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South Africa - Animals in the Habitats and the Fossil sites, and Biodiversity
The following fossils from the geologic age to the prehistorical age are excavated in South Africa. The explanation in brackets is the ages they lived in extinct species. Note that Mya is million years ago. For example, "48.6～40.4 Mya" shows a range between 48.6 and 40.4 million years ago. The time range is shown in the Geological Time Table. The followings are a part of the Evolutionary Tree.
South Africa
prehistoric age | |
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South Africa
extinct species
Paleozoic |
 | Mammal-like reptile |
Jonkeria  (270 Mya),
Anteosaurus (266～260 Mya),
Cistecephalus (260.5～253.8 Mya),
Dicynodon (258～216.5 Mya; Great Dying③),
Gorgonops (255～250 Mya),
Procynosuchus (255 Mya),
Moschops (255 Mya) |  | Primitive turtle |
Bradysaurus (265～260.5 Mya),
Owenetta (260.5～245 Mya; Great Dying③),
Pareiasaurus (250 Mya) | | Primitive reptile |
Milleretta (253.8～251 Mya),
Millerosaurus (253.8～251 Mya) | | Marine reptile |
Younginia (250 Mya) | | Primitive amphibia |
Rhinesuchus (260～251 Mya),
Laccocephalus (260～251 Mya) |  | Armoured fish |
Coccosteus (409.1～391.9 Mya) | | Coelacanth |
Diplocercides (397～359 Mya) |  | Trilobite |
Soomaspis (449～443.7 Mya) |
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South Africa
extinct species
Mesozoic |
| Mammal-like reptile |
Lystrosaurus (255-241 Mya; Great Dying③),
Thrinaxodon (255-245 Mya; Great Dying③),
Cynognathus (249.7～228 Mya),
Tritylodon (199.6～189.6 Mya) | | Primitive mammal |
Erythrotherium (200～175 Mya),
Megazostrodon (199.6～189.6 Mya; Earliest mammals) | | Ancestors of
snake,lizard |
Paliguana (251～245 Mya; Earliest Lepidosauromorpha) |  | Primitive crocodile |
Protosuchus (199.6～196.5 Mya; First crocodile) | | Archosaurs |
Mesosuchus (245～237 Mya) | | Primitive ornithischia |
Eocursor (216.5～199.6 Mya; Primtive dino),
Abrictosaurus (199.6～189.6 Mya),
Lesothosaurus (199.6～189.6 Mya),
Lycorhinus (199.6～189.6 Mya),
Heterodontosaurus (196.5～175.6 Mya) |  | Long-necked dino |
Euskelosaurus (245～65.5 Mya; Great Dying④),
Melanorosaurus (216.5～189.6 Mya; Great Dying④),
Blikanasaurus (216.5～199.6 Mya),
Eucnemesaurus (216.5～199.6 Mya),
Massospondylus (196.5～65.5 Mya) |  | Predatory dino |
Megapnosaurus (199～188 Mya) | | Primitive amphibia |
Uranocentrodon (251～245 Mya),
Broomistega (251～245 Mya),
Batrachosuchus (245～237 Mya) |  | Ammonite |
Crioceratites (140.2～99.6 Mya),
Heteroceras (130～70.6 Mya; Heteromorphs),
Hamites (130～65.5 Mya),
Douvilleiceras (125～93.5 Mya),
Anagaudryceras (103.3～65.5 Mya),
Didymoceras (83.5～70.6 Mya; Paired Horns) |
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South Africa
extinct species
Cenozoic |
 | Primitive elephant |
Prodeinotherium (20～11.61 Mya),
Anancus (9～0.126 Mya) | | Elephant |
South African mammoth (5.33～3.6 Mya),
Elephas recki (5.33～0.01 Mya),
Stegodon (11.61～0.01 Mya; ５m) |  | Primate |
Kenyapithecus (23.03～11.61 Mya) |  | Hominid |
Australopithecus africanus (3.6～2.59 Mya; excavated at Cradle of Humankind,
Makapansgat, Taung [Taung Child]),
Paranthropus robustus (2～1.2 Mya; excavated at Cradle of Humankind),
Australopithecus sediba (1.95～1.78 Mya; excavated at Cradle of Humankind),
Homo heidelbergensis (0.4 Mya; excavated at Hoedjiespunt),
Human (0.25～ Mya; excavated at Klasies River Caves,Blombos Cave,Hoedjiespunt) |  | Even-toed ungulate |
Paleotragus (13.65～7.75 Mya; Giraffe),
Giraffa gracilis (5.33～0.01 Mya),
Metridiochoerus (3.6～0.781 Mya; Boar),
Megalotragus (3.6～0.781 Mya; Rhebok),
Pelorovis (3.6～0.01 Mya; Giant horned buffalo) |  | Saber-toothed cat |
Homotherium (13.65～0.01 Mya),
Machairodus (11.61～0.126 Mya; ２．５m),
Megantereon (10.3～1.8 Mya),
Dinofelis (9～1.8 Mya; Cat) |  | Carnivora |
Percrocuta (13.65～2.59 Mya),
Agriotherium (13.6～2.6 Mya; Dog-bear),
Pachycrocuta (7.25～0.126 Mya; Hyena),
Chasmaporthetes (4.9～0.781 Mya; Hyena) |  | Penguin |
Palaeospheniscus (23.03～3.6 Mya) |  | Shark |
Carcharodon megalodon (23.03～3 Mya; ２０m) |
South Africa is a country located in the south of Africa. It is bordered by Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and by the Atlantic and Indian Ocean to the south. The following shows the distribution of animals in South Africa.
