List of marine molluscs of South Africa

The list of marine molluscs of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...

is a list of saltwater

Seawater

Seawater is water from a sea or ocean. On average, seawater in the world's oceans has a salinity of about 3.5% . This means that every kilogram of seawater has approximately of dissolved salts . The average density of seawater at the ocean surface is 1.025 g/ml...

species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

that form a part of the molluscan fauna of South Africa

Fauna of South Africa

The fauna of South Africa is astonishingly varied, but largely typical of the ecosystems of Africa.-Habitats:The topography and geology of South Africa is extremely varied, resulting in a wide variety of habitats. Due to this, South Africa is ranked sixth out of the world’s seventeen megadiverse...

. This list does not include the land or freshwater molluscs.

Bivalvia

Bivalves in South Africa include:

Nuculidae

Nuculidae

Nuculidae is a family of small saltwater clams in the order Nuculoida. Species in this family are commonly known as nut clams.The nomenclature of the Western European species in this family is still uncertain. Their systematics has been based mainly on their feces. -Genera:* Acila H. Adams and A...

Nucula nucleus Linnaeus, 1758

Mytilidae

Mytilidae is a family of small to large saltwater mussels, marine bivalve mollusks in the order Mytiloida. It is the only family in the order...

- Mussels

Estuarine mussel Arcuatula capensis (Cape Agulhas to Mozambique)
Ribbed mussel Aulacomya ater (Namibia to Eastern Cape)
Brack-water mussel Brachidontes virgiliae (Eastern Cape to Mozambique)
Semistriated mussel Brachidontes semistriatus (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique)
Black mussel Choromytilus meridionalis (Namibia to Tsitsikamma)
Half-hairy mussel Gregariella petagnae (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal)
Ear mussel Modiolus auriculatus (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique)
Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (Orange river to Eastern Cape)
Brown mussel Perna perna
Perna perna
The brown mussel, Perna perna, is an economically important mussel, a bivalve mollusc belonging to the family Mytilidae. It is harvested as a food source but is also known to harbor toxins and cause damage to marine structures...

(Cape Point to Mozambique)

Ledge mussel Septifer bilocularis (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique)

Arcidae - Ark clams

Arca avellana Lam? (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique)
Arca navicularis Brughiere 1789
Arca gibba Krauss?
Arca tortuosa Linnaeus 1758
Arca helblingi Brughiere?
Oblique ark shell Barbatia obliquata (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)

Noetiidae

Noetiidae is a family of bivalves related to the ark clams. They are differentiated from the ark clams by the presence of striations on the hinge ligament...

Striarca symmetrica (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique)

Pinnidae

Pinnidae is a family of large saltwater clams sometimes known as pen shells. They are marine bivalve molluscs in the order Pterioida.The shells are fragile and have a long and triangular shape, and in life they are anchored in sediment using a byssus...

- Pen shells

Horse mussel Atrina squamifera (Cape Columbine to Eastern Cape)
Pinna muricata (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique)

Gryphaeidae

Gryphaeidae, common name the foam oysters or honeycomb oysters, is a family of marine bivalve mollusks, related to the true oysters.-Taxonomy:...

Hyotissa numisma(Transkei to Mozambique)

Ostreidae

Ostreidae are the true oysters, and include most species that are commonly eaten under the name oyster. Pearl oysters are not true oysters and belong to the distinct order Pterioida....

- True oysters

Weed oyster Ostrea algoensis Sowerby, 1871
Ostrea atherstonei (Saldanha Bay to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)
Natal rock oyster Saccostrea cuccullata (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique) (syn. Crassostrea cucculata)
Cape rock oyster Striostrea margaritacea (Cape Point to Mozambique)

Anomiidae

Anomiidae is a family of bivalve molluscs related to scallops and oysters, and known as anomiids. It contains seven genera.The family is known by several common names, including jingle shells, saddle oysters and mermaid's toenails....

- Saddle oysters

Saddle oyster Anomia achaeus (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique)

Gryphaeidae

Gryphaeidae, common name the foam oysters or honeycomb oysters, is a family of marine bivalve mollusks, related to the true oysters.-Taxonomy:...

