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Pearly butterflyfish
Pearly butterflyfish have very distinct colouration - silver-white bodies, yellow hindquarters and black chevron stripes pointing towards their heads.They inhabit sea-facing reefs off the east coast of Southern Africa, where they hunt small invertebrates and scavenge scraps of seaweed.The IUCN status is Least Concern.Giant kob
Giant kob (previously known as dusky kob) are found in estuaries and on rocky reefs and sandy bottoms from southern Mozambique to False Bay. They are also found off the coasts of Australia, Japan, Pakistan and India.
Pyjama catshark
Some sharks are ahead of the trend when it comes to comfort—living in their pyjamas! Meet the pyjama catshark, a nocturnal creature that spends most of the day lounging in caves or crevices, catching some z's. And with those signature pyjama stripes; it’s no wonder they’re all about napping in style!
Semicircle angelfish
The semicircle angelfish is a narrow, oblong fish with a greenish-yellow or yellow-brown body covered in dark blue spots everywhere excepts its face and pectoral fins.
Red stumpnose
Red stumpnose are endemic off South Africa and occur from False Bay to Margate, although they are more common south of East London.
Sand steenbras
These fish use camouflage to mimic the ripple patterns in the sand caused by currents and tides.
Roman
Romans are an endemic species found on rocky reefs off southern Africa at depths from 5m to 100m.
Pencilled surgeon
There are 51 species of surgeon fish, 19 of which occur in southern African waters.
Three-spot angelfish
Three-spot angelfish get their name from the two spots that appear just behind their gill slits and a third spot on their forehead.
Devil firefish (common lionfish)
Devil firefish (Pterois miles) have beautiful reddish or brown stripes and delicate fins, making them interesting to watch and photograph. “Pterois” means “winged” and “miles” means soldier, so in English, their species name means “winged soldier”.
Strepie
The “strepie” (which means “small stripe” in Afrikaans) is so-called because of the bright yellow stripes that run horizontally along this silver fish’s body.
Knysna seahorse
There are 30 to 40 different kinds of seahorses, but only five of these have been seen around the southern African coastline.