| South Africa | |
|
South Africa
regionally extinct
in historic age |
 | Rodent |
Burrowing Mouse (？～AD1960) | | Even-toed ungulate |
Bluebuck (1.81 Mya～AD1799) |  | Odd-toed ungulate |
Quagga* (？～AD1883; Stripe) | | Carnivora |
Cape Lion* (？～AD1865) |  | Lizard |
Eastwood's Long-tailed Seps |
|
South Africa
extant species |
| Elephant shrew |
Four-toed Elephant Shrew,
Short-eared Elephant Shrew,
Short-snouted Elephant Shrew,
Cape Elephant Shrew,
Bushveld Elephant Shrew,
Eastern Rock Elephant Shrew,
Western Rock Elephant Shrew |  | Tenrec |
Duthie's Golden Mole,
Sclater's Golden Mole,
Cape Golden Mole,
Visagie's Golden Mole,
Giant Golden Mole,
Rough-haired Golden Mole,
De Winton's Golden Mole,
Van Zyl's Golden Mole,
Grant's Golden Mole,
Hottentot Golden Mole,
Fynbos Golden Mole,
Marley's Golden Mole,
Robust Golden Mole,
Highveld Golden Mole,
Yellow Golden Mole,
Juliana's Golden Mole,
Gunning's Golden Mole |  | Aardvark |
Aardvark (Living fossil) |  | Hyrax |
Rock Hyrax,
Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax,
Southern Tree Hyrax | | Elephant |
African elephant (７．３m) | | Primate |
Brown Greater Galago,
Mohol Bushbaby,
Vervet Monkeys',
Blue Monkey,
Chacma Baboon | | Rodent |
Springhare,
Cape Porcupine,
Cape Ground Squirrel,
Damara Ground Squirrel,
Smith's Bush Squirrel,
Red Bush Squirrel |  | Rabbit |
Riverine Rabbit,
Natal Red Rock Hare,
Jameson's Red Rock Hare,
Smith's Red Rock Hare,
Cape Hare,
Scrub Hare,
African Savanna Hare |  | Hedgehog |
Southern African Hedgehog | | Even-toed ungulate |
Desert Warthog,
Common Warthog,
Bushpig,
Hippopotamus,
Giraffe (５m),
African Buffalo,
Nyala,
Greater Kudu,
Bushbuck,
Common Eland,
Red Forest Duiker,
Blue Duiker,
Common Duiker,
Roan Antelope,
Sable Antelope,
Gemsbok,
Springbok,
Suni,
Klipspringer,
Oribi,
Steenbok,
Cape Grysbok,
Sharpe's Grysbok,
Waterbuck,
Southern Reedbuck,
Mountain Reedbuck,
Impala,
Rhebok,
Tsessebe,
Bontebok,
Hartebeest,
Black Wildebeest,
Blue Wildebeest (Massive migration) |  | Megabat |
Egyptian Rousette,
Wahlberg's Epauletted Fruit Bat | | Odd-toed ungulate |
Plains Zebra (Stripe),
Mountain Zebra (Stripe),
White Rhinoceros,
Black Rhinoceros |  | Pangolin |
Ground Pangolin | | Carnivora |
Black-footed Cat (Spotted),
Wild Cat (Spotted),
Cheetah ,
Serval (Spotted),
Caracal (Tufted large ear),
Lion (２．５m),
Leopard (Spotted),
African Civet (Spotted),
Common Genet (Spotted),
Cape Genet (Spotted),
Rusty-spotted Genet (Spotted),
Brown Hyena,
Spotted Hyena,
Aardwolf,
Marsh Mongoose,
Yellow Mongoose,
Cape Gray Mongoose,
Slender Mongoose,
Common Dwarf Mongoose,
Egyptian Mongoose,
White-tailed Mongoose,
Banded Mongoose,
Selous' Mongoose,
Meller's Mongoose,
Meerkat,
Side-striped Jackal,
Black-backed Jackal,
African Wild Dog,
Cape Fox,
Bat-eared Fox (Unusual large ears),
African Clawless Otter,
Spotted-necked Otter,
Striped Polecat (Foul-smelling secretions),
Honey Badger,
African Striped Weasel | | Crocodile |
Nile Crocodile |  | Monitor |
