List of marine cnidarians of South Africa

The list of marine cnidarians of South Africa is a list of saltwater species that form a part of the cnidarian (Phylum Cnidaria) fauna of South Africa. This list does not include the freshwater cnidarians. The list follows the SANBI listing on iNaturalist, and does not always agree with WoRMS for distribution.

Class Anthozoa, subclass Hexacorallia

Order Actiniaria, suborder Endocoelantheae

Family Halcuriidae

Halcurias capensis Carlgren, 1928

Suborder Nynantheae, infraorder Athenaria

Family Edwardsiidae

Edwardsia capensis Carlgren, 1938

Family Halcampidae

Halcampa capensis Carlgren, 1938 Halcampaster teres Carlgren, 1938 Halianthella annularis Carlgren, 1938 – Brooding anemone

Family Haloclavidae

Haloclava capensis (Verrill, 1865)

Infraorder Thenaria

Superfamily Acontiaria, family Acontiophoridae

Acontiophorum mortenseni Carlgren, 1938

Family Aiptasiidae

Aiptasia parva Carlgren, 1938 – Trumpet anemone

Family Hormathiidae

Actinauge granulata Carlgren, 1928 Amphianthus capensis Carlgren, 1928 Amphianthus laevis Carlgren, 1938 Amphianthus natalensis Carlgren, 1938 Calliactis algoaensis Carlgren, 1938 Calliactis polypus (Forsskål, 1775) Symbiotic anemone Phelliactis algoaensis Carlgren, 1928 Phelliactis capensis Carlgren, 1938

Family Isophellidae

Isophellia algoaensis Carlgren, 1928 Litophellia octoradiata Carlgren, 1938 Telmatactis natalensis Carlgren, 1938

Family Nemanthidae

Nemanthus nitidus (Wassilieff, 1908)

Family Sagartiidae

Anthothoe chilensis (Lesson, 1830) – Striped anemone Anthothoe sp. – Square-mouth striped anemone Phellia aucklandica (Carlgren, 1924) Sagartia ornata (Holdsworth, 1855) – Rooted anemone

Superfamily Endomyaria, family Actiniidae Actinia mandelae – Plum anemone Anemonia natalensis Carlgren, 1938 – Natal anemone Anthopleura anneae Carlgren, 1940  Anthopleura insignis Carlgren, 1940 Anthopleura michaelseni (Pax, 1920) – Crevice anemone Anthostella stephensoni Carlgren, 1938 – Violet spotted anemone Anthostella sp. – Dwarf spotted anemone Bolocera kerguelensis Studer, 1879 Bunodactis reynaudi (Milne Edwards, 1857) – Sandy anemone Bunodosoma capense (Lesson, 1830) – Knobbly anemone Entacmaea quadricolor (Leuckart in Rüppell & Leuckart, 1828) – Bubble-tip anemone Gyractis sesere (Haddon & Shackleton, 1893) – Colonial anemone Korsaranthus natalensis (Carlgren, 1938) – Candy-striped anemone Pseudactinia flagellifera (Hertwig, 1882) – False plum anemone Pseudactinia varia Carlgren, 1938 Urticinopsis crassa Carlgren, 1938

Family Actinodendronidae Actinodendron hansingorum Carlgren, 1900

Family Aliciidae Alicia sansibarensis Carlgren, 1900

Family Condylanthidae Condylanthus magellanicus Carlgren, 1899

Family Liponematidae Liponema multiporum (Hertwig, 1882)

Family Stichodactylidae Heteractis aurora (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833) Heteractis magnifica (Quoy & Gaimard, 1833) – Giant anemone Stichodactyla mertensii Brandt, 1835

Superfamily Mesomyaria, family Actinostolidae Anthosactis capensis Carlgren, 1938 Actinostola capensis (Carlgren, 1928) Isanthus capensis Carlgren, 1938 – Ring tentacle anemone

Suborder Ptychodacteae Family Preactiidae Preactis millardae England in England & Robson, 1984 – Walking anemone, hedgehog anemone, sock anemone

Superfamily Actiniaria incertae sedis, family Metridiidae Metridium senile (Linnaeus, 1761) – Feather-duster anemone Metridium senile subsp. dianthus – (Not on WORMS) Metridium senile subsp. pallidus (Rawlinson, 1934) Metridium senile subsp. senile – (Not on WORMS)

Order Antipatharia Family Antipathidae Antipathes sp. – Branched black coral Cirrhipathes sp. – Whip corals, Wire corals

Order Ceriantharia, suborder Spirularia Family Cerianthidae Ceriantheopsis austroafricanus Molodtsova, Griffiths & Acuña, 2011 – Tube anemone Ceriantheopsis nikitai Molodtsova, 2001 – White tube anemone

Order Corallimorpharia Family Corallimorphidae Corynactis annulata (Verrill, 1867) – Strawberry anemone