- Honeycomb oysters

Hyotissa numisma

Pteriidae

Pteriidae is a family of medium-sized to large saltwater clams. They are pearl oysters, marine bivalve mollusks in the order Pterioida.Some of the species in this family are important economically as the source of saltwater pearls....

- Pearl oysters

Cape pearl oyster Pinctada capensis (Cape Agulhas to Mozambique)

Pectinidae

The Pectinidae are a family of bivalve mollusks including the scallop and closely related to the clam and oyster. They are hermaphrodite, and the male gonads mature first. Pectinidae can live attached by means of a filament they secrete, or are simply recumbent. Their valves can propel them...

- Scallops

Dwarf fan shell
Dwarf fan shell
The dwarf fan shell, Talochlamys multistriata is a species of bivalve scallop. It is a marine mollusc in the family Pectinidae.-Distribution:...

Chlamys tincta (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)
Scallop Pecten sulcicostatus (Cape Point to Eastern Cape)

Limidae

Limidae is the only family of bivalve molluscs in the order Limoida.-Genera:* Acesta H. and A. Adams, 1858* Divarilima Powell, 1958* Escalima Iredale, 1929 * Lima Bruguière, 1789 * Limaria Link, 1807 * Limatula S. V. Wood, 1839...

- File shells

File shell Limaria tuberculata (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)

Cardiidae - Cockles

Cockle Trachycardium flavum (Central KwaZulu-Natal to Mozambique)
Trachycardium rubicundum (Eastern Transkei to Mozambique)

Tridacnidae

The Tridacninae are a subfamily of Bivalves colloquially known as giant clams. The family contains the biggest bivalve species, including Tridacna gigas, the giant clam. They have heavy shells, fluted with 4–6 folds. Mantle is usually brightly coloured. They inhabit coral reefs in warm seas of the...

- Giant clams

Giant clam Tridacna squamosa
Tridacna squamosa
Tridacna squamosa, colloquially known as the fluted giant clam, is one of a number of large clam species native to the shallow coral reefs of the South Pacific and Indian oceans. It is distinguished by the presence of large leaf-like fluted edges on its shell called 'scutes' and a byssal opening...

(Northern KwaZulu-Natal to Mozambique)
Tridacna maxima (Zululand)

Mactridae

Mactridae, also known as trough shells or duck clams, is a family of marine bivalve clams of the order Veneroida.-Characteristics:...

- Trough shells

Otter shell Lutraria lutraria
Lutraria lutraria
Lutraria lutraria is a species of large marine bivalve mollusc in the family Mactridae. Its common names include the otter shell and the common otter shell...

(Namibia to Eastern Cape)
Smooth trough shell Mactra glabrata (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)
Angular surf clam Scissodesma spengleri (Cape Point to Eastern Cape)

Carditidae

Carditidae is a family of marine bivalve clams of the order Veneroida.-Genera:* Cardita Bruguière, 1792 * Carditamera Conrad, 1838 * Crassicardia Conrad, 1838 * Cyclocardia Conrad, 1867 * Glans Megerle von Muhlfeld, 1811...

Rectangular false cockle Cardita variegata (Mossel Bay to Mozambique)
Dead man's hands Thecalia concamerata (Port Nolloth to Transkei)

Condylocardiidae

Condylocardiidae is a family of small marine bivalve clams of the order Veneroida.-Genera:* Benthocardiella Powell, 1930* Carditella E. A. Smith, 1881 * Carditopsis E. A. Smith, 1881* Condylocardia Bernard, 1896...

Rough false cockle Carditella rugosa (Mossel Bay to central KwaZulu-Natal)
Carditella capensis (West coast)

Solenidae

Solenidae is a family of saltwater clams known as razor shells, marine bivalve mollusks in the order Veneroida.-Taxonomy:Originally razor shells were all classified as Solenidae. Then the genera were grouped into two sub-families, the Cultellinae and Soleninae...

Pencil bait Solen capensis (Namaqualand to Eastern Cape)
Solen cylindraceus (Transkei to Mozambique)

Lucinidae

Lucinidae is a family of saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs.These bivalves are remarkable for their endosymbiosis with sulphide-oxidizing bacteria.-Characteristics:...

