toadfish
Petalichthys capensis (Belonidae) Cape Needlefish
Chalaroderma capito (Blenniidae) Looseskin Blenny
Chalaroderma ocellata (Blenniidae) Two-eyed Blenny
Omobranchus woodi (Blenniidae) Kappie Blenny
Engyprosopon natalensis (Bothidae) Natal Flounder
Bidenichthys capensis (Bythitidae) Freetail Brotula
Dermatopsoides kasougae (Bythitidae) Orange Brotula
Dermatopsoides talboti (Bythitidae) Lesser Orange Brotula
Grammonoides opisthodon (Bythitidae) Bighead Brotula
Cheilodactylus pixi (Cheilodactylidae) Barred Fingerfin
Chirodactylus jessicalenorum OC (Cheilodactylidae) Natal Fingerfin
Blennioclinus stella (Clinidae) Silverbubble Klipfish
Blennophis striatus (Clinidae) Striped Klipfish
Cancelloxus elongatus (Clinidae) Whiteblotched Klipfish
Cancelloxus longior (Clinidae)
Cirrhibarbis capensis OC (Clinidae) Barbelled Klipfish
Climacoporus navalis OC (Clinidae) Fleet Klipfish
Clinoporus biporosus (Clinidae) Ladder Klipfish
Clinus berrisfordi (Clinidae) Onrust Klipfish
Clinus brevicristatus (Clinidae) Cape Klipfish
Clinus cottoides OC (Clinidae) Bluntnose Klipfish
Clinus helenae (Clinidae) Helen's Klipfish
Clinus latipennis (Clinidae) False Bay Klipfish
Clinus nematopterus (Clinidae) Chinese Klipfish
Clinus robustus (Clinidae) Robust Klipfish
Clinus spatulatus (Clinidae) Bot River Klipfish
Fucomimus mus (Clinidae) Mousey Klipfish
Pavoclinus caeruleopunctatus (Clinidae)
Pavoclinus litorafontis (Clinidae) Slinky Klipfish
Pavoclinus myae (Clinidae) Mya's Klipfish
Pavoclinus profundus (Clinidae) Deepwater Klipfish
Pavoclinus smalei (Clinidae) Deep-reef Klipfish
Smithichthys fucorum (Clinidae) Leafy Klipfish
Xenopoclinus kochi (Clinidae) Platanna Klipfish
Symphurus variegatus (Cynoglossidae)
Diplecogaster megalops (Gobiesocidae) Bigeye Clingfish
Pherallodus smithi (Gobiesocidae) Mini-clingfish
Caffrogobius agulhensis (Gobiidae) Agulhas Goby
Caffrogobius natalensis (Gobiidae) Baldy
Coryogalops bretti OC (Gobiidae)
Myersina pretoriusi (Gobiidae) Pondoland Sailfin Goby
Psammogobius knysnaensis OC (Gobiidae) Knysna Sand-goby
Paragaleus leucolomatus (Hemigaleidae) Whitetip Weasel Shark
Gaidropsarus capensis OC (Lotidae) Cape Rockling
Enchelycore nycturanus (Muraenidae)
Eptatretus octatrema (Myxinidae) Eightgill Hagfish
Ichthyapus acuticeps (Ophichthidae) Sharpnose Sand-eel
Ophichthus serpentinus OC (Ophichthidae)
Ophichthus unicolor OC (Ophichthidae) Plain Snake-eel
Oplegnathus conwayi OC (Oplegnathidae) Cape Knifejaw
Osopsaron natalensis (Percophidae)
Pteropsaron heemstrai OC (Percophidae)
Parapercis maritzi OC (Pinguipedidae)
Plesiops multisquamata (Plesiopidae) Spotted Longfin
Apolemichthys kingi (Pomacanthidae) Tiger Angelfish
Halidesmus scapularis (Pseudochromidae) Snakelet
Natalichthys leptus (Pseudochromidae) Pencil Snakelet
Natalichthys ori (Pseudochromidae) Natal Snakelet
Natalichthys sam (Pseudochromidae) Nail Snakelet
Psychrolutes macrocephalus OC (Psychrolutidae)
Neoscorpaena nielseni (Scorpaenidae)
Scorpaenopsis gilchristi OC (Scorpaenidae) Gilchrist's Scorpionfish
Halaelurus natalensis OC (Scyliorhinidae) Tiger Catshark
Haploblepharus edwardsii OC (Scyliorhinidae) Puffadder Shyshark
Haploblepharus fuscus (Scyliorhinidae) Brown Shyshark
Poroderma africanum OC (Scyliorhinidae) Striped Catshark
Poroderma pantherinum OC (Scyliorhinidae) Leopard Catshark
Pseudanthias connelli (Serranidae) Harlequin Goldie
Solea fulvomarginata (Soleidae) Lemon Sole
Zebrias regani (Soleidae) South African Zebra Sole
Boopsoidea inornata (Sparidae) Fransmadam
Chrysoblephus cristiceps OC (Sparidae) Daggerhead Seabream
Chrysoblephus gibbiceps OC (Sparidae) Red Stumpnose Seabream
Chrysoblephus lophus OC (Sparidae) False Red Stumpnose
Cymatoceps nasutus (Sparidae) Poenskop Seabream
Gymnocrotaphus curvidens (Sparidae) Janbruin
Pachymetopon aeneum OC (Sparidae) Blue Hottentot
Petrus rupestris OC (Sparidae) Red Steenbras
Hippocampus capensis (Syngnathidae) Knysna Seahorse
Syngnathus watermeyeri (Syngnathidae) River Pipefish
Arothron inconditus (Tetraodontidae) Bellystriped Blaasop
Chelonodon pleurospilus OC (Tetraodontidae) Blaasop Beauty
Torquigener balteus (Tetraodontidae) Slender Blaasop
Coccotropsis gymnoderma (Tetrarogidae) Smooth-skin Scorpionfish
Scylliogaleus quecketti (Triakidae) Flapnose Houndshark
Acanthanectes hystrix (Tripterygiidae)
Acanthanectes rufus (Tripterygiidae)
Cremnochorites capensis (Tripterygiidae) Cape Triplefin
Additional endemic marine fish species that were not included in FishBase 2004 are given below. This list is primarily based on information from the 13 March 2009 version of the Catalog of Fishes database (current version here) and includes species described through 2008. In addition to the 97 endemic marine fish species listed above, these additional 7 species total 104 species of marine fishes known solely from the Republic of South Africa.
Cocotropus roseomaculatus (Aploactinidae) 2004
Dermatopsoides andersoni (Bythitidae) Anderson's Mudbrotula 2006
Mascarenichthys microphthalmus (Bythitidae) 2007
Symphurus monostigmus (Cynoglossidae) 2006
Electrolux addisoni (Narcinidae) Ornate Sleeper-ray 2007
Aseraggodes heemstrai (Soleidae) 2006
Enneapterygius kosiensis (Tripterygiidae) 2005