Family Discosomatidae Discosoma spp. – Elephant ear corals

Order Scleractinia Family Acroporidae Acropora abrotanoides (Lamarck, 1816) Acropora aculeus (Dana, 1846) Acropora anthocercis (Brook, 1893) Acropora appressa (Ehrenberg, 1834) – nomen dubium Acropora arabensis Hodgson & Carpenter, 1995 Acropora austera (Dana, 1846) Acropora branchi Riegl, 1995 Acropora clathrata (Brook, 1891) – Staghorn coral Acropora donei Veron & Wallace, 1984 Acropora florida (Dana, 1846) Acropora horrida (Dana, 1846) Acropora humilis (Dana, 1846) Acropora hyacinthus (Dana, 1846) Acropora latistella (Brook, 1892) Acropora millepora (Ehrenberg, 1834) Acropora nana (Studer, 1877) Acropora nasuta (Dana, 1846) Acropora natalensis Riegl, 1995 Acropora sordiensis Riegl, 1995 Acropora stoddarti Pillai & Scheer, 1976 – (unaccepted on WoRMS) Acropora tenuis (Dana, 1846) Acropora valida (Dana, 1846) Acropora verweyi Veron & Wallace, 1984 Acropora spp. Staghorn corals Alveopora allingi Hoffmeister, 1925 Alveopora spongiosa Dana, 1846 Alveopora spp. Astreopora incrustans Bernard, 1896 Astreopora listeri Bernard, 1896 Astreopora myriophthalma (Lamarck, 1816) – Many eyed star coral Isopora palifera (Lamarck, 1816) Montipora aequituberculata Bernard, 1897 – pore coral Montipora danae Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851 – pore coral Montipora monasteriata (Forskål, 1775) – pore coral Montipora spongodes Bernard, 1897 – pore coral Montipora tuberculosa (Lamarck, 1816) – pore coral Montipora turgescens Bernard, 1897 – pore coral Montipora venosa (Ehrenberg, 1834) – pore coral Montipora verrucosa (Lamarck, 1816) – pore coral Montipora spp. Warty coral

Family Agariciidae Coeloseris mayeri Vaughan, 1918 Gardineroseris planulata (Dana, 1846) Leptoseris explanata Yabe & Sugiyama, 1941 – Porcelain coral Leptoseris spp. – Plate coral Pachyseris speciosa (Dana, 1846) – Disc coral Pavona clavus (Dana, 1846) Pavona decussata (Dana, 1846) – Peacock coral Pavona explanulata (Lamarck, 1816) Pavona minuta Wells, 1954 – Leaf coral Pavona venosa (Ehrenberg, 1834)

Family Caryophylliidae Caryophyllia spp. – cup corals

Family Coscinaraeidae Anomastraea irregularis von Marenzeller, 1901 – Irregular honeycomb coral Coscinaraea columna (Dana, 1846) – Coscinaraea exesa (Dana, 1846) Coscinaraea monile Forskål, 1775 Coscarinaea spp. – Brain corals Horastrea indica Pichon, 1971

Family Dendrophylliidae Balanophyllia (Balanophyllia) bonaespei van der Horst, 1938 – Cup coral Dendrophyllia robusta (Bourne, 1905) – Turret coral Tubastraea micranthus (Ehrenberg, 1834) – Green tree coral Turbinaria irregularis Bernard, 1896 Turbinaria mesenterina (Lamarck, 1816) – Turbinate coral

Family Euphylliidae Galaxea fascicularis (Linnaeus, 1767) – Spiky coral Galaxea astreata (Lamarck, 1816) – Spiky coral Gyrosmilia interrupta (Ehrenberg, 1834) – Brain corals

Family Fungiidae Cycloseris costulata (Ortmann, 1889) Cycloseris cyclolites (Lamarck, 1815) Cycloseris distorta (Michelin, 1842) Cycloseris spp. Mushroom corals Halomitra pileus (Linnaeus, 1758) – Helmet coral Herpolitha limax (Esper, 1797) Herpolitha spp. – Mushroom corals Lobactis scutaria (Lamarck, 1801) – Mushroom coral syn. Fungia scutaria Lamarck, 1801 Podabacia crustacea (Pallas, 1766)

Family Lobophylliidae Acanthastrea brevis Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849 Acanthastrea echinata (Dana, 1846) – Spiny honeycomb coral Acanthastrea hemprichi (Ehrenberg, 1834) Acanthastrea ishigakiensis Veron, 1990 Acanthastrea simplex (Crossland, 1848) (nomen dubium on WoRMS) Acanthastrea subechinata Veron, 2000 Echinophyllia aspera (Ellis & Solander, 1786) Lobophyllia spp. – False brain corals Parascolymia vitiensis (Brüggemann, 1877) Symphyllia valenciennesii Milne Edwards & Haime – Brain corals

