The list of marine invertebrates of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay is a list of marine and shore-based invertebrate animal species that form a part of the fauna of South Africa and that have been recorded from this geographical range. In some cases they are an important part of the ecological community, and others may have been passing through, or were carried out of their natural ranges by the vagaries of ocean currents or winds. Some of the animals are deep within their range of endemism, or near its borders, while others are cosmopolitan or recently arrived aliens. This list includes animals which live entirely marine lives, or which spend critical parts of their lives at sea, or rely on the sea or intertidal shore for the major part of their diet.
The geographical range is from Bloubergstrand at the north of Table Bay to Cape Hangklip, the south eastern limit of False Bay, in the Western Cape province of South Africa and includes the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area (TMNP MPA), the Helderberg Marine Protected Area, and part of the Robben Island Marine Protected Area.
Most of the shore is within the City of Cape Town, except for a section of the east coast of False Bay, south of Kogel Bay, which is in the Overstrand Local Municipality
The region is near to several universities and research institutions in Cape Town and Stellenbosch, which has led to many studies of the organisms and of the marine ecology, particularly those organisms that are easily or incidentally collected. The popularity of these waters for recreational diving has led to an increase in reported underwater photographic observations in recent years.
Sponges
Calcarea – lime sponges
Order Leucosolenida
Family Sycettidae Hairy tube sponge, Sycon spp. (Saldanha Bay to Kosi Bay)
Family Leucosoleniidae Branching ball sponge, Leucosolenia sp. (Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas) Tube sponge, Leucosolenia sp. (Port Nolloth to Sodwana Bay)
Demospongiae – fibre or horny sponges
Order Astrophorida
Family Ancorinidae Grey wall sponge, Stelletta agulhana Lendenfield, 1907 (Northern Cape to KwaZulu-Natal)
Order Hadromerida
Family Clionaidae Rosetted sponge, Cliona aff. celata (Namibia to Cape Peninsula) Boring sponge, Cliona celata Grant, 1826 (Lüderitz to Durban)
Family Polymastiidae Teat-sponge, Polymastia mamillaris (Müller, 1806) (dubious), (Saldanha Bay to Port St. Johns) possibly Polymastia littoralis Stephens, 1915. Atlantic teat-sponge, Polymastia atlantica Samaai & Gibbons, 2005 (Lüderitz to Cape Peninsula)
Family Trachycladidae Orange wall sponge, vented sponge, Trachycladus spinispirulifer (Carter, 1879) (Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas)
Family Suberitidae Dusty sponge, Suberites aff. ficus (both side of the Cape Peninsula, also southern Namibia, Mediterranean, Pacific and north Atlantic)
Family Tethyidae Golf ball sponge, Tethya aurantium (Lüderitz to Durban)
Order Halichondrida
Family Halichondriidae Crumb-of-bread sponge, Hymeniacidon perlevis (Montagu, 1818) (Northern Cape to Port St. Johns, also north Atlantic, Mediterranean and the Pacific)
Order Poecilosclerida
Family Chondropsidae Scroll sponge, Chondropsis sp. (Olifants River to Cape Peninsula)
Family Crambeidae Stellar sponge, Crambe acuata (Lévi, 1958) syn. Crambe chelastra (Lüderitz to Cape Peninsula)
Family Latrunculiidae Green moon sponge, Latrunculia lunaviridis Samaai and Kelly 2004, (Oudekraal to Cape Point) Vented sponge, Latrunculia (Biannulata) spinispiraefera Brøndsted, 1924 (Angola to Durban) Tsitsikamma scurra Samaai and Kelly 2004, (Hout Bay)
Family Isodictyidae Brain sponge, Isodictya elastica (Vosmaer, 1880) (West Coast to Port Elizabeth)(Lüderitz to Cape Point) Flat leaf sponge, Isodictya grandis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886) (West Coast to False Bay) Fanned kelp sponge, Isodictya frondosa (Lévi, 1963) (Orange river to Cape Point)
Family Microcionidae Broad-bladed tree sponge, Clathria (Clathria) dayi Levi, 1963 (West Coast to the Cape Peninsula) Red encrusting sponge, Clathria (Isociella) oudekraalensis Samaai & Gibbons, 2005 (Cape Peninsula) Nodular sponge, Clathria (Thalysias) hooperi Samaai & Gibbons, 2005, also recorded as Clathria hooperi Samaai & Gibbons, 2005, (Cape Peninsula) Tree sponge, Echinoclathria dichotoma (Levi, 1963) (West Coast to Cape Agulhas)
Family Desmacellidae Yellow encrusting sponge, Biemna anisotoxa Levi, 1963 (West Coast to Port Elizabeth)
