Republic of South Africa

South Africa has a truly spectacular flora: only Australia has more endemic families and South Africa has over 13,000 vascular plant species found nowhere else (SAJS WM pdf). Families unique to South Africa include Grubbiaceae (Fernkloof), Bruniaceae (iNaturalist), Lanariaceae (iNaturalist), Roridulaceae (PlantZAfrica.com), and Geissolomataceae (Flora of the World WM).

Other endemic plants include the Bird of Paradise Flower (SANBI), the Red Disa (iNaturalist), the Sourveld Harlequin (iNaturalist), the Cushion Restio (SANBI), the False-waterberry (SANBI WM), the Kammanassie Erica (SANBI), Bergeranthus multiceps (iNaturalist), Conophytum violaciflorum (IUCN), the Buck Bay Vygie (SANBI), a poker Kniphofia leucocephala (SANBI), the Belladonna Lily (SANBI), the Cape Strawflower (SANBI), the Sharptip Brickleaf (SANBI WM), the Ebutsini Wild Yam (SANBI), the Cape Snow (iNaturalist), the Christmas Berry (iNaturalist), the Table Mountain Watsonia (iNaturalist), the Knysna Wood Fern (iNaturalist), the King Sundew (iNaturalist), the Sunset Dewfig (iNaturalist), the Golden Glad (iNaturalist), and the national flower, the King Protea (Biodiversity Explorer WM).

Trees found only in South Africa include the Clanwilliam Cedar (RBGE), the Natal Forest Cabbage Tree (iNaturalist),, the Mountain Maytenus (SANBI), the Honey Naboom (iNaturalist), the Pondo Fig (iNaturalist), the Wolkberg Dragon Tree (iNaturalist), a swordleaf Casearia austroafricana (Species New to Science), the Sand Ivory (iNaturalist), and the Venda Cycad (IUCN). Endemic tree genera include the coalwoods (iNaturalist), the Magnificent Flamebush (iNaturalist), the Silver Tree (ARKive WM), the Tree Pagoda (Biodiversity Explorer WM), the False Waterberry (iNaturalist), the Omtisa (iNaturalist), the Pondoland Palm (Palmpedia), the False Carrot-tree (iNaturalist), the Bittersweet Cherry (iNaturalist), and the Keurboom (SANBI).

Mammals unique to South Africa include the Cape Grysbok (iNaturalist), the Cape Rock Sengi (IUCN), the Cape Horseshoe Bat (iNaturalist), the Cape Gerbil (iNaturalist), the Cape Spiny Mouse (iNaturalist), and the Spectacled African Dormouse (iNaturalist). Endemic genera include the Riverine Rabbit (IUCN), Verreaux's Meadow Mouse (ASM WM), the Cape Mole-rat (ResearchGate), and three genera of golden moles: Chrysospalax (ARKive WM), Cryptochloris (Afrotheria), and Neamblysomus (ARKive WM). Sometimes considered full species are the Bontebok (Biodiversity Explorer WM), the Cape Springbok (Trevor Hardaker), the Cape Klipspringer (iNaturalist), and the Cape Blue Duiker (iNaturalist). Extinct endemic mammals include the Quagga (ARKive WM) and the Bluebuck (Wikipedia). The Cape Mountain Zebra (iNaturalist) is an endemic subspecies.

Birds found nowhere else include the Southern Black Bustard (eBird), the Fynbos Buttonquail (Fynbos Endemic Bird Survey), the Forest Buzzard (eBird), the Knysna Woodpecker (eBird), the Cape Parrot (ARKive WM), Botha's Lark (eBird), the Red Lark (eBird), the Cape Rockjumper (eBird), the Knysna Warbler (eBird), the Cape Bulbul (eBird), the Cape Sugarbird (eBird), the Cape Siskin (eBird), and the Protea Canary (eBird). Victorin's Warbler (eBird) and the Orange-breasted Sunbird (eBird) are endemic genera.