Family Merulinidae Astrea annuligera Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849 – false knob coral Astrea devantieri (Veron, 2000) Cyphastrea chalcidicum (Forskål, 1775) Cyphastrea serailia (Forskål, 1775) Dipsastraea danai (Milne Edwards, 1857) Dipsastraea favus (Forskål, 1775) – Knob coral Dipsastraea laxa (Klunzinger, 1879) – Knob coral Dipsastraea matthaii (Vaughan, 1918) – Knob coral Dipsastraea pallida (Dana, 1846) – Knob coral Dipsastraea rotumana (Gardiner, 1899) – Knob coral Dipsastraea speciosa (Dana, 1846) – Knob coral  Dipsastraea vietnamensis (Veron, 2000) Echinopora forskaliana (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849) Echinopora gemmacea (Lamarck, 1816) Echinopora hirsutissima Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849 – Prickly pored coral Favites abdita (Ellis & Solander, 1786) – larger star coral Favites acuticollis (Ortmann, 1889) Favites chinensis (Verrill, 1866) Favites complanata (Ehrenberg, 1834) – larger star coral Favites flexuosa Dana, 1846 – larger star coral Favites halicora (Ehrenberg, 1834) – larger star coral Favites pentagona (Esper, 1795) – larger star coral Favites russelli (Wells, 1954) Favites spinosa (Klunzinger, 1879) Favites vasta (Klunzinger, 1879) Favites spp. – Honeycomb corals Goniastrea edwardsi Chevalier, 1971 Goniastrea pectinata (Ehrenberg, 1834) Goniastrea retiformis (Lamarck, 1816) Goniastrea stelligera (Dana, 1846) Favia stelligera (Dana, 1846) Goniastrea spp. – Honeycomb corals Hydnophora exesa (Pallas, 1766) Hydnophora microconos (Lamarck, 1816) – Small-coned coral Hydnophora pilosa Veron, 1985 Leptoria phrygia (Ellis & Solander, 1786) – Least valley coral Oulophyllia crispa (Lamarck, 1816) – Brain coral Paramontastraea peresi (Faure & Pichon, 1978) – larger star coral Pectinia africana Veron, 2000 Platygyra daedalea (Ellis & Solander, 1786) – Labyrinthine brain coral Platygyra sinensis (Milne Edwards & Haime, 1849)

Family Mussidae, subfamily Faviinae Favia spp. – False honeycomb corals

Family Plesiastreidae Plesiastrea versipora (Lamarck, 1816) – Star-like coral

Family Pocilloporidae Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus, 1758) – Knob-horned coral Pocillopora grandis Dana, 1846 Pocillopora verrucosa (Ellis & Solander, 1786) – Knob-horned coral Seriatopora caliendrum Ehrenberg, 1834 Stylophora pistillata Esper, 1797 – Tramp coral

Family Poritidae Goniopora djiboutiensis Vaughan, 1907 – Daisy coral Goniopora planulata (Ehrenberg, 1834) Goniopora somaliensis Vaughan, 1907 – anemone coral Porites lichen Dana, 1846 Porites lutea Quoy & Gaimard, 1833 Porites solida (Forskål, 1775) Porites spp. – Porous corals

Family Psammocoridae Psammocora haimiana Milne Edwards & Haime, 1851

Scleractinia incertae sedis Blastomussa merleti (Wells, 1961)

Scleractinia incertae sedis Leptastrea purpurea (Dana, 1846) – Crust coral

Order Zoantharia, suborder Brachycnemina Family Sphenopidae Palythoa natalensis Carlgren, 1938 – Squat sandy zoanthid Palythoa nelliae Pax, 1935 – Columnar sandy zoanthid Palythoa tuberculosa (Esper, 1791) – Leathery zoanthid

Family Zoanthidae Isaurus tuberculatus Gray, 1828 – Knobbly zoanthid Zoanthus durbanensis Carlgren – Durban zoanthid Zoanthus eyrei ? 2O Zoanthus natalensis Carlgen – Green zoanthid Zoanthus parvus ? – Not in WoRMS Zoanthus sansibaricus Carlgren, 1900 – Violet zoanthid check date

Suborder Macrocnemina Family Parazoanthidae Isozoanthus capensis Carlgren, 1938 – Cape zoanthid Parazoanthus sp. – Sponge zoanthid

Subclass Octocorallia Order Alcyonacea, suborder Alcyoniina Family Alcyoniidae Acrophytum claviger Hickson, 1900 Alcyonium distinctum Williams, 1988 Alcyonium elegans (Kükenthal, 1902) Alcyonium fauri Studer, 1910 – Purple soft coral Alcyonium foliatum J. S. Thomson, 1921 Alcyonium reptans Kükenthal, 1906 Alcyonium roseum (Tixier-Durivault, 1954) Alcyonium wilsoni (J.S. Thomson, 1921) Aldersladum sodwanum (Benayahu, 1993) Anthomastus giganteus Tixier-Durivault, 1954 Anthomastus hicksoni Bock, 1938 Cladiella australis (Macfadyen, 1936) Cladiella kashmani Benayahu & Schleyer, 1996 – Blanching soft coral Cladiella krempfi (Hickson, 1919) Cladiella madagascarensis (Tixier-Durivault, 1944) Dimorphophyton mutabiliforme (Williams, 1988) Eleutherobia studeri (J.S. Thomson, 1910) Eleutherobia variabile (Thomson, 1921) – Variable soft coral Eleutherobia vinadigitaria Williams & Little, 2001