List of marine bony fishes of South Africa

This is a sublist of the List of marine fishes of South Africa for bony fishes recorded from the oceans bordering South Africa. This list comprises locally used common names, scientific names with author citation and recorded ranges. Ranges specified may not be the entire known range for the species, but should include the known range within the waters surrounding the Republic of South Africa.

List ordering and taxonomy complies where possible with the current usage in World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), and may differ from the cited source, as listed citations are primarily for range or existence of records for the region. Sub-taxa within any given taxon are arranged alphabetically as a general rule. Details of each species may be available through the relevant internal links. Synonyms should be listed where relevant.

Parvphylum Osteichthyes – Bony fishes All entries in this list are included in this infraphylum of Gnathostomata. There are two gigaclasses represented: Actinopterygii and Sarcopterygii.

Gigaclass Actinopterygii – Ray-finned fishes

Class Teleostei

Order Acanthuriformes

Family: Acanthuridae – Surgeonfishes and unicornfishes. Tailring surgeon, Acanthurus blochii Valenciennes, 1835 (Indo-Pacific south to Durban) Pencilled surgeon, Acanthurus dussumieri Valenciennes, 1835 (Port Alfred to Mozambique)(Algoa Bay to western Pacific) Powder-blue surgeonfish, Acanthurus leucosternon Bennett, 1832 (Sodwana Bay to Indonesia) Bluebanded surgeon, Acanthurus lineatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Indo-Pacific south to Durban) Elongate surgeon, Acanthurus mata (Cuvier, 1829) (Indo-Pacific south to Durban) Epaulette surgeon, Acanthurus nigricauda Duncker and Mohr, 1929 (Indo-Pacific south to Durban) Brown surgeon, Acanthurus nigrofuscus (Forsskål, 1775) (Indo-Pacific south to Coffee Bay) Lieutenant surgeonfish, doubleband surgeonfish, Acanthurus tennentii Günther, 1861 (Western Indian Ocean from Natal to Sri Lanka) Chocolate surgeon, Acanthurus thompsoni (Fowler, 1923) (Indo-Pacific south to Sodwana Bay) Convict surgeon, Acanthurus triostegus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Indo-Pacific south to Bashee River, with postlarvae as far as Algoa Bay) Yellowfin surgeon, Acanthurus xanthopterus Valenciennes, 1835 (Durban to eastern Pacific) Twospot bristletooth, Ctenochaetus binotatus Randall, 1955 (Indo-Pacific south to Natal) Striped bristletooth, Ctenochaetus striatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) (Indo-Pacific south to Natal) Spotted bristletooth, Ctenochaetus strigosus (Bennett, 1828) (Indo-Pacific south to Natal) Whitemargin unicornfish, Naso annulatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825) Humpback unicorn, Naso brachycentron (Valenciennes, 1835) (Indo-Pacific south to Natal) Spotted unicorn, Naso brevirostris (Valenciennes, 1835) (Indo-Pacific south to Durban, with juveniles drifting to Algoa Bay) Orange-spine unicorn, Naso lituratus (Forster, 1801) (Indo-Pacific south to Durban) Humpnose unicorn, Naso tuberosus Lacepède 1802 (Natal to Gilbert Islands) Bluespine unicornfish, Naso unicornis (Forsskål, 1775) (Indo-Pacific south to Natal) Bignose unicorn, Naso vlamingii (Valenciennes, 1835) (Indo-Pacific south to Natal) Palette surgeon, Paracanthurus hepatus (Natal to central Pacific) Spotted tang, Zebrasoma gemmatum (Valenciennes, 1835) (Mauritius, Madagascar, Sodwana Bay and 3 specimens from Durban) Twotone tang, Zebrasoma scopas (Cuvier, 1829) (Indo-Pacific south to Natal) Sailfin tang, Zebrasoma velifer (Bloch, 1797) (Indo-Pacific south to Natal)

Family: Antigoniidae – Boarfishes

Boarfish, Antigonia rubescens (Günther, 1860) (Indo-West Pacific from Natal to Japan)

