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.
Map of the Southern African coastline showing some of the landmarks referred to in species range statements Mollusca phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals , whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda . The number of additional fossil species is estimated between 60,000 and 100,000, and 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 . They are highly diverse, not just in size and anatomical structure, but also in behaviour and habitat , as numerous groups are freshwater and even terrestrial species. 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 , slugs and abalone ) are by far the most diverse class and account for 80% of the total classified molluscan species. (Full article...
Bivalves in South Africa include:
Nuculidae
Nucula nucleus [1] Mytilidae – Mussels
Perna perna Arcidae – Ark clams
Arca avellana [2] Arca navicularis [1] Arca tortuosa [1] Barbatia candida Arca helblingi [1] Oblique ark shell Barbatia obliquata [2] Noetiidae
Striarca symmetrica [2] Pinnidae – Pen shells
Gryphaeidae
Hyotissa numisma [2] Ostreidae – True oysters
Weed oyster Ostrea algoensis [1]
Ostrea atherstonei [2] Natal rock oyster Saccostrea cuccullata [2] Crassostrea cuccullata )
Cape rock oyster Striostrea margaritacea [2] Anomiidae – Saddle oysters
Saddle oyster Anomia achaeus [2] Gryphaeidae – Honeycomb oysters
Pteriidae – Pearl oysters
Cape pearl oyster Pinctada capensis [2] Pectinidae – Scallops
Limidae – File shells
Cardiidae – Cockles
Cockle Trachycardium flavum [2]
Trachycardium rubicundum [2] Tridacnidae – Giant clams
Mactridae – Trough shells
Carditidae
Rectangular false cockle Cardita variegata [2]
Dead man's hands Thecalia concamerata [2] Condylocardiidae
Rough false cockle Carditella rugosa [2]
Carditella capensis [2] Solenidae
Pencil bait Solen capensis [2]
Solen cylindraceus [2] Lucinidae
Smooth platter shell Loripes clausus [2] Unionidae
Toothless platter shell Anodontia edentula [2] Lasaeidae
Tellinidae
Gastrana matadoa Ridged tellin Gastrana matadoa [2]
Littoral tellin Macoma litoralis [2]
Port Alfred tellin Tellina alfredensis [2]
Tellina capsoides [2] Gilchrist's tellin Tellina gilchristi [2]
Tellina trilatera [2] Teredinidae
Donacidae – Wedge shells
Donax bipartitus [2] Round ended wedge shell Donax burnupi [2]
Slippery wedge shell Donax lubricus [2]
Ridged wedge shell Donax madagscariensis [2]
White mussel or Wedge shell Donax serra [2]
Donax sordidus [2] Psammobiidae – Sunset clams
Sunset clam Hiatula lunulata [2]
Sand tellin Psammotellina capensis [2] Veneridae – Venus shells
Heart clam Dosinia lupinus orbignyi [2]
Dosinia hepatica [2] Beaked clam Eumarcia paupercula [2]
Ribbed venus Gafrarium pectinatum alfredense [2]
Zigzag clam Pitar abbreviatus [2]
Mottled venus Sunetta contempta bruggeni [2]
Streaked sand clam Tivela compressa [2]
Tivela polita [2] Corrugated venus Venerupis corrugatus [2]
Warty venus Venus verrucosa [2] [3]
Tusk shells (Scaphopoda) in South Africa include:
Dentaliidae
Dentalium regulare [4] [6] Antalis longirostrum [4] Gadilidae
Siphonodentalium booceras [4] [6] Cadulus [4]
Lists of molluscs of surrounding countries:
Day, J.H. A guide to marine life on South African shores. Balkema, Cape Town, 1969
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 Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9 Kilburn, R. and Rippey, E. Sea Shells of Southern Africa MacMillan South Africa 1982 ISBN 0-86954-094-7 Branch, George. and Branch, Margo. The living shores of southern Africa . Struik, Cape Town, 1981. ISBN 0-86977-115-9