Reptiles restricted to South Africa include the Geometric Tortoise (ARKive WM), the Southern Adder (Tyrone Ping WM), the Black Thread Snake (Trevor Hardaker), the Cape Sand Snake (Reptile Database), the Giant Dragon Lizard (ARKive WM), the Pondo Flat Gecko (Trevor Hardaker), the Augrabies Flat Lizard (ARKive WM), the Karoo Plated Lizard (iNaturalist), the Knysna Dwarf Chameleon (Tyrone Ping WM), and the Cape Legless Skink (Tyrone Ping WM). Endemic genera include the Kwazulu-Natal Black Snake (iNaturalist), the Soutpansberg Rock Lizard (ARKive WM), the Namaqua Day Gecko (iNaturalist), the Armadillo Lizard (iNaturalist), and the Parrot-beaked Dwarf Tortoise (iNaturalist).

Amphibians known only from South Africa include the Spotted Snout-burrower (FrogMAP WM), the Cape Mountain Rain Frog (Tyrone Ping WM), the Knysna Leaf-folding Frog (FrogMAP WM), the Bush Squeaker (FrogMAP WM), and the Cape Platanna (FrogMAP WM). Representing endemic genera are the Micro Frog (ARKive WM), the Montane Marsh Frog (Trevor Hardaker), the Rough Moss Frog (IUCN), the Mistbelt Chirping Frog (iNaturalist), the Rose's Mountain Toadlet (IUCN), the Table Mountain Ghost Frog (IUCN), and the Kloof Frog (FrogMAP WM).

Freshwater fish exclusive to South Africa include the Eastern Cape Rocky (ARKive WM), the Clanwilliam Rock Catfish (ARKive WM), the Inkomati Mountain Catfish (iNaturalist), the Knysna Sandgoby (FishBase), the Goldie Barb (FishBase), the Marico Barb (iNaturalist), the Clanwilliam Sandfish (iNaturalist), the Clanwilliam Yellowfish (Wikipedia), the Slender Redfin (IUCN), the Fiery Redfin (iNaturalist), the Cape Galaxias (iSpot), an elephantfish Marcusenius caudisquamatus (GBIF), Watermeyer's Pipefish (ARKive WM), the Kappie Blenny (BOLD), and a killifish Nothobranchius mkuziensis (WildNothos).

Endemic marine fish include the Ornate Sleeper Ray (IISE WM), the Leopard Catshark (Florida Museum), the Happy Eddie (Reef Life Survey), the Bluespot Klipfish (SURG WM), the Janbruin (iNaturalist), the Red Stumpnose Seabream (IUCN), the Cape Triplefin (ECFWP), Puzzled Toadfish (ECSD WM), the Lemon Sole (iNaturalist), the Natal Wrasse (iNaturalist), the Smoothskin Scorpionfish (iNaturalist), the Nail Snakelet (FishWisePro), the Short Alfonsino (iNaturalist), the Marbled Leopard Moray (reefbuilders), the Agulhas Goby (FishWisePro), the Twoeyed Blenny (iNaturalist), a pufferfish Torquigener heemstrai (GBIF), and the Knysna Seahorse (ARKive WM).

Endemic butterflies include the Waterberg Copper (Brenton Blue), the Brenton Blue (Brenton Blue WM), the Forest Swallowtail (Biodiversity Explorer WM), the Karkloof Emperor (Biodiversity Explorer WM), the Protea Emperor (iNaturalist), the Cape Brown (iNaturalist), Dingaan's Widow (Biodiversity Explorer WM), the Coast Purple Tip (iNaturalist), and the Bicolored Paradise Skipper (iNaturalist). Endemic moths include the Roseate Emperor (iNaturalist), Pseudomaenas intricata (iNaturalist), the Red Clearwing (iNaturalist), and the Silver-spotted Ghost Moth (John Grehan WM).

Other endemic insects include the Cape stag beetles (iNaturalist), the Cape Flightless Dung Beetle (iNaturalist), the Galloping Dung Beetle Pachysoma endroedyi (flickr), the Cape Protea Chafer (iNaturalist), the Swollen Restio Beetle (iNaturalist), the Emerald Tiger Beetle (iNaturalist), a longhorn beetle Rhaphidopsis zonaria (iNaturalist), a darkling beetle Psorodes gratilla (iNaturalist), the Gem Lily Weevil (iNaturalist), a heelwalker Lobophasma redelinghuysensis (Biodiversity Explorer WM), the Cedarberg Cave Katydid (Smaller Majority), the Bladder Grasshopper (IUCN), the Nama-Karoo Agile Grasshopper (IUCN), the Table Mountain Cave Cricket (iNaturalist), the Amatola Malachite (ADDO WM), the Gilded Presba (ADDO WM), the Meganosed Fly Moegistorhynchus longirostris (BioOne), the Leaproach (SANBI), the Cape Stick Insect (iNaturalist), a cicada Capcicada decora (iNaturalist), the bees Xylocopa capitata (iNaturalist) and Rediviva longimanus (ResearchGate), and the ants Tetramorium capense (iNaturalist) and the endemic genus Diplomorium (AntWiki).