Smooth platter shell Loripes clausus Philippi 1848 (Mossel Bay to Mozambique)

Unionidae

Unionidae is a family of freshwater mussels, the largest in the order Unionoida, the bivalve mollusks sometimes known as river mussels, naiads, or simply as unionids.The range of distribution for this family is world-wide...

Toothless platter shell Anodontia edentula Linnaeus 1758 (Mossel Bay to Mozambique)

Lasaeidae

Lasaeidae is a family of bivalve molluscs, related to the Zebra mussels. They are commonly called kellyclams.-Selected genera and species:* Aligena I...

Dwarf rusty clam Lasaea adansoni turtoni (Cape Point to Mozambique)Gmelin 1791
Tellimya trigona (West coast)

Tellinidae

Tellinidae is a family of marine bivalve molluscs of the order Veneroida. They live under soft sediments in shallow seas.-Characteristics:Tellinids have rounded or oval, elongated shells, much flattened. The two valves are connected by a large external ligament. The two separate siphons are...

Ridged tellin Gastrana matadoa (Cape Point to northern KwaZulu-Natal)
Littoral tellin Macoma litoralis (Mossel Bay to Mozambique)
Port Alfred tellin Tellina alfredensis Linnaeus 1758 (Cape Point to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)
Tellina capsoides (Durban to Mozambique)
Gilchrist's tellin Tellina gilchristi (Cape Columbine to Eastern Cape)
Tellina trilatera (Orange river to Transkei)

Teredinidae

Shipworm Bankia carinata (Mossel Bay to Mozambique)

Donacidae

Donacidae, the bean clams or wedge shells, is a family of bivalve molluscs of the order Veneroida. The family is related to the Tellins.The Donacidae are prolific filter feeders, and are an important part of coastal food chains where they occur...

- Wedge shells

Donax bipartitus (East London to Mozambique)
Round ended wedge shell Donax burnupi (Cape Point to Mozambique)
Slippery wedge shell Donax lubricus (Port Alfred to Mozambique)
Ridged wedge shell Donax madagscariensis (Transkei to Mozambique)
White mussel or Wedge shell Donax serra (Namibia to Transkei)
Donax sordidus (Cape Point to Transkei)

Psammobiidae

Psammobiidae or sunset clams, are a family of medium-sized saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs of the order Veneroida.-Genera:The following genera are accepted by the database World Register of Marine Species...

- Sunset clams

Sunset clam Hiatula lunulata (Transkei to Mozambique)
Sand tellin Psammotellina capensis (Cape Agulhas to Transkei)

Veneridae

The Veneridae or venerids, also known as the Venus clams, are a very large family of minute to large, saltwater clams, marine bivalve molluscs. There are over 500 living species of venerid bivalves, most of which are edible, and many of which are exploited as a food source.Many of the most...

- Venus shells

Heart clam Dosinia lupinus orbignyi (Namibia to Eastern Cape)
Dosinia hepatica (Mossel Bay to Mozambique)
Beaked clam Eumarcia paupercula (Mossel Bay to Mozambique)
Ribbed venus Gafrarium pectinatum alfredense (Port Elizabeth to Mozambique)

Zigzag clam Pitar abbreviatus (Cape Point to Mozambique)
Mottled venus Sunetta contempta bruggeni? (Cape Point to northern KwaZulu-Natal)
Streaked sand clam Tivela compressa (Cape Point to Eastern Cape)
Tivela polita (Transkei to Mozambique)
Corrugated venus Venerupis corrugatus (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal)
Warty venus Venus verrucosa(Namibia to Mozambique)

Polyplacophora

Chiton

Chitons are small to large, primitive marine molluscs in the class Polyplacophora.There are 900 to 1,000 extant species of chitons in the class, which was formerly known as Amphineura....

s (Polyplacophora) in South Africa include:

Ischnochitonidae

Ischnochitonidae

Ischnochitonidae is an extinct of polyplacophoran mollusc....

