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List of saltwater species that form a part of the molluscan fauna of South Africa From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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.
Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (/ˈmɒləsks/). 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:
Mytilidae – Mussels
Arcidae – Ark clams
Pinnidae – Pen shells
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
Donacidae – Wedge shells
Psammobiidae – Sunset clams
Veneridae – Venus shells
Chitons (Polyplacophora) in South Africa include:
Cephalopods in South Africa include:
Tusk shells (Scaphopoda) in South Africa include:
Lists of molluscs of surrounding countries:
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