Endemic insect families include the bugs Gengidae (Univ. Delaware) and the caddisflies Barbarochthonidae (GBIF) (BHL) and Hydrosalpingidae (iNaturalist) (p. 236 of ResearchGate).

Spiders unique to South Africa include a jumping spider Oviballus vidae (Jumping Spiders of South Africa), a trapdoor spider Stasimopus mandelai (ResearchGate), baboon spider Harpactirella helenae (Tarantupedia), a net-casting spider Avellopsis capensis (Biodiversity Explorer WM), and the Cave Violin Spider (Biodiversity Explorer WM). Other endemic invertebrates include the Pink Velvet Worm (ARKive WM), the Ruby-footed Black Millipede (iNaturalist), a cave-dwelling harvestman Speleomontia cavernicola (Darklife WM), the Table Mountain Lesser-thicktail Scorpion (iNaturalist), a springtail Setanodosa jacquesi (GBIF), a land planarian Othelosoma joburgi (iNaturalist), the Amatola Giant Earthworm (iNaturalist), the Devil's Worm (IISE WM), the Swamp Forest Crab (IUCN), the South Coast Rock Lobster (Wikipedia), and the Hunchback Amphipod (iNaturalist).

Endemic molluscs include the Dlinza Forest Pinweel (IUCN), the Trumpet-mouthed Hunter Snail (ARKive WM), Sheldonia wolkbergensis (ResearchGate), a freshwater snail Tomichia cawstoni (IUCN), the Tuberculate Cuttlefish (iNaturalist), the Samurai Nudibranch (iNaturalist), the South African Abalone (iNaturalist), the Dark-toothed Cowrie (iNaturalist), the Algoa Cone (iNaturalist), and endemic families of bivalves Clistoconchidae (GBIF) (fig. 9 at BHL), land slugs Oopeltidae (iNaturalist), and nudibranchs Mandeliidae (iNaturalist).

Other endemic invertebrate families include isopod crustaceans Hekelidae (BHL) and Mesamphisopidae (iNaturalist) (BHL), an amphipod crustacean Plioplateidae (BHL), a mite Pentapalpidae (ResearchGate), earthworms Kazimierzidae (Species New to Science), and the soft corals Leptophytidae (iNaturalist) (GBIF) and Acrophytidae (iNaturalist).

An aquatic moss Wardiaceae (SANBI) (iNaturalist) is often considered an endemic family distinct from the more widespread Dicranaceae. Other endemic non-vascular plants include the liverworts Riccia villosa (iNaturalist) and Riella trigonospora (figs. 4E-J at ScienceDirect) and the mosses Picobryum atomicum (ResearchGate) and Triquetrella mxinwana (iNaturalist). Endemic lichens include Siphula verrucigera (iNaturalist) and Dufourea karrooensis (iNaturalist). Endemic fungi include Russula capensis (iNaturalist), Hericium ophelieae (Taylor & Francis), and Chlorophyllum africanum (ResearchGate). Endemic seaweeds include Caulerpa holmesiana (SA Seaweeds WM) and Gigartina polycarpa (SA Seaweeds WM).

Biodiversity Hotspots in South Africa include all of the Cape Floristic Region (Biodiversity Hotspots WM) and portions of the the Maputaland-Pondoland-Albany (Biodiversity Hotspots WM) and the Succulent Karoo (Biodiversity HotspotsWM). Eastern South Africa is one of the world’s top ten coral reef hotspots (Columbia Univ. WM pdf). The Cape Fold (FEOW WM) is an important freshwater ecoregion. For an overview of the biota see "National Biodiversity Assessment 2018: The status of South Africa’s ecosystems and biodiversity" at (ResearchGate). Endemic spiders are indicated at (African Invertebrates).