Textile chiton Ischnochiton textilis (Gray, 1828) (Namibia to central KwaZulu-Natal)
Dwarf chiton Ischnochiton oniscus (Krauss, 1848) (Cape Columbine to Mozambique)
Ribbed scale chiton Ischnochiton bergoti (Velain, 1877) (Namibia to Cape Point)
Ischnochiton hewitti

Chitonidae

Chitonidae is a family of chitons or polyplacophorans, marine mollusks whose shell is composed of eight articulating plates or valves. There are fifteen extant genera in three subfamilies.-Subfamilies and genera:...

Tulip chiton Chiton (Rhyssoplax) politus Spengler, 1797 syn Chiton tulipa (Quoy & Gaimard, 1835) (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)
Brooding chiton Chiton nigrovirescens de Blainville, 1825 (Namibia to Cape Agulhas) (accepted as Radsia nigrovirescens)
Black chiton Onithochiton literatus (Krauss, 1848) (Cape Point to Mozambique)

Callochitonidae

Broad chiton Callochiton castaneus (Wood, 1815) (Orange river to northern KwaZulu-Natal)
Notoplax productus Phil

Acanthochitona

Acanthochitona is a genus of chitons in the family Acanthochitonidae, of worldwide distribution.-Species:According to the World Register of Marine Species , species in the genus Acanthopleura include...

Spiny chiton Acanthochitona garnoti de Blainville, 1825 (Cape Columbine to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)
Notoplax productus Phil

Chaetopleuridae

Chaetopleuridae is a family of chitons. They are marine molluscs.-Genera:Two genera are known in this family:* Chaetopleura Shuttleworth, 1853* Dinoplax Carpenter MS, Dall, 1882...

Giant chiton or Armadillo Dinoplax gigas Gmelin, 1791 (Cape Point to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)
Dinoplax validifossus Ashby (Northern Transkei to Kwazulu-Natal)
Hairy chiton Chaetopleura (Chaetopleura) papilio (Spengler, 1797) (Namibia to Cape Point)
Orange hairy chiton Chaetopleura (Chaetopleura) pertusa (Reeve, 1847) (Cape Columbine to northern KwaZulu-Natal)

Cephalopoda

Cephalopod

A cephalopod is any member of the molluscan class Cephalopoda . These exclusively marine animals are characterized by bilateral body symmetry, a prominent head, and a set of arms or tentacles modified from the primitive molluscan foot...

s in South Africa include:

Octopoda - Octopus

Octopus

The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...

Octopodidae

Octopodidae is the family containing the majority of known octopus species.-Subfamilies and species:*Basal genus Vulcanoctopus*Genus incertae sedis Histoctopus*Subfamily Bathypolypodinae**Genus Bathypolypus**Genus Benthoctopus...

Common octopus Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1797 (Namibia to northern KwaZulu-Natal)
Giant octopus Octopus magnificus Villanueva et al., 1992 (syn. Enteroctopus magnificus)
Brush tipped octopus Aphrodoctopus schultzi Hoyle, 1910 (Cape Columbine to Cape Point) (syn. Eledone thysanophora)

Argonautidae

Argonautidae is a family of cephalopods encompassing the modern paper nautiluses of the genus Argonauta along with several extinct genera of shelled octopods....

Paper nautilus Argonauta argo Linnaeus, 1758 (Cape Point to northern KwaZulu-Natal)

Teuthida - Squid

Squid

Squid are cephalopods of the order Teuthida, which comprises around 300 species. Like all other cephalopods, squid have a distinct head, bilateral symmetry, a mantle, and arms. Squid, like cuttlefish, have eight arms arranged in pairs and two, usually longer, tentacles...

Loliginidae

Loliginidae, commonly known as pencil squids, is an aquatic family of the order Teuthida .-Species:The following classification follows Vecchione et al. and the Tree of Life Web Project .*Genus Afrololigo...

Indian Ocean squid Loligo duvauceli Orbigny, 1848 (Port Alfred to Mozambique)
Chokka or Calimari Loligo vulgaris reynaudi
Loligo vulgaris reynaudi
Loligo reynaudii, commonly known as the Cape Hope Squid, is a large squid belonging to the family Loliginidae. In South Africa it is known as either calamari or chokka....

