Species database

Marine species in South Africa (Cape)

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.

Commonly seen

18

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

Lesser Guitarfish (Acroteriobatus annulatus)common

Acroteriobatus annulatus

Lesser Guitarfish

Fish
Bronze Whaler (Carcharhinus brachyurus)common

Carcharhinus brachyurus

Bronze Whaler

Fish
Blacktip Shark (Carcharhinus limbatus)common

Carcharhinus limbatus

Blacktip Shark

Fish
Anchovy-Eater (Carcharodon carcharias)common

Carcharodon carcharias

Anchovy-Eater

Fish
Super Klipfish (Clinus superciliosus)common

Clinus superciliosus

Super Klipfish

Fish
Speckled Klipfish (Clinus venustris)common

Clinus venustris

Speckled Klipfish

Fish
Sweet William (Galeorhinus galeus)common

Galeorhinus galeus

Sweet William

Fish
Blackbelly Rosefish (Helicolenus dactylopterus)common

Helicolenus dactylopterus

Blackbelly Rosefish

Fish
Atlantic Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus)common

Isurus oxyrinchus

Atlantic Mako Shark

Fish
Spiny Starfish (Marthasterias glacialis)common

Marthasterias glacialis

Spiny Starfish

Invertebrates
Hump (Megaptera novaeangliae)common

Megaptera novaeangliae

Hump

Mammals
Smooth Hound (Mustelus mustelus)common

Mustelus mustelus

Smooth Hound

Fish
common

Mustelus palumbes

Whitespotted Smooth-Hound

Fish
Common Brittlestar (Ophiothrix fragilis)common

Ophiothrix fragilis

Common Brittlestar

Invertebrates
Salema (Sarpa salpa)common

Sarpa salpa

Salema

Fish
Albacore (Thunnus alalunga)common

Thunnus alalunga

Albacore

Fish
Blackspotted Electric Ray (Torpedo fuscomaculata)common

Torpedo fuscomaculata

Blackspotted Electric Ray

Fish
Atlantic Horse Mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)common

Trachurus trachurus

Atlantic Horse Mackerel

Fish

Occasionally seen

14

Regular residents, but not on every dive.

Sand Star (Astropecten irregularis)occasional

Astropecten irregularis

Sand Star

Invertebrates
Dusky Shark (Carcharhinus obscurus)occasional

Carcharhinus obscurus

Dusky Shark

Fish
White-Tipped Nudibranch (Cratena capensis)occasional

Cratena capensis

White-Tipped Nudibranch

Invertebrates
Blue Stingray (Dasyatis chrysonota)occasional

Dasyatis chrysonota

Blue Stingray

Fish
Dusky Grouper (Epinephelus marginatus)occasional

Epinephelus marginatus

Dusky Grouper

Fish
Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis)occasional

Eubalaena australis

Southern Right Whale

Mammals
Crumb-of-Bread Sponge (Hymeniacidon perlevis)occasional

Hymeniacidon perlevis

Crumb-of-Bread Sponge

Invertebrates
Common Eagle Ray (Myliobatis aquila)occasional

Myliobatis aquila

Common Eagle Ray

Fish
Blue Shark (Prionace glauca)occasional

Prionace glauca

Blue Shark

Fish
Roker (Raja clavata)occasional

Raja clavata

Roker

Fish
occasional

Sphyrna zygaena

Hammerhead

Fish
Greater Pipefish (Syngnathus acus)occasional

Syngnathus acus

Greater Pipefish

Fish
Tinted Scallop (Talochlamys multistriata)occasional

Talochlamys multistriata

Tinted Scallop

Invertebrates
By-the-Wind Sailor (Velella velella)occasional

Velella velella

By-the-Wind Sailor

Invertebrates

Rare finds

13

Lucky encounters worth logging.

rare

Amblyrhynchote honckenii

Evileye Puffer

Fish
Brooding Snake Star (Amphipholis squamata)rare

Amphipholis squamata

Brooding Snake Star

Invertebrates
African Clawless Otter (Aonyx capensis)rare

Aonyx capensis

African Clawless Otter

Mammals
Dwarf Sea Hare (Aplysia parvula)rare

Aplysia parvula

Dwarf Sea Hare

Invertebrates
Common Paper Nautilus (Argonauta argo)rare

Argonauta argo

Common Paper Nautilus

Invertebrates
Blue-Spotted Sea Hare (Bursatella leachii)rare

Bursatella leachii

Blue-Spotted Sea Hare

Invertebrates
Bluntnose Klipfish (Clinus cottoides)rare

Clinus cottoides

Bluntnose Klipfish

Fish
Striped Seabream (Lithognathus mormyrus)rare

Lithognathus mormyrus

Striped Seabream

Fish
Mauve Stinger (Pelagia noctiluca)rare

Pelagia noctiluca

Mauve Stinger

Invertebrates
Cape Sand Slug (Philine aperta)rare

Philine aperta

Cape Sand Slug

Invertebrates
Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin (Sousa plumbea)rare

Sousa plumbea

Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin

Mammals
common spirula (Spirula spirula)rare

Spirula spirula

common spirula

Invertebrates
Black Marlin (Tetronarce nobiliana)rare

Tetronarce nobiliana

Black Marlin

Fish