Over 65 000 species of animals are known to live in South Africa. The table below provides the classification, the number of species for each major group of animals globally and in South Africa, main habitat, and links to group-specific in-progress or completed checklists with their authors. This allows us to monitor which groups still need attention, and the extent of the work that still needs to be done.
Class Subclass Order Common name Global number of species SA number Main habitat Checklist link
Spiny-headed worms 1 150 17 marine
ClitellataHirudinea Leeches 800 50 freshwater
Oligochaeta Haplotaxida Earthworms, freshwater worms 7 684 52 terrestrial, freshwater
Polychaeta Fanworms, bristleworms 8 432 760 marine, 6 species freshwater Download polychaeta checklist
Arachnida Acari
Astigmata, Mesostigmata, Prostigmata, Oribatida
Mites 48 000 3 075 terrestrial, freshwater
Ixodida Ticks 900 860 terrestrial, parasitic Download ixodida checklist
Amblypygi Tailless whipscorpions 136 3 terrestrial Download amblypygi checklist
Araneae Spiders 40 700 2 088 terrestrial Download arachnida checklist
Opiliones Harvestmen 6 400 179 terrestrial Download opiliones, arachnida checklist
Palpigradi Microwhip scorpion 80 1 terrestrial Download palpigradi checklist
Pseudoscorpiones False scorpions 3 300 135 terrestrial Download arachnida, pseudoscopiones checklist
Schizomida Short-tailed whipscorpion 230 1 terrestrial Download schizomida checklist
Scorpiones Scorpions 1 764 145 terrestrial Download scorpiones checklist
Solifugae Sun spiders 1 095 143 terrestrial Download solifugae checklist
Branchiopoda
Anostraca Fairy shrimp 300 50 freshwater Download anostraca checklist
Conchostraca Clam shrimp 224 12 freshwater Download checklist
Cladocera Water fleas 620 55 50 freshwater, 5 marine Download cladocera checklist
Class Subclass Order Common name Global number of species SA number Main habitat Checklist link
Branchiopoda (cont.)
Notostraca Tadpole shrimp 11 3 freshwater Download notostraca checklist
Chilopoda Centipedes 3 149 141 terrestrial Download chilopoda checklist
Diplopoda Millipedes 12 000 462 terrestrial Download diplopoda checklist
EntognathaCollembola Springtails 7 500 160 terrestrial Download collembola checklist
Diplura 800 35 terrestrial Download diplura checklist
Insecta
Archaeognatha Hump-backed bristletails 470 18 terrestrial Download arachaeognatha checklist
Blattodea Cockroaches 368–4 400 108 terrestrial Download blattodea checklist
Coleoptera Beetles 360 000–400 000 17 427 terrestrial/freshwater Download coleoptera, scarabaeinae checklist
Dermaptera Earwigs 1 816 58 terrestrial Download dermaptera checklist
Diptera Flies 152 956 5 883 terrestrial/freshwater Download diptera checklist
Embioptera Web spinners 200–300 15 terrestrial Download embioptera checklist
Ephemeroptera Mayflies 2 500–3 000 99 terrestrial/freshwater Download ephemeroptera checklist
Notoptera Rockcrawlers, heelwalkers 37 5 terrestrial
Hemiptera Bugs 80 000–88 000 4 829 terrestrial/freshwater Download mealybugs, hemiptera checklist
Download aphids, hemiptera checklist
Download cicadidae checklist
Download leafhoppers hemiptera checklist
Hymenoptera Ants
115 000 5 273 terrestrial
Download hymenoptera, ants checklist
Hymenoptera Wasps Download hymenoptera, wasp checklist
Hymenoptera Bees Download checklist
Isoptera Termites 2 600–2 800 122 terrestrial Download isoptera checklist
Lepidoptera Butterflies and moths 174 250 6 783 terrestrial Download lepidoptera checklist
Mantodea Mantids 2 200 131 terrestrial Download mantodea checklist
Mecoptera Hanging flies 481 21 terrestrial
Megaloptera Alderflies 250–300 7 terrestrial Download megaloptera checklist
Neuroptera Lacewings 5 000 350 terrestrial Download neuroptera checklist
Odonata Damselflies and dragonflies 6 500 207 terrestrial/freshwater Download odonata checklist
Orthoptera Grasshoppers 24 380 765 terrestrial Download orthoptera checklist
Phasmida Stick insects 2 500–3 300 32 terrestrial
Phthiraptera Lice 3 000–3 200 1 044 terrestrial parasites
Plecoptera Stoneflies 2 274 39 terrestrial/freshwater Download plecoptera checklist
Psocoptera Booklice 3 200–3 500 79 terrestrial
Siphonaptera Fleas 2 525 89 terrestrial parasites Download checklist
Strepsiptera Twisted-wing parasites 596 11 terrestrial parasites
Thysanoptera Thrips 6 000 228 terrestrial Download thysanoptera checklist
Class Subclass Order Common name Global number of species SA number Main habitat Checklist link
Insecta (cont.)
