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Kenya Marine Life – Inshore Invertebrates
Marine Life Species Guide
Kenya Marine Life – Inshore Invertebrates
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Marine Macroalgae – Seaweeds
Porifera – Sponges
Calcarea
Demospongiae
Halichondrida
Poecilosclerida
Haplosclerida
Dictoceratida
Verongida
Cnidaria
Scyphozoa – Jellyfish
Ctenophora – Comb Jellies
Hydrozoa – Hydrozoans
Anthozoa – Corals and Anemones
Octocarallia – Soft corals and sea fans
Alconacea – soft corals
Coelogorgiidae – tree like soft corals
Alcyoniidae – shallow water soft corals
Nephtheidae
Xenidae
Subergorgiidae – sea fan
Tubiporidae
Gorgoniidae
Helioporacea
Pennatulacea – sea pens
Actiniaria – Sea Anemones
Scleractinia – Hard corals
Ceriantharia – tube anemones
Platyhelminthes – Flatworms
Nemertea – Ribbon worms
Echuria – Spoonworms
Sipuncula – Trumpet worms
Annelida – segmented worms
Polychaeta – Bristleworms
Sabellidae
Oligochaeta
Arthuropoda – Crustacians
Decapoda Natantia – Shrimps
Decapoda Repatantia – Lobsters
Decapoda Brachyura – crabs
Dromiidae – sponge crabs
Pinnotheridae – pea crabs
Majidae – decorator spider crabs
Parthenopidae
Gecarcinidae – land crabs
Ocypodidae – stalk eyed crabs
Scopimerinae
Macropthalminae
Ocyponinae – ghost and fiddler crabs
Grapsidae – shore crabs
Grapsinae
Plagusiinae
Sesarminae – marsh crabs
Portunidae – swimming crabs
Podophthalminae
Caphyrinae
Leucosiidae – pebble crabs
Raninidae – spanner crabs
Dorippidae
Trapeziidae – coral crabs
Xanthidae – coral crabs or dark fingered crabs
Calappidae – box crabs
Calappa hepatica – shy crab or box crab
Menippidae – coral crabs
Pilumnidae
Stomatopoda – Mantis shrimps
Paguroidea – hermit crabs
Coenobitidae – land hermit crabs
Diogenidae
Paguridae
Mollusca – Molluscs
Bivalvia – bivalves
Arcidae
Glycymerididae
Mytilidae – mussels
Pinnidae – pen shells
Pteriidae – true pearl oysters – wing oysters
Malleidae – hammer oysters
Isognomonidae – tooth pearl shells
Pectinidae – scallops
Spondylidae – thorny oysters
Plicatulidae
Limidae – file shells
Gryphaeidae
Ostreidae – oysters
Lucinidae
Chamidae – jewel box oysters
Erycinidae
Tridacnidae – giant clams
Cardiidae – cockles
Carditidae – false cockles
Mactridae – surf clams
Mesodesmatidae
Solenidae – razor shells
Cultellidae
Donacidae – wedge – butterfly shells
Tellinidae – tellins
Semelidae – semeles
Psammobiidae
Trapeziidae
Veneridae – venus shells
Myidae
Corbulidae
Petricolidae
Gastrochaenidae
Pholadidae – piddocks
Thraciidae
Teredinidae – shipworms
Clavagellidae – watering-pot shells
Cephalopoda – Octopus, Squid and Cuttlefish
Nautiloidea – nautilus
Coleoidea
Sepioidea
Sepiidae – cuttlefish
Spirulidae
Teuthoidea – squid
Octopoda
Octopodidae – octopus
Argonautidae – paper nautilus
Scaphopoda
Polyplacophora – chitons
Chitonidae – chitons
Acanthopleura brevispinosa – thorny chiton
Acanthopleura gemmata
Gastropoda
Prosobranchia – snails
Turbinidae – Turban Shells
Strombidae – Conch Shells
Cypraeidae – Cowries
Black Humped cowrie Cypraea mauritania mauritania
Cypraea chinensis violacea Chinese or Violet Spotted Cowrie
Cypraea asellus asellus Dark Three banded cowrie
Cypraea annulus annulus – Gold Ring Cowrie
Cypraea histrio histrio Histrio cowrie
Cypraea clandestina passerina – Light three banded cowrie
Cypraea lynx lynx – Lynx Cowrie
Ovulidae – Egg Cowries
Lamellariidae – Sponge Snails
Cassidae – Helmet Shells
Tonnidae – Tun Shells
Muricidae – Murex Shells
Colubrariidae – Pygmy Tritons
Harpidae – Harp Shells
Conidae – Cone Shells
Haliotidae – abalone
Fissurellidae – keyhole limpets
Patellidae – limpets
Lottidae- false limpets
Phenacolepadidae
Trochidae – top shells
Turbinidae – turban shells
Phasianellidae – pheasant shells
Neritidae – nerites
Vanikoridae
Littorinidae – periwinkles
Architectonicidae – sundial shells
Planaxidae
Vermetidae – worm shells
Potamididae – mud whelks
