Astronaut photo of Cape Town showing the Cape Peninsula, and surrounding waters, including False Bay.Map showing approximate extent of the range of the article and identifying key locations and the borders of the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected AreaMarine ecoregions of the South African exclusive economic zoneMarine species distribution reference map of the Southern African coastline, showing key range locations
The list of marine vertebrates of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay is a list of marine and shore-based vertebrate 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 local 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 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.[2]
Leopard skate, Rajella leoparda (von Bonde & Swart, 1923), recorded as syn. Raja leopardus von Bonde and Swart, 1923 (west coast from 18°S to 35°S)[4][18]
Smooth hammerhead, Sphyrna zygaena (Linnaeus, 1758) (south Cape to southern Mozambique, occasionally on west coast. Warm temperate waters of both hemispheres)[3][4][5]
Ragged-tooth shark or spotted ragged-tooth shark, Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810 (Cape Point to Mozambique)[3][4][19][5] also reported as syn. Eugomphodus taurus (Rafinesque, 1810)
Coccorella atlantica (Parr, 1928) (central water areas of all 3 major oceans; off western and south-western Cape coast, 1 specimen from 31°34'S, 30°09'E)[4][47]
Benthalbella infans Zugmayer, 1911 (off south-western Cape; tropical/subtropical in all 3 major oceans)[4][60]
Lagiacrusichthys macropinnis (Bussing & Bussing, 1966) recorded as syn. Benthalbella macropinna Bussing and Bussing, 1966 (off south-western Cape coast; circumpolar in subantarctic and Antarctic waters)[4][61][62]
Smallhead flyingfish, Cheilopogon altipennis (Valenciennes, 1847) also recorded as syn. Cheilopogon pinnatibarbatus altipinnis (Valenciennes, 1846) (Cape to Kosi Bay))[4][66][23]
Subtropical flyingfish, Hirundichthys rondeletii (Valenciennes, 1846) (widely distributed in subtropical waters of all oceans, common off the Cape)[4]
Ribbon halfbeak, Euleptorhamphus viridis (van Hasselt, 1823) (reported from Table Bay, also known from Algoa Bay and Kei River mouth, tropical and temperate waters of Indo-Pacific)[4]
Dwarf saury, Scomberesox simulans (Hubbs & Wisner, 1980), recorded as syn. Nanichthys simulans Hubbs and Wisner, 1980 (off the Cape up the west coast, warm temperate waters of the Atlantic and southern Indian oceans)[4]
Pineapple fish, Japanese pineapple fish, Monocentris japonica (Houttuyn, 1782) (Indo-West Pacific and Red Sea south to Mossel Bay)[4](Recorded from False Bay on at least two occasions)[6][23]
Super klipfish or highfin klipfish, Clinus superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Namibia (18°59'S) to Kei River)[3][4][23] now recognised as a complex containing C. superciliosus, C. ornatus, C. arborescens, C. musaicus and C. exasperatus.
Leervis or garrick, Lichia amia (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mediterranean sea south along west coast of Africa and around Cape to Delagoa Bay)[4][22][23]
White kingfish, white trevallyPseudocaranx dentex (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) (Durban southwards, anti-tropical on both sides of Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indo-West Pacific)[4]
Giant yellowtail, yellowtail amberjack, Seriola lalandi Valenciennes, 1833 (Most common on Atlantic Cape waters, but follows the pilchard migration to Transkei and Natal. Circumglobal in subtropical waters)[4][22][23]
Shovelnose grenadier, Coelorhinchus braueri Barnard, 1925 (Saldanha and Table Bay, Cape Point, East London; Angola to Mozambique)[4][92]
Abyssal grenadier, armoured rat-tail, russet grenadier, smoothscale rattail, Coryphaenoides armatus (Hector, 1875) (abyssal, all oceans except Arctic. One Atlantic record off South Africa)[4][93]
Gadomus capensis, (Gilchrist and von Bonde, 1924) (Table Bay to Mozambique)[4]
Kuronezumia leonis (Barnard, 1925), syn. Nezumia leonis (off Cape Point, Namibia, southwestern Atlantic)[4][94]
Softhead grenadier, softhead rat-tail, Malacocephalus laevis (Lowe, 1843) (off South Africa; widespread in Atlantic and Indian oceans)[4][95]
