Species database

Marine species in South Africa

45 species divers have recorded here, each verified against the World Register of Marine Species. Log your dives on DIVR to add to the record.

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Commonly seen

18

You have a good chance of spotting these on a typical dive.

Blackspot Sergeant (Abudefduf sordidus)common

Abudefduf sordidus

Blackspot Sergeant

Fish
Brown Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus)common

Acanthurus nigrofuscus

Brown Surgeonfish

Fish
Convict Surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus)common

Acanthurus triostegus

Convict Surgeonfish

Fish
Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas)common

Carcharhinus leucas

Bull Shark

Fish
Dusky Shark (Carcharhinus obscurus)common

Carcharhinus obscurus

Dusky Shark

Fish
Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea)common

Dermochelys coriacea

Leatherback

Reptiles
Catface Grouper (Epinephelus andersoni)common

Epinephelus andersoni

Catface Grouper

Fish
Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus)common

Epinephelus marginatus

Dusky Grouper

Fish
Halfmoon Grouper (Epinephelus rivulatus)common

Epinephelus rivulatus

Halfmoon Grouper

Fish
Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier)common

Galeocerdo cuvier

Tiger Shark

Fish
Honeycomb Stingray (Himantura uarnak)common

Himantura uarnak

Honeycomb Stingray

Fish
Rippled Rockskipper (Istiblennius edentulus)common

Istiblennius edentulus

Rippled Rockskipper

Fish
Hump (Megaptera novaeangliae)common

Megaptera novaeangliae

Hump

Mammals
Flathead Grey Mullet (Mugil cephalus)common

Mugil cephalus

Flathead Grey Mullet

Fish
Stone-Bream (Neoscorpis lithophilus)common

Neoscorpis lithophilus

Stone-Bream

Fish
Sea Goldie (Pseudanthias squamipinnis)common

Pseudanthias squamipinnis

Sea Goldie

Fish
Houndfish (Tylosurus crocodilus)common

Tylosurus crocodilus

Houndfish

Fish
Dory (Zeus faber)common

Zeus faber

Dory

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Indo-Pacific Sergeant (Abudefduf vaigiensis)occasional

Abudefduf vaigiensis

Indo-Pacific Sergeant

Fish
Wahoo (Acanthocybium solandri)occasional

Acanthocybium solandri

Wahoo

Fish
Dusky Angelfish (Centropyge multispinis)occasional

Centropyge multispinis

Dusky Angelfish

Fish
Sunburst Butterflyfish (Chaetodon kleinii)occasional

Chaetodon kleinii

Sunburst Butterflyfish

Fish
Coral Hawkfish (Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus)occasional

Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus

Coral Hawkfish

Fish
Adorned Wrasse (Halichoeres cosmetus)occasional

Halichoeres cosmetus

Adorned Wrasse

Fish
Brassy Chub (Kyphosus vaigiensis)occasional

Kyphosus vaigiensis

Brassy Chub

Fish
Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus)occasional

Labroides dimidiatus

Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

Fish
Common Bluestripe Snapper (Lutjanus kasmira)occasional

Lutjanus kasmira

Common Bluestripe Snapper

Fish
Iridescent Cardinalfish (Pristiapogon kallopterus)occasional

Pristiapogon kallopterus

Iridescent Cardinalfish

Fish
occasional

Sillago sihama

Silver Sillago

Fish
Reef Stingray (Taeniura lymma)occasional

Taeniura lymma

Reef Stingray

Fish
Tinted Scallop (Talochlamys multistriata)occasional

Talochlamys multistriata

Tinted Scallop

Invertebrates
Bischofsmützenseeigel (Tripneustes gratilla)occasional

Tripneustes gratilla

Bischofsmützenseeigel

Invertebrates

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

Bigeye Trevally (Caranx sexfasciatus)rare

Caranx sexfasciatus

Bigeye Trevally

Fish
Tomato Hind (Cephalopholis sonnerati)rare

Cephalopholis sonnerati

Tomato Hind

Fish
Brownburnie (Chaetodon blackburnii)rare

Chaetodon blackburnii

Brownburnie

Fish
Moray (Gymnothorax eurostus)rare

Gymnothorax eurostus

Moray

Fish
Indo-Pacific Tarpon (Megalops cyprinoides)rare

Megalops cyprinoides

Indo-Pacific Tarpon

Fish
Bigscale Soldierfish (Myripristis berndti)rare

Myripristis berndti

Bigscale Soldierfish

Fish
Bicolor Damselfish (Pycnochromis dimidiatus)rare

Pycnochromis dimidiatus

Bicolor Damselfish

Fish
Milk Shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus)rare

Rhizoprionodon acutus

Milk Shark

Fish
Crown Squirrelfish (Sargocentron diadema)rare

Sargocentron diadema

Crown Squirrelfish

Fish
Salema (Sarpa salpa)rare

Sarpa salpa

Salema

Fish
Pickhandle Barracuda (Sphyraena jello)rare

Sphyraena jello

Pickhandle Barracuda

Fish
Spirula spirularare

Spirula spirula

Invertebrates
Hood Coral (Stylophora pistillata)rare

Stylophora pistillata

Hood Coral

Corals