Family: Chaetodontidae – Butterflyfishes

Threadfin butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga Forsskål, 1775 (Tropical Ind-Pacific south to Mossel Bay) Brownburnie, Chaetodon blackburnii Desjardins, 1836 (Tropical Indo-Pacific south to Bashee River) Blackedged butterflyfish, Chaetodon dolosus Ahl, 1923 (East African coast south to Xora River) Gorgeous gussie or peppered butterflyfish, Chaetodon guttatissimus Bennett, 1833 (Durban to Red Sea) Whitespotted butterflyfish or sunburst butterflyfish, Chaetodon kleinii Bloch, 1790 (Red sea and Indian Ocean south to Coffee Bay) Lined butterflyfish, Chaetodon lineolatus Quoy and gaimard, 1831 (Red sea and Indian Ocean south to Durban) Raccoon butterflyfish or halfmoon butterflyfish, Chaetodon lunula (Lacepède, 1802) (South Africa to Hawaii, Japan and Australia. South to East London) Pearly butterflyfish or Seychelles butterflyfish, Chaetodon madagaskariensis Ahl, 1923 (Indian Ocean south to Port Elizabeth) Doublesash butterflyfish, Chaetodon marleyi Regan, 1921 (Lamberts Bay to Maputo. Endemic) Blackback butterflyfish, Chaetodon melannotus Bloch and Schneider, 1801 (Red Sea south to Durban) Maypole butterflyfish or scrawled butterflyfish, Chaetodon meyeri Bloch & Schneider, 1801 (Indo-Pacific south to Durban) Rightangle butterflyfish or chevron butterflyfish, Chaetodon trifascialis Quoy and Gaimard, 1825 (Red Sea south to Tugela River) Purple butterflyfish or melon butterflyfish, Chaetodon trifasciatus Mungo Park, 1797 (Indo-Pacific from Kosi Bay to Hawaii) Limespot butterflyfish or teardrop butterflyfish, Chaetodon unimaculatus Bloch, 1787 (Indian Ocean south to Port Alfred) Vagabond butterflyfish, Chaetodon vagabundus Linnaeus, 1758 (Red Sea south to Durban) Yellowhead butterflyfish, Chaetodon xanthocephalus Bennett, 1832 (Western Indian Ocean south to Durban) Zanzibar butterflyfish Chaetodon zanzibarensis Playfair, 1867 (Zanzibar to Durban) Yellow longnose butterflyfish, Forcipiger flavissimus Jordan & McGregor, 1898 (Red Sea to Durban) Brushtooth butterflyfish Hemitaurichthys zoster (Bennett, 1831) (Western Indian Ocean south to Sodwana Bay) Coachman or pennant coralfish, Heniochus acuminatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Port Alfred to Mozambique) (Indo-West Pacific south to Durban) Schooling coachman or schooling bannerfish, Heniochus diphreutes Jordan, 1903 (Red Sea and Indo-West Pacific south to Durban)) Masked coachman, Heniochus monoceros Cuvier, 1831 (Indo-West Pacific south to Cape Vidal)

Family: Drepaneidae – Sicklefishes

Concertina-fish, Drepane longimana (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) (Tropical Indo-West Pacific south to East London)

Family: Ephippidae – Batfishes

Orbicular batfish, Platax orbicularis (Forsskål, 1775) (Indo-West Pacific south to Knysna) Dusky batfish, Platax pinnatus (Linnaeus. 1758) (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay, possibly Durban) Longfin batfish, Platax teira (Forsskål, 1775) (Indo-West Pacific south to Algoa Bay) African spadefish, Tripterodon orbis Playfair, 1867 (Port Elizabeth to Kenya)

Family: Leiognathidae – Soapies

Slender soapy, Deveximentum insidiator (Bloch, 1787), recorded as syn. Secutor insidiator (Bloch, 1787), (Indo-West Pacific south to East London) Toothed soapy, Gazza minuta (Bloch, 1797) (Indo-Pacific south to Port Alfred) Slimy, Leiognathus equula (Forsskål, 1775) (Indo-Pacific south to East London) Pugnose soapy, Leiognathus ruconius (Hamilton, 1822), recorded as syn. Secutor ruconius (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822), (Indo-West Pacific south to Transkei)

Family: Lobotidae – Tripletails

Atlantic tripletail, Lobotes surinamensis (Bloch, 1790) (Cape St Francis northwards, all tropical and subtropical oceans)

Family: Luvaridae – Louvar Louvar, Luvarus imperialis Rafinesque, 1810 (All oceans and Mediterranean sea, Not reported in polar seas or near equator)

Family: Pomacanthidae – Angelfishes

Tiger angelfish, Apolemichthys kingi Heemstra, 1984 (Only known from off Natal: Durban, Tongaat and Aliwal shoal) Threespot angelfish, Apolemichthys trimaculatus (Lacepède, 1831) (Indo-West Pacific to Natal) Jumping bean, orangeback angelfish, Centropyge acanthops (Norman, 1922) (Port Elizabeth to Somalia) Coral beauty, twospined angelfish, Centropyge bispinosa (Günther, 1860) (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana) Dusky cherub, Centropyge multispinis (Playfair, 1867) (Indo-West Pacific south to Natal) Goldtail angelfish, Pomacanthus chrysurus Cuvier, 1831 (Indo-West Pacific south to Aliwal Shoal) Emperor angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator (Bloch, 1787) (Indo-West Pacific south to East London) Old woman angelfish, Pomacanthus rhomboides (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908) (Red Sea to Knysna) Previously known as Pomacanthus striatus Rüppell, 1836, but Rüppell's species is a synonym of P. maculosus (Forsskål, 1775) Semicircle angelfish, Pomacanthus semicirculatus (Cuvier, 1831) (Indo-West Pacific to Port Elizabeth) Royal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus (Boddaert, 1772) (Indo-West Pacific south to Sodwana Bay)