Nezumia brevibarbata (Barnard, 1925) (Cape Point; known only off the Cape, where it is common)[4]
Roughsnout grenadier, roughsnout rat-tail, Trachyrincus scabrus (Rafinesque, 1810) (Namibia, west coast of South Africa; eastern North Atlantic and Mediterranean sea)[4][96]
Spotted opah, Jerusalem haddock, moonfish, Lampris guttatus (Brünnich, 1788) (all oceans but not in polar waters, occurs throughout South African waters, usually well offshore)[4][104]
Deepsea angler, twoclub angler, Ceratias holboelli Krøyer, 1845 (single specimen off Cape Town at 34°12'S, 16°35'E; nearly cosmopolitan in the world's oceans)[4][106]
Ceratias tentaculatus (Norman, 1930) (off Saldanha Bay, off southern Natal, off Delagoa Bay and throughout southern oceans)[4]
Monkfish, devil anglerfish, Lophius vomerinus (Valenciennes, 1837), syn. Lophius upsicephalus (off Cape of Good Hope; eastern South Atlantic and south western Indian Ocean off South Africa; Bay of Bengal off Burma)[4][111] also recorded as Lophius sp.[23]
Bolinichthys supralateralis (Parr, 1928) (off Cape Peninsula and in Agulgas current; Atlantic (40°N – 02°S and 32° to 40°S); Indian Ocean (21° – 30°S); west coast of Australia and near Hawaii)[4]
Diaphus mollis Tåning, 1928 (off all SA coasts, broadly tropical distribution in all major oceans)[4]
Diaphus taaningi Norman, 1930 (over west coast continental shelf/slope southward to 24°S. Amphitropical species in Atlantic (western sector); tropical waters to 42°N; eastern sector: southward from Mauretanian upwelling region to South African region)[4]
Electrona risso (Cocco, 1829) (off east and west coasts of South Africa. Widespread in Atlantic (55°N – 40°S), Mediterranean, Indian Ocean (0° – 40°S), Tasman sea and Cook Strait, and eastern Pacific (42°N – 20°S))[4]
Gonichthys barnesi Whitley, 1943 (off east and west coasts, south of 30°S. Convergence species in all 3 oceans (30° – 40°S))[4]
Gymnoscopelus braueri (Lönnberg, 1905) (circumglobal between Subtropical convergence and Antarctica)[4]
Hygophum hanseni (Tåning, 1932) (from 30°S on west coast to 33°S on east coast. Convergence species (30° to 43°S) in all 3 oceans)[4]
Hygophum hygomii (Lütken, 1892) (west of Cape Peninsula and off east coast (25° – 37°S))[4]
Hygophum proximum Bekker, 1965) (south to about 37°S in Agulhas current; Indian Ocean (25°N – 10°S))[4]
Lampadena notialis Nafpaktitis and Paxton, 1968 (Off east coast and Cape Peninsula; convergence species in all 3 oceans)[4]
Mirror lampfish, mirror lanternfish, Lampadena speculigera Goode and Bean, 1896 (off west and southeast coasts. Atlantic (66° – 35°N and 35° – 45°S), Indian Ocean (30° to 45°S) and Pacific Ocean (30° – 45°S))[4][114]
Lampanyctus alatus Goode and Bean, 1896 (off all South African coasts; Atlantic (46°N – 38°S), Indian Ocean (0° – 39°S)[4]
Southern lanternfish, Lampanyctus australis Tåning, 1932 (off all South African coasts; circumglobal convergence species (33° – 43°S with northern extension to about 27°S in eastern boundary currents))[4][115]
Lampanyctus festivus Tåning, 1928 (off all South African coasts. Atlantic(53° – 18°N and 28° – 40°S with northern extension to 12°S in Benguela current and Indo-West Pacific.)[4]
Lampanyctus lepidolychnus Bekker, 1967 (off all South African coasts, circumglobal convergence species (23° – 48°S))[4]
Rakery beaconlamp, Lampanyctus macdonaldi (Goode and Bean, 1896) (west of Cape Peninsula, circumglobal between subtropical convergence and Antarctic polar front)[4][116]
Lampanyctus pusillus (Johnson, 1890) (off all South African coasts. Bisubtropical species in all major oceans)[4]
Lampichthys procerus (Brauer, 1904) (off Cape Peninsula, circumglobal convergence species (32° – 48°S) with extensions into lower latitudes in eastern boundary currents)[4]
Lobianchia dofleini (Zugmayer, 1911) (off all South African coasts. Mediterranean, Atlantic (50°N – 40°S), Indian Ocean (23° – 38°S), Tasman sea and south Pacific(region of subtropical convergence))[4]
Lobianchia gemellarii (Cocco, 1838) (off all South African coasts, worldwide in tropical/subtropical waters)[4]
Metelectrona ventralis (Bekker, 1063) (west of Cape Peninsula in southern Benguela upwelling region; circumglobal subantarctic species (36°-51°S))[4]