(Orbigny, 1845) (Orange river to Eastern Cape) (syn. Loligo reynaudi Orbigny, 1845)
Diamond squid Thysanoteuthis rhombus Troschel, 1857

Sepiolida - Bobtail squid

Bobtail squid

Bobtail squid are a group of cephalopods closely related to cuttlefish. Bobtail squid tend to have a rounder mantle than cuttlefish and have no cuttlebone. They have eight suckered arms and two tentacles and are generally quite small...

Unidentified species (Cape Peninsula, both sides)

Sepiida - Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish

Cuttlefish are marine animals of the order Sepiida. They belong to the class Cephalopoda . Despite their name, cuttlefish are not fish but molluscs....

Sepiidae

Sepiidae is a family of cephalopods in the order Sepiida.-Classification:*Order Sepiida: cuttlefish**Family Sepiadariidae**Family Sepiidae***Genus Metasepia****Metasepia pfefferi, Pfeffer's Flamboyant Cuttlefish...

Sepia papillata
Sepia papillata
Sepia papillata is a species of cuttlefish native to the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and southwestern Indian Ocean. Its natural range stretches from Lüderitz Bay, South Africa , to the coast of KwaZulu-Natal off the Tugela and Umvoti Rivers . It is also present in Mascarene Ridge. It lives at...

Quoy & Gaimard, 1832
Beautiful cuttlefish Sepia (Hemisepius) pulchra Roeleveld & Liltved, 1985
Sepia simoniana
Sepia simoniana
Sepia simoniana is a species of cuttlefish native to the western Indian Ocean. Its natural distribution stretches from Cape Town to Agulhas Bank, north to northern Kenya and...

Thiele, 1920
Tuberculate cuttlefish Sepia tuberculata
Sepia tuberculata
Sepia tuberculata is a species of cuttlefish native to South African waters from Melkbosstrand to Knysna . It lives in very shallow water to a depth of 3 m. It is endemic....

Lamarck, 1798 (Cape Columbine to Eastern Cape)
Common cuttlefish Sepia vermiculata
Sepia vermiculata
Sepia vermicularis is known as the common cuttlefish or ink-fish in South Africa. It is endemic to this region.-Distribution:This cuttlefish is found around the South African coast from Saldanha Bay to Algoa Bay, subtidally to at least 40m....

Quoy and Gaimard, 1832 (Orange river to Mozambique)

Spirulida

Spirulida is an order of cephalopods comprising one extant species and several extinct taxa.-Classification:*Order Spirulida**?Family Shimanskyidae**Suborder †Groenlandibelina***Family †Groenlandibelidae...

- Ram's horn squid

Spirulidae

Ram's horn shell Spirula spirula Linnaeus 1758 (Eastern Cape to Mozambique)

Scaphopoda

Tusk shell

The tusk shells or scaphopods are a class of shelled marine mollusks. The scientific name of this class is Scaphopoda, meaning "shovel-footed". Shells of species within this class range from about 0.5 to 15 cm in length...

s (Scaphopoda) in South Africa include:

Dentaliidae

Dentaliidae

Dentaliidae is a family of tusk shells in the order Dentaliida.-Genera:* Antalis H. & A. Adams, 1854 * Coccodentalium Sacco, 1896 * Compressidentalium Habe, 1963 * Dentalium Linnaeus, 1758 * Eudentalium Cotton & Godfrey, 1933...

Dentalium regulare E.A. Smith, 1903 (Jeffreys Bay to Durban)
Antalis longirostrum (Reeve, 1843) (Indo-Pacific to KwaZulu-Natal south coast)

Gadilidae

Gadilidae is a family of tusk shells in the order Dentaliida.-Genera:* Bathycadulus Scarabino, 1995 * Cadulus Philippi, 1844* Dischides Jeffreys, 1867 * Gadila Gray, 1847* Polyschides Pilsbry & Sharp, 1898...

Cadulus booceras Tomlin, 1926
Cadulus
Cadulus
Cadulus is a large genus of small tusk shells in the family Gadilidae. It contains over fifty-one described species.- Species :* Cadulus aberrans Whiteaves, 1887 - aberrant toothshell* Cadulus acus Dall, 1889 * Cadulus aequalis Dall, 1881...

spp. Three other species known here, all inhabiting deep water

Bivalvia

Polyplacophora

Cephalopoda

Scaphopoda

See also