WThe fauna of South Africa is diverse and largely typical of the ecosystems in Africa. South Africa is ranked sixth out of the world's 17 megadiverse countries. Many endemic species are unique to South Africa. The country is among the world leaders in conservation, but at the time wildlife is threatened by poaching and canned hunting.
WThe Cape honey bee or Cape bee is a southern South African subspecies of the western honey bee. They play a major role in South African agriculture and the economy of the Western Cape by pollinating crops and producing honey in the Western Cape region of South Africa.
WCichlidogyrus philander is a species of Monopisthocotylean Monogenean, in the family Ancyrocephalidae. It is ectoparasitic on the gills of the fish Pseudocrenilabrus philander.
WThe Karoo eremomela, also known as the yellow-rumped eremomela, is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Namibia and South Africa. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
WGaleichthys is a genus of sea catfishes. The only genus in the subfamily Galeichthyinae, this genus includes four species.
WThe subgenus Geosciurus of African ground squirrels are found in most of the drier parts of southern Africa from South Africa, through to Botswana, and into Namibia.
WThe blood-spotted abalone, scientific name Haliotis spadicea, is a species of edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones. This species is common on rocky shores on the coast of South Africa.
WThe Knysna elephants are a very small number of African bush elephants, a relict population of large herds which roamed the Tsitsikamma Forest and surrounding regions at the southern tip of Africa until the 1800s and 1900s, when contact with European farmers and hunters led to their near extinction. It is conjectured that about 1,000 elephants historically roamed the Outeniqua/Tsitsikamma area. A 2006 DNA analysis of dung samples has revealed the presence of at least 5 cows and possibly some bulls and calves, moving within an area of 121,000 hectares of forest managed by South African National Parks, and constituting the only unfenced elephant group in South Africa. By 2019, researchers have concluded that there is only one elephant, a mature female, remaining in Knysna.
WThis is a list of invasive species in South Africa, including invasive species of plants, animals, and other organisms in South Africa.
WThe Cape long-billed lark, also known as the Cape lark, Cape longbill or long-billed lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in south-western Africa. Its natural habitats are semi-arid Karoo shrub and subtropical dry shrubland and subtropical or dry lowland and highveld grassland. This lark is also found in croplands, farmlands and coastal fynbos.
WThe list of marine animals of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay is a list of marine and shore-based species that form a part of the fauna of South Africa. This list includes animals which either live entirely marine lives, or which spend critical parts of their lives at sea.
WThe list of marine crustaceans of South Africa is a list of saltwater species that form a part of the crustacean fauna of South Africa. This list does not include the freshwater and terrestrial crustaceans. The list follows the SANBI listing on iNaturalist, and does not always agree with WoRMS for distribution.
WThe list of sea spiders of South Africa is a list of species that form a part of the pycnogonid fauna of South Africa. The list follows the SANBI listing on iNaturalist, and does not always agree with WoRMS for distribution.
WThe African penguin, also known as the Cape penguin or South African penguin, is a species of penguin confined to southern African waters. Like all extant penguins, it is flightless, with a streamlined body and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. Adults weigh an average of 2.2–3.5 kg (4.9–7.7 lb) and are 60–70 cm (24–28 in) tall. The species has distinctive pink patches of skin above the eyes and a black facial mask. The body upperparts are black and sharply delineated from the white underparts, which are spotted and marked with a black band. The pink glands above their eyes help them with thermoregulation. To cope with changing temperatures, blood is sent to the glands to be cooled by the air.
WPlumularia setacea, the plumed hydroid or little sea bristle, is a colonial hydrozoan in the family Plumulariidae and is found worldwide. It lives from the shore to 430m under water.
WPotamonautes isimangaliso is a species of freshwater crustacean in the family Potamonautidae. It is endemic to iSimangaliso Wetland Park, South Africa. Its natural habitat are the ephemeral wetlands fringing the western shores of False Bay. Molecular DNA analyses were required to distinguish it from the similar and rather variable P. lividus, which occurs further inland.
WThe Drakensberg prinia or saffron-breasted prinia is a small passerine bird. It lives in eastern South Africa and Swaziland.
WThe Karoo prinia or spotted prinia is a small passerine bird. It is a resident breeder in South Africa, Lesotho and far southern Namibia.
WThomisus onustus is a crab spider species in the genus Thomisus belonging to the family Thomisidae.