Slender cuskeel, Porogadus miles Goode and Bean, 1886 (one specimen off the Cape; relatively common both sides of the Atlantic; also recorded from Indian Ocean)[4][126]
Melanolagus bericoides (Borodin, 1929) recorded as syn. Bathylagus bericoides (Borodin, 1929) (off Cape Town, throughout tropical and subtropical seas)[4][129]
Cape scorpionfish, Trachyscorpia eschmeyeri Whitley, 1970, recorded as syn. Trachyscorpia capensis] (Gilchrist & von Bonde, 1924), (Cape to St Helena Bay)[4]
Bluefin gurnard, Chelidonichthys kumu (Cuvier, 1829)[138] (Cape Point to Delagoa Bay)[4][22](West coast of Cape Peninsula to Algoa Bay, also Indo-west Pacific)[75][23]
Black ruff, Centrolophus niger (Gmelin, 1789) (Temperate waters of Australia, New Zealand, South America and South Africa, also North Atlantic and Mediterranean)[4]
Antarctic butterfish, Hyperoglyphe antarctica (Carmichael, 1818) (Temperate waters; islands of south Atlantic and southern Indian oceans; New Zealand, southern Australia and South Africa)[4]
Black butterfish or peregrine driftfish, Schedophilus velaini (Sauvage, 1879) (Gulf of Guinea, to South Africa)[4](syn. Hyperoglyphe moselii (Cunningham, 1910))
Flabby driftfish, Tubbia tasmanica Whitley, 1943 (Temperate waters of Southern Ocean; New Zealand, Tasmania and South Africa off Natal)[4]
Ichthyococcus australis Mukhacheva, 1980 (circumglobal in subtropical convergence region of southern hemisphere with records between 30° and 40°S in Atlantic sector of our region)[4]
Opostomias micripnus (Günther, 1878) (northwest of Cape Town; occurs across the Atlantic, Pacific and possibly Indian Ocean south of about 33°S)[4] (syn. Opostomias gibsonpacei Barnard, 1948)
Pachystomias microdon (Günther, 1878) (off Western Cape coast; widespread in all 3 major oceans)(Günther, 1878)[4]
Photonectes braueri (Zugmayer, 1913) (off Cape Town; Atlantic and western Indian Ocean)[4]
Photonectes parvimanus Regan and Trewavas, 1930 (off west coast; north Atlantic and central Pacific)[4]
Trigonolampa miriceps Regan and Trewavas, 1930 (off west coast; apparently circumglobal in Southern Ocean south of 30°S)[4]
Stomias longibarbatus (Brauer, 1902), syn. Macrostomias longibarbatus (taken once off Cape of Good Hope, widespread in subtropical and tropical Atlantic and tropical Indian and Pacific oceans)[4][162]
Serrate flutemouth, Fistularia petimba Lacepède, 1803 (Atlantic, Indian and western Pacific oceans; east coast of Africa south to Mossel Bay; also reported from Walvis Bay and False Bay)[4]
As of 2022, 39 species of seabirds and shorebirds are known to use the marine protected area.
12 species of seabird nest in the TMNP MPA, six of these are endemic to the region. Four of the endemics are listed as endangered, one is near threatened, and one is of least concern.
Cape gannet, Morus capensis (Lichtenstein, 1823), (Breeding: three islands off Namibia and three islands off South Africa. Otherwise: coastal waters off the Gulf of Guinea to Mozambique) Endangered.[3][167]
Cape cormorant, Phalacrocorax capensis Sparrman, 1788, (Breeding: Namibia to southern Cape Province, Otherwise: Mouth of the Congo to Mozambique)[3] Endangered, with breeding colonies.[167]
Southern right whale, Eubalaena australis Desmoulins, 1822 (pelagic, Southern Ocean, winters along the South African coast from central Namibia to southern Mozambique )[3][170]
^ abKock, Alison; Stanbridge, Debbie; Brink, Rene; Holness, Stephen; Harris, Linda; Gardner, Kathryn; van Wilgen-Bredenkamp, Nicola; Mayekiso, Sisanda; Jones, Georgina. Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area – State of Knowledge Report March 2022(PDF). Internal Report 01 / 2022 (Report). Pretoria: Scientific Services, South African National Parks. Chapter 8: Research and monitoring.
^ abcdKock, Alison; Stanbridge, Debbie; Brink, Rene; Holness, Stephen; Harris, Linda; Gardner, Kathryn; van Wilgen-Bredenkamp, Nicola; Mayekiso, Sisanda; Jones, Georgina. Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area – State of Knowledge Report March 2022(PDF). Internal Report 01 / 2022 (Report). Pretoria: Scientific Services, South African National Parks. Appendix II, Table 7: Marine reptiles.
