Republic of South Africa
Checklist of Endemic Mammal Species
This list of mammal species found exclusively in the Republic of South Africa is based on the taxonomy used in the Mammal Diversity Database (2020). For further details on possible inaccuracies in the list see Sources & Caveats.
American Society of Mammalogists (2020) Mammal Diversity Database, Version 1.2 http://www.mammaldiversity.org, accessed 24 September 2020. An online version can be found here.
Additional species recognized by the Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World (Lynx) are listed at the bottom of the page.
X = extinct
Amblysomus
corriae (Afrosoricida -
Chrysochloridae) Fynbos Golden Mole
Amblysomus
marleyi (Afrosoricida -
Chrysochloridae) Marley's Golden Mole
Amblysomus
robustus (Afrosoricida
- Chrysochloridae) Robust Golden Mole
Chlorotalpa
duthieae (Afrosoricida
- Chrysochloridae) Duthie's Golden Mole
Chrysochloris
asiatica (Afrosoricida
- Chrysochloridae) Cape Golden Mole
Chrysochloris
visagiei (Afrosoricida
- Chrysochloridae) Visagie's Golden Mole
Chrysospalax
trevelyani (Afrosoricida
- Chrysochloridae) Giant Golden Mole
Chrysospalax
villosa (Afrosoricida -
Chrysochloridae) Rough-haired Golden Mole
Cryptochloris
wintoni (Afrosoricida -
Chrysochloridae) De Winton's Golden Mole
Cryptochloris
zyli (Afrosoricida -
Chrysochloridae) Van Zyl's Golden Mole
Neamblysomus
gunningi (Afrosoricida
- Chrysochloridae) Gunning's Golden Mole
Neamblysomus
julianae (Afrosoricida
- Chrysochloridae) Juliana's Golden Mole
Hippotragus
leucophaeus X (Artiodactyla
- Bovidae) Bluebuck
Raphicerus
melanotis (Artiodactyla
- Bovidae) Cape Grysbok
Rhinolophus
capensis (Chiroptera
- Rhinolophidae) Cape Horseshoe Bat
Rhinolophus
cohenae (Chiroptera - Rhinolophidae) Cohen's Horseshoe Bat
Rhinolophus
swinnyi (Chiroptera - Rhinolophidae) Swinny's Horseshoe Bat
Myosorex
longicaudatus (Eulipotyphla
- Soricidae) Long-tailed Mouse Shrew
Myosorex
sclateri (Eulipotyphla
- Soricidae) Sclater's Mouse Shrew
Myosorex
tenuis (Eulipotyphla -
Soricidae) Thin Mouse Shrew
Bunolagus
monticularis (Lagomorpha
- Leporidae) Riverine Rabbit
Elephantulus
edwardii (Macroscelidea
- Macroscelididae) Cape Rock Sengi
Elephantulus
pilicaudus (Macroscelidea
- Macroscelididae) Karoo Rock Sengi
Bathyergus
suillus (Rodentia - Bathyergidae) Cape Dune Mole-rat
Cryptomys
hottentotus (Rodentia
- Bathyergidae) Common Mole-rat
Cryptomys
mahali (Rodentia - Bathyergidae) Mahali Mole-rat
Cryptomys
pretoriae (Rodentia
- Bathyergidae) Highveld Mole-rat
Georychus
capensis (Rodentia
- Bathyergidae) Cape Mole-rat
Graphiurus
ocularis (Rodentia
- Gliridae) Spectacled African Dormouse
Acomys
subspinosus (Rodentia
- Muridae) Cape Spiny Mouse
Dasymys
capensis (Rodentia
- Muridae) Cape Shaggy Rat
Gerbilliscus
afer (Rodentia - Muridae) Cape
Gerbil
Micaelamys
granti (Rodentia - Muridae) Grant's
Rock Rat
Myomyscus
verreauxii (Rodentia
- Muridae) Verreaux's Meadow Mouse
Otomys
irroratus (Rodentia
- Muridae) Southern African Vlei Rat
Otomys
karoensis (Rodentia
- Muridae) Fynbos Vlei Rat
Otomys
laminatus (Rodentia
- Muridae) KwaZulu Natal Vlei Rat
Otomys
unisulcatus (Rodentia
- Muridae) Karoo Vlei Rat
Otomys
willani (Rodentia - Muridae) Willan's
Vlei Rat
Rhabdomys
intermedius (Rodentia
- Muridae) Karoo Four-striped Grass Rat
Rhabdomys
pumilio (Rodentia - Muridae) Xeric
Four-striped Grass Rat
Thallomys
shortridgei (Rodentia
- Muridae) Shortridge's Thallomys
Additional species recognized by the Illustrated Checklist of the Mammals of the World:
(# indicates a species that is considered endemic due to a different
concept of species boundaries as a result of splits than is used for
the animal with the same scientific name in the ASM Mammal Diversity Database)
Antidorcas
marsupialis # (Artiodactyla
- Bovidae) Cape Springbok
Damaliscus
pygargus # (Artiodactyla
- Bovidae) Bontebok
Oreotragus
oreotragus # (Artiodactyla
- Bovidae) Cape Klipspringer
Philantomba
monticola # (Artiodactyla
- Bovidae) Cape Blue Duiker
Strepsiceros
strepsiceros # (Artiodactyla
- Bovidae) Cape Kudu