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