Order Haplosclerida
Family Chalinidae Turret sponge, Haliclona (Haliclona) anonyma (Stephens, 1915) (Cape Peninsula to Sodwana Bay) Encrusting turret sponge, Haliclona (Haliclona) stilensis Burton, 1933 (West and South Coasts)
Order Dictyoceratida
Family Irciniidae Black stink sponge, Ircinia arbuscula (Hyatt, 1877) (syn. Sarcotragus australis) (Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas, also Australia) Note: Ircinia arbuscula (Lendenfeld, 1888) is syn. of Sarcotragus australis (Lendenfeld, 1888), so this needs to be clarified. Sand cup sponge, Psammocinia cf. arenosa (Orange River to Cape Peninsula)
Cnidarians
Anthozoa
Hexacorallians
Order: Actiniaria – Anemones
Family Actiniidae Plum anemone, Actinia ebhayiensis Schama, Mitchell & Solé-Cava, 2011. (TMNP MPA). Recorded as Plum anemone Actinia mandelae from about Lüderitz to Durban Violet-spotted anemone, Anthostella stephensoni Carlgren, 1938 (Lüderitz to Richards Bay, endemic) Anthopleura insignis Carlgren, 1940, (TMNP MPA). Long-tentacled anemone, Anthopleura michaelseni (Pax, 1920) (Lüderitz to Durban) Dwarf-spotted anemone, Anthostella n. sp. (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth, possibly endemic) (still being described) Sandy anemone, Bunodactis reynaudi (Milne-Edwards, 1857) (Lüderitz to Durban) (syn. Aulactinia reynaudi) Knobbly anemone, Bunodosoma capense also recorded as Bunodosoma capensis (Lesson, 1830) (Lüderitz to Durban) Spinnaker anemone, candy-striped anemone, Korsaranthus natalensis (Carlgren, 1938) (False Bay to Durban) False plum anemone, Pseudactinia flagellifera (Drayton in Dana, 1846) (Lüderitz to Durban) Clown anemone undescribed (False Bay)
Family Halcampidae Brooding anemone, Halianthella annularis Carlgren, 1938 (Lamberts Bay to Cape Agulhas, endemic)
Family Haloclavidae Burrowing anemone, Haloclava capensis (Verrill, 1865), (TMNP MPA).(Table Bay to Cape Agulhas)
Family Hormathiidae Symbiotic anemone, Calliactis polypus (Forsskål, 1775), (TMNP MPA).(Natal)
Family Sagartiidae Striped anemone, Anthothoe chilensis(Lesson, 1830) (Lüderitz to Richards Bay, also Argentina, Brazil, Chile and St. Helena) Striped anemone, Anthothoe stimpsonii (Verrill, 1869), (TMNP MPA). (Namibia to Eastern Cape) Square-mouth striped anemone, Anthothoe sp. (False Bay) (still being described)
Family Preactiidae Walking anemone, sock anemone, hedgehog anemone, Preactis millardae England in England & Robson, 1984 (Cape Peninsula)England K.W. & Robson E.A. 1984 A new sea anemone from South Africa (Anthozoa, Ptychodactiaria) Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 94(5):305–329
Family Isanthidae Ring-tentacle anemone, Isanthus capensis Carlgren, 1938 (South African Atlantic coast)
Order Corallimorpharia Family Corallimorphidae Strawberry anemone, Corynactis annulata (Verrill, 1867) (Port Nolloth to Mossel Bay)
Order Zoanthids Family Parazoanthidae Cape zoanthid, Isozoanthus capensis (Cape Peninsula to Port St Johns) Sponge zoanthid, Parazoanthus sp. (False Bay)
Order Cerianthids Family Cerianthidae Burrowing anemone, tube anemone, Ceriantheopsis austroafricanus Molodtsova, Griffiths and Acuna 2012 (False Bay and Hermanus) White burrowing anemone Ceriantheopsis nikitai Molodtsova, 2001 (Table Bay)
Order Scleractinia Family Dendrophylliidae Cup coral, Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) bonaespei van der Horst, 1938 (Saldanha Bay to East London)
Family Caryophylliidae Large cup coral, Caryophyllia sp. (False Bay)
Octocorallians
Order Malacalcyonacea
Family Alcyoniidae Purple soft coral, Alcyonium fauri Studer, 1910 (Saldanha Bay to Richards Bay) Variable soft coral, Alcyonium variabile (J.S. Thomson, 1921), syn. Eleutherobia variabile (J.S. Thomson, 1921) (Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal)
Family Eunicellidae Flagellar sea fan, whip fan, Eunicella albicans (Kolliker, 1875) (Cape Peninsula to Port Elizabeth) Nippled sea fan, Eunicella microthela (Lamouroux, 1816) recorded as Eunicella papillosa (Esper, 1797) (Lüderitz to Sodwana) Sinuous sea fan, Eunicella tricoronata Velimirov, 1971 (Cape Peninsula to East London)
Family Gorgoniidae Gilchrist's sea fan, Leptogorgia gilchristi (Hickson, 1904), (TMNP MPA). Palmate sea fan, Leptogorgia palma (Pallas, 1766) (Cape Peninsula to Sodwana)
Family Leptophytidae Purple soft coral Tenerodus fallax (Lüttschwager, 1922), (TMNP MPA).(Cape Columbine to Richards' Bay) Brown soft coral, Tenerodus pollex McFadden & van Ofwegen, 2017 (TMNP MPA).