Family: Scatophagidae – Scatties Scatty, Scatophagus tetracanthus (Lacepède, 1802) (Indo-West Pacific south to Durban)

Family: Siganidae – Rabbitfishes Starspotted rabbitfish, Siganus stellatus (Forsskål, 1775) (Kosi Bay north to Red Sea) Whitespotted rabbitfish, Siganus sutor (Valenciennes, 1835) (Western Indian Ocean, stragglers as far south as Knysna)

Family: Zanclidae – Moorish idol Moorish idol, Zanclus cornutus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Africa to Mexico south to Mossel Bay) (syn. Zanclus canescens)

Order Acropomatiformes

Family: Acropomatidae – Lanternbellies

Lanternbelly, Acropoma japonicum Günther, 1859 (off Natal) Japanese splitfin, Synagrops japonicus (Doderlein, 1884) (off Natal) Sombre splitfin or silver splitfin, Verilus cynodon (Regan, 1921), reported as syn. Neoscombrops annectens Gilchrist, 1922 (off Natal and southern Mozambique) and as syn. Neoscombrops cynodon (Regan, 1921) (Known from 2 specimens off Natal)

Family: Bathyclupeidae – Bathyclupeids

Neobathyclupea elongata (Trunov, 1975), recorded as syn. Bathyclupea elongata Trunov, 1975 (Known only from holotype taken off Western Cape)

Family: Champsodontidae – Gapers

Gaper, Champsodon capensis (Regan, 1908) (Cape of Good Hope to Durban)

Family: Creediidae – Sand burrowers

Longfin burrower, Apodocreedia vanderhorsti de Beaufort, 1948 (Durban to Delagoa Bay) Sand submarine, Limnichthys nitidus Smith 1958 (Red Sea south to Chaka's Rock, KwaZulu-Natal)

Family: Epigonidae – Cardinal fishes

Pencil cardinal, Epigonus denticulatus Dieuzeide, 1950 (Walvis Bay to Cape Point) Epigonus pandionis (Goode & Bean, 1881) (Gulf of Guinea to Agulhas Bank) Robust cardinalfish, Epigonus robustus (Barnard, 1927) (off west coast of South Africa) Telescope cardinal, Epigonus telescopus (Risso, 1810) (Walvis Bay to Cape Town)

Family: Howellidae Howella sherborni (Norman, 1930) (off Cape Town to Natal)

Family: Pempheridae – Sweepers

Slender sweeper, Parapriacanthus ransonneti Steindachner, 1870 (Red Sea south to Transkei) Dusky sweeper, Pempheris adusta Bleeker, 1877 (Indo-West Pacific south to Transkei) Black-stripe sweeper, Pempheris schwenkii Bleeker, 1855 (Indo-West Pacific south to Natal)

Family: Pentacerotidae – Armourheads

Sailfin armourhead, Histiopterus typus Temminck & Schlegel, 1844 (Cape Agulhas to Natal) Cape armourhead, Pentaceros capensis Cuvier, 1829 (Port Nolloth to Southern Mozambique) Pelagic armourhead, Pentaceros richardsoni, Smith, 1844, recorded as Pseudopentaceros richardsoni, (Smith, 1844) (Cape Town to Natal)

Family: Polyprionidae – Wreckfishes

Atlantic wreckfish, Polyprion americanus (Schneider, 1801) (Norway to South Africa)

Family: Scombropidae – Gnomefishes

Gnomefish, Scombrops boops (Houttuyn, 1782) (Cape of Good Hope to Delagoa Bay)

Order Albuliformes – Bonefishes

Family: Albulidae Bonefish, Albula vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758) (Algoa Bay to tropics)

Order Anguilliformes – Eels

Family: Anguillidae – Freshwater eels African mottled eel, Anguilla labiata (Peters, 1852), recorded as syn. Anguilla bengalensis labiata (Peters, 1852) (Knysna to Kenya) Shortfin eel or Indonesian shortfin eel, Anguilla bicolor, recorded as syn. Anguilla bicolor bicolor McClelland, 1844 (Knysna to Kenya) Madagascar mottled eel or giant mottled eel, Anguilla marmorata Quoy and Gaimard, 1824 (Western Cape to Kenya)