Rock Monitor |  | Chameleon |
(Bradypodion atromontanum),
Transkei Dwarf Chameleon,
Knysna Dwarf Chameleon,
Robertson Dwarf Chameleon,
Karoo Dwarf Chameleon,
Zululand Dwarf Chameleon,
Natal Midlands Dwarf Chameleon,
Transvaal Dwarf Chameleon,
Drakensberg Dwarf Chameleon,
Black-headed Dwarf Chameleon … total 12 species |  | Ostrich |
Ostrich (２．７５m) |  | Goose |
Spur-winged Goose,
Egyptian Goose |  | Guineafowl |
Helmeted Guineafowl ,
Crested Guineafowl |  | Stork |
Yellow-billed Stork,
African Openbill Stork,
Abdim's Stork,
Woolly-necked Stork,
White Stork,
Black Stork,
Saddle-billed Stork ,
Marabou Stork |  | Ibis |
Sacred Ibis,
Southern Bald Ibis |  | Hornbill |
Red-billed Hornbill,
Southern Yellow-billed Hornbill,
Crowned Hornbill,
African Grey Hornbill,
Trumpeter Hornbill ,
Silvery-cheeked Hornbill |  | Crane |
Grey Crowned Crane ,
Blue Crane ,
Wattled Crane |  | Turaco |
Knysna Turaco ,
Livingstone's Turaco ,
Purple-crested Turaco ,
Grey Go-away-bird |  | Pelican |
White Pelican,
Pink-backed Pelican |  | Flamingo |
Lesser Flamingo ,
American Flamingo |  | Parrot |
|  | endemic bird |
Grey-winged Francolin,
Cape Francolin,
Cape Cormorant,
Southern Bald Ibis,
Blue Bustard ,
Black Bustard,
Knysna Woodpecker,
Ground Woodpecker,
Rudd's Lark,
Cape Lark,
Ferruginous Lark,
Algulhas Long-billed Lark,
Eastern Long-billed Lark,
Knysna Scrub-warbler,
Victorin's Scrub Warbler … total 27 endemic species |  | Tree |
African Baobab |
|
South Africa
marine extant
species |
 | Marine mammal |
Antarctic Fur Seal,
Brown Fur Seal,
Subantarctic Fur Seal,
Southern Elephant Seal (５m),
Crabeater Seal,
Leopard Seal,
Weddell Seal | | Turtle |
Loggerhead Sea Turtle,
Olive Ridley,
Leatherback turtle |  | Albatross |
Wandering Albatross,
Northern Royal Albatross,
Black-browed Albatross,
Shy Albatross,
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross,
Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross | | Penguin |
African Penguin | | seabird |
Atlantic Petrel,
Wahlberg's Cormorant | | Coelacanth |
Comorese coelacanth (410 Mya～; Great Dying②③④⑤) |  | Ray |
Manta ray,
Largetooth sawfish,
Smalltooth sawfish,
Longcomb sawfish | | Shark |
Whale shark (１２m),
Scalloped hammerhead,
Great hammerhead,
Basking shark,
Great white shark,
Shortfin mako,
Porbeagle shark |  | Marlin |
Indo-Pacific sailfish,
Black Marlin |  | Tuna |
Southern bluefin tuna |  | Squid |
Giant squid' (１３m) |
|
South Africa
small extant
species |
 | Mouse (EN) |
White-tailed Rat | | Chameleon (CR) |
Cape Dwarf Chameleon | | Chameleon (EN) |
Setaro's Dwarf Chameleon,
Smith's Dwarf Chameleon |  | Frog (CR) |
Hewitt's Ghost Frog,
Rose's Ghost Frog,
Ngoni Moss Frog,
(Microbatrachella capensis) | | Frog (EN) |
Cape Platanna,
Panther Toad,
Amatola Toad,
Pickersgill's Reed Frog,
Knysna Banana Frog,
Weza Forest Treefrog,
(Anhydrophryne rattrayi),
(Natalobatrachus bonebergi) | | bird (EN) |
Botha's Lark,
Spotted Ground-thrush |
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