Family Malacacanthidae Sun-burst soft coral, Malacacanthus capensis (Hickson, 1900) (Cape Peninsula to southern KwaZulu-Natal)
Family Melithaeidae Multicoloured sea fan, Melithaea rubra (Esper, 1789) also recorded as syn. Acabaria rubra Esper, 1789 (Bloubergstrand to East London)
Family Nephtheidae Cauliflower soft coral, Eunephthya thyrsoidea (Verrill, 1865) (Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal)
Order Pennatulacea – sea pens Family Echinoptilidae Radial sea pen, purple sea pen, Actinoptilum molle (Kukenthal, 1910) (whole South African coast)Williams, G.C. 1990. The pennatulacea of southern Africa (Coelenterata, Anthozoa) Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 100(3):249–358
Family Virgulariidae Feathery sea pen, Virgularia schultzei Kukenthal, 1910 (Lüderitz to central Mozambique)
Order Scleralcyonacea – sea fans Family Parasphaerascleridae Valdivian soft coral, Parasphaerasclera valdiviae (Kukenthal, 1906), (TMNP MPA). (Lüderitz to Durban) also recorded as syn. Alcyonium valdiviae Kukenthal, 1906 (Cape Peninsula to northern KwaZulu-Natal)
Family Spongiodermidae Gorgonian twig coral, Homophyton verrucosum (Mobius, 1861) (False Bay to Sodwana)
Medusozoa
Staurozoa
Order Stauromedusae family Depastridae Stalked trumpet jelly, Depastromorpha africana Carlgren, 1935 (Cape Peninsula to Hermanus)
Family Kishinouyeidae Calvadosia sp. (TMNP MPA).
Family Lipkeidae Bell stalked jelly, Lipkea stephensoni Carlgren, 1933 (Smitswinkel Bay)
Scyphozoa – true jellyfish
Order Semaeostomeae Family Pelagiidae Compass jellyfish, Benguela compass jelly, redbanded jellyfish, Chrysaora fulgida (Reynaud, 1830), recorded as Chrysaora hysoscella (Linnaeus, 1767), which is now known to be restricted to the north Atlantic. (pelagic, Atlantic Ocean). Night-light jellyfish, Pelagia noctiluca (Forsskal, 1775) (pelagic, Atlantic Ocean, also Mediterranean and Pacific)
Family Ulmaridae Moon jellyfish, common jellyfish, Aurelia aurita (Linnaeus, 1758), (TMNP MPA).
Order Rhizostomeae Family Rhizostomatidae Frilly-mouthed jellyfish, Rhizostoma pulmo Macri, 1778 (pelagic, Atlantic Ocean) Root-mouthed jellyfish, Eupilema inexpectata Pages, Gili & Bouillon, 1992 (pelagic, Atlantic Ocean)
Order Carybdeida Family Carybdeidae Box jellyfish, sea wasp, Carybdea murrayana Haeckel, 1880 recorded as syn. Carybdea branchi Gershwin & Gibbons, 2009 (north of Namibia to Port Elizabeth)
Hydrozoans
Order Anthoathecata
Family Candelabridae Gnome's hat hydroid, Candelabrum capensis (Manton, 1940) (Lüderitz to East London) syn. Myriothela capensis Dreadlocks hydroid, Candelabrum tentaculatum Millard, 1966 (Cape Peninsula and Port Elizabeth) syn. Myriothela tentaculata
Family Eudendriidae Bushy hydroids, Eudendrium spp. (whole coast)
Family Hydractiniidae High-spined commensal hydroid, Hydractinia altispina Millard, 1955 (Lüderitz to False Bay) Shell-mimic hydroid, Hydrocorella africana Stechow, 1921 (West Coast to Durban)
Family Porpitidae Blue button, Porpita porpita (Port Nolloth to Mozambique, pelagic, warm waters.) By-the-wind sailor, Velella velella (Port Nolloth to Mozambique, pelagic, warm waters.)
Family Solanderiidae