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 In development
Hirudinea Leeches 800 50 freshwater In development Clitellata Oligochaeta Haplotaxida Earthworms, freshwater worms 7 684 52 terrestrial, freshwater In development Polychaeta Fanworms, bristleworms 8 432 760 marine, 6 species freshwater Download polychaeta checklist
Astigmata, Mesostigmata, Prostigmata, Mites 48 000 3 075 terrestrial, freshwater In development Oribatida 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
Arachnida Acari 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 Anostraca Fairy shrimp 300 50 freshwater Download anostraca checklist Branchiopoda 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 Notostraca Tadpole shrimp 11 3 freshwater Download notostraca checklist (cont.) Chilopoda Centipedes 3 149 141 terrestrial Download chilopoda checklist Diplopoda Millipedes 12 000 462 terrestrial Download diplopoda checklist Collembola Springtails 7 500 160 terrestrial Download collembola checklist Entognatha Diplura 800 35 terrestrial Download diplura checklist 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 In development 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 Download hymenoptera, ants checklist Hymenoptera Wasps 115 000 5 273 terrestrial Download hymenoptera, wasp checklist Hymenoptera Bees Download checklist Insecta 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 In development 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 In development Phthiraptera Lice 3 000–3 200 1 044 terrestrial parasites In development Plecoptera Stoneflies 2 274 39 terrestrial/freshwater Download plecoptera checklist Psocoptera Booklice 3 200–3 500 79 terrestrial In development Siphonaptera Fleas 2 525 89 terrestrial parasites Download checklist Strepsiptera Twisted-wing parasites 596 11 terrestrial parasites In development Thysanoptera Thrips 6 000 228 terrestrial Download thysanoptera checklist Class Subclass Order Common name Global number of species SA number Main habitat Checklist link
Trichoptera Caddisflies 12 627 222 terrestrial/freshwater Download trichoptera checklist Insecta (cont.) Zygentoma Silverfish 370 48 terrestrial Download zygentoma checklist Amphipoda Landhoppers 7 000 454 terrestrial, freshwater, marine Download amphipoda checklist Bathynellacea Bathynellids 150 5 terrestrial, freshwater, marine In development Cumacea Hood shrimp or comma shrimp 1 593 98 marine In development Decapoda Crayfish, crabs, lobsters, 18 000 750 freshwater, marine In development prawns and shrimp Euphausiacea Krill 90 49 marine In development Malacostraca Isopoda Woolice and sea slaters 9 000–11 000 290 13 freshwater, 277 marine In development species Leptostraca 41 4 marine In development Mysida Opossum shrimp 1 106 58 marine In development Speleogriphacea 3 1 freshwater In development Stomatopoda Mantis shrimp 859 35 marine In development Tanaidacea 1 098 19 marine, freshwater, estuarine In development Branchiura Arguloida Fish lice 173 4 marine Download branchiura checklist Copepoda Copepods 2 000 429 freshwater, marine Download copepoda checklist Maxillopoda Mystacocarida 12 3 marine In development Pentastomida Tongue worms 130 6 aquatic parasites In development 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 In development Pycnogonida Sea spiders 1 340 101 marine Download checklist Symphyla 208 2 terrestrial In development
Lamp shells 550 31 marine In development
Moss animals 5 700 270 marine In development
Arrow worms 121 28 marine In development 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 In development Amphibia Frogs 6 515 123 freshwater Download amphibian checklist Appendicularia/ Larvaceans and thaliaceans 81 80 marine In development Thaliacea Ascidiacea Sea squirts 2 300 176 marine Download checklist Aves Birds 9 990 854 terrestrial Download bird checklist Cephalochordata Lancets/amphioxi 33 1 marine In development Chondrichthyes Sharks, skates, rays, 1 176 188 marine In development chimaeras Mammalia Mammals 5 487 307 marine, terrestrial Download mammals checklist Myxini Myxiniformes Hagfish 77 4 marine In development Reptilia Reptiles 8 734 381 marine, terrestrial, freshwater Download reptile checklist Sarcopterygii Lobe-finned fishes 8 3 marine, freshwater In development
Anthozoa Corals, anemones 7 500 174 marine Download anthozoa checklist Cubozoa Box jellyfish 36 2 marine In development Hydrozoa Hydrozoans 3 500 457 marine Download hydrozoa checklist Scyphozoa Jellyfish 175 10 marine, freshwater In development
Comb jellies 166 11 marine In development
Not available
Asteroidea Starfish 1 859 91 marine In development Crinoidea Sea lilies 635 19 marine In development Echinoidea Sea urchins, pansy shells 940 59 marine In development Holothuroidea Sea cucumbers 1 430 122 marine In development Ophiuroidea Brittle stars 2 139 119 marine Download ophiuroidea checklist
Spoon worms 176 21 marine In development Class Subclass Order Common name Global number of species SA number Main habitat Checklist link
Kamptozoans 170 6 marine In development
Gastrotrichs 400 3 freshwater, marine, estuarine In development
In development
Acorn worms and graptolites 108 11 marine In development
In development
In development
In development
Aplacophora 400 2 marine In development
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, Download gastropoda checklist 450 terrestrial Polyplacophora Chitons 650 29 marine In development Scaphopoda Tusk shells 350 16 marine In development 1 300 6 freshwater, marine parasites In development
Roundworms >28 000 1 055 freshwater, marine, terrestrial, Download checklist nematoda, aphelenchida, parasitic dorylaimida, triplonchida, tylenchida
Horsehair worms 331 unknown freshwater, parasitic In development
Ribbon worms 1 200 17 marine In development
Velvet worms 165 10 terrestrial In development
In development
Horseshoe worms 10 2 marine In development
In development
Cestoda Tapeworms 5 000 83 parasites In development Monogenea Flatworms 2 000 49 parasites In development Trematoda Flukes 9 000 72 parasites In development 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 In development
In development
Rotifers/wheel animals 2 180 34 freshwater In development
Peanut worms 144 47 marine In development
Water bears 1 045 38 freshwater Download tardigrada checklist
In development