Trichoptera Caddisflies 12 627 222 terrestrial/freshwater Download trichoptera checklist
Zygentoma Silverfish 370 48 terrestrial Download zygentoma checklist
Thysanura Fishmoths Download checklist
Malacostraca
Amphipoda 7 000 454 terrestrial, freshwater, marine Download amphipoda checklist
Bathynellacea 150 5 terrestrial, freshwater, marine
Cumacea Hood shrimp or comma shrimp 1 593 98 marine
Decapoda Crayfish, crabs, lobsters, prawns and shrimp
18 000 750 freshwater, marine
Euphausiacea Krill 90 49 marine
Isopoda Woolice and sea slaters 9 000–11 000 290 13 freshwater, 277 marine species
Leptostraca 41 4 marine
Mysida Opossum shrimp 1 106 58 marine
Speleogriphacea 3 1 freshwater
Stomatopoda Mantis shrimp 859 35 marine
Tanaidacea 1 098 19 marine, freshwater, estuarine
Maxillopoda
Branchiura Arguloida Fish lice 173 4 marine Download branchiura checklist
Copepoda Copepods 2 000 429 freshwater, marine Download copepoda checklist
Mystacocarida 12 3 marine
Pentastomida Tongue worms 130 6 aquatic parasites
Thecostraca Barnacles 1 220 69 marine Download maxillopoda, sessilia, pedunculata checklist
Ostracoda Seed shrimp 13 000 165 45 marine, 120 freshwater Download ostracoda checklist
Pauropoda 715 2 terrestrial
Pycnogonida Sea spiders 1 340 101 marine Download checklist
Symphyla 208 2 terrestrial
Lamp shells 550 31 marine
Moss animals 5 700 270 marine
Arrow worms 121 28 marine
Class Subclass Order Common name Global number of species SA number Main habitat Checklist link
Actinopterygii Ray-finned fishes 30 383 2 200 freshwater, marine
Amphibia Frogs 6 515 123 freshwater Download amphibian checklist
Appendicularia/Thaliacea
Larvaceans and thaliaceans 81 80 marine
Ascidiacea Sea squirts 2 300 176 marine Download checklist
Aves Birds 9 990 854 terrestrial Download bird checklist
Cephalochordata Lancets/amphioxi 33 1 marine
Chondrichthyes Sharks, skates, rays, chimaeras
1 176 188 marine
Mammalia Mammals 5 487 307 marine, terrestrial Download mammals checklist
Myxini Myxiniformes Hagfish 77 4 marine
Reptilia Reptiles 8 734 381 marine, terrestrial, freshwater Download reptile checklist
Sarcopterygii Lobe-finned fishes 8 3 marine, freshwater
Anthozoa Corals, anemones 7 500 174 marine Download anthozoa checklist
Cubozoa Box jellyfish 36 2 marine
Hydrozoa Hydrozoans 3 500 457 marine Download hydrozoa checklist
Scyphozoa Jellyfish 175 10 marine, freshwater
Comb jellies 166 11 marine
Not available
Asteroidea Starfish 1 859 91 marine
Crinoidea Sea lilies 635 19 marine
Echinoidea Sea urchins, pansy shells 940 59 marine
Holothuroidea Sea cucumbers 1 430 122 marine
Ophiuroidea Brittle stars 2 139 119 marine Download ophiuroidea checklist
Spoon worms 176 21 marine
Class Subclass Order Common name Global number of species SA number Main habitat Checklist link
Kamptozoans 170 6 marine
Gastrotrichs 400 3 freshwater, marine, estuarine
Not available
Acorn worms and graptolites 108 11 marine
Not available
Not available
Not available
Aplacophora 400 2 marine
Bivalvia Bivalves 9 200 650 freshwater, marine Download bivalvia checklist
Cephalopoda Octopuses, squid, cuttlefish 800 195 marine Download cephalopoda checklist
Gastropoda Gastropods 60 000 2 262 2 262 marine, 53 freshwater, 450 terrestrial
Download gastropoda checklist
Polyplacophora Chitons 650 29 marine
Scaphopoda Tusk shells 350 16 marine
1 300 6 freshwater, marine parasites
Roundworms >28 000 1 055 freshwater, marine, terrestrial, parasitic
Download checklist nematoda, aphelenchida, dorylaimida, triplonchida, tylenchida
Horsehair worms 331 unknown freshwater, parasitic
Ribbon worms 1 200 17 marine
Velvet worms 165 10 terrestrial
Not available
Horseshoe worms 10 2 marine
Not available
Cestoda Tapeworms 5 000 83 parasites
Monogenea Flatworms 2 000 49 parasites
Trematoda Flukes 9 000 72 parasites
Turbellaria Flatworms 4 500 42 marine, freshwwater, terrestrial Download checklist
Class Subclass Order Common name Global number of species SA number Main habitat Checklist link
Sponges 6 000 346 freshwater, marine Download porifera checklist
Penis worms 20 1 marine
Not available
Rotifers/wheel animals 2 180 34 freshwater
Peanut worms 144 47 marine
Water bears 1 045 38 freshwater Download tardigrada checklist
Not available