Cerithiidae – ceriths or creepers
Epitoniidae – staircase whelks
Janthinidae – violet shells
Dialidae
Hipponicidae – cap shells
Strombidae – conch shells
Natacidae – moon shells
Ficidae – fig shells
Ranellidae – triton shells
Bursidae – frog shells
Coralliophilidae – coral shells
Columbellidae – dove shells
Nassaridae – dog whelks
Fasciolaridae – tulip shells
Buccinidae – whelks
Melongenidae – crown conhes
Olividae – olive shells
Mitridae – mitre shells
Vasidae – vase shells
Turridae
Cancellariidae
Harpidae – harp shells
Terebridae – auger or screw shells
Opisthobranchia – Sea Hares and Sea Slugs
Aplysiidae or Anaspidea – Sea Hares
Dolabella auricularia
Notaspidea – Side gilled slugs
Berthellina citrina
Pleurobranchidae
Umbraculidae
Nudibranchia – Nudibranchs
Doridacea
Polyceridae
Gymnodorididae
Notodorididae
Okeniidae
Hexabranchidae
Chromodorididae
Archidoridae
Discodorididae
Atagema
Kentrodoridae
Platydorididae
Halgerdidae
Phyllidiidae
Dendrodorididae
Aeolidacea
Pulmonata
Onchidiidae
Dendronotacea
Notodorididae
Cephalaspidea
Aplustridae
Sacoglossa – sap sucking slugs
Melibe pilosa
Echinodermata – Echinoderms
Echinoidea – Sea Urchins
Cidaridae – pencil urchins
Echinothuriidae
Diadematidae – needle spined urchins
Temnopleuridae
Stomopneustidae
Toxopneustidae
Parasaleniidae
Echinometridae
Clypeasteridae – sand dollars
Laganidae – sand dollars
Astriclypeidae – shield urchins
Echinoneidae – sea-egg urchins
Fibulariidae
Spatangidae – heart urchins
Brissidae – heart urchins
Loveniidae
Holothuroidea – Sea Cucumbers
Dendrochirotida
Phyllophoridae
Sclerodactylidae
Aspidochirotida
Holothuriidae
Stichopodidae
Apodida
Chirodotidae
Synaptidae
Asteroides – Sea Stars
Paxillosida
Luidiidae
Astropectinidae
Valvatida
Archasteridae
Goniasteridae
Asterodiscididae
Oreasteridae
Culcita schmideliana – cushion star
Ophidiasteridae
Linckia laevigata
Asterinidae
Acanthasteridae – crown of thorns starfish
Mithrondiidae
Asteropseidae
Velatida
Pterasteridae
Spinulosida
Crinoidea – Feather Stars
Comatulida
Ophiuroidea – basket stars and brittle stars
Phrynophiurida – basket stars
Ophiurida – brittlestars
Pisces – Fish
Chondrichthyes – Cartilaginous Fish
Osteichthyes – Bony Fish
Actinopterygii – fish with rayed fins
Ophichthidae – snake eels
Leiuranus semicinctus – half banded snake eel
Muraenidae – moray eels
Congridae – conger eels and garden eels
Istiophoridae – billfishes
Scombridae – mackerel, tuna etc
Xiphidae – swordfishes
Coryphaenidae – dolphin fishes
Carangidae – jacks and trevalleys
Fistulariidae – cornetfishes
Sphyraenidae – barracudas
Ephippidae – batfishes
Caesionidae – fusiliers
Echeneidae – remoras
Hemiramphidae – halfbeaks
Belonidae – garfish
Atherinidae – silversides
Engraulidae – anchovies
Leiognathidae – soapies
Kyphosidae – sea chubs
Mugilidae – mullet
Clupeidae – herrings – sardines – pilchards
Kuhliidae – flagtails
Exocoetidae – flying fishes
Siganidae – rabbitfishes
Aulostomidae – trumpetfishes
Chanidae – milkfishes
Scorpaenidae – lionfishes – scorpionfishes
Antennariidae – frogfishes
Syngnathidae – seahorses – pipefishes
Solenistomidae – ghost pipefishes
Holocentridae – soldierfishes – squirrelfishes
Priacanthidae – bigeyes
Centriscidae – shrimpfishes
Apogonidae – cardinalfishes
Pempheridae – sweepers
Pseudochromidae – dottybacks – eel blennies
Serranidae – anthias – basslets – groupers
Rachycentridae – cobia
Bothidae – lefteye flounder
Soleidae – soles
Cynoglossidae – tonguesoles
Platycephalidae – flatheads
Teraponidae – terapons – grunters
Monodactylidae – moonies
Gerreidae – mojarras – pursemouths
Plotosidae – eel catfish
Nemipteridae – threadfin breams
Mullidae – goatfish
Haemulidae – sweetlips
Lethrinidae – emperors
Sparidae – sea breams
Lutjanidae – snappers
Labridae – wrasses
Scaridae – parrotfishes
Synodontidae – lizardfishes
Pinguipedidae – sandperches
Malacanthidae – tilefishes
Chaetodontidae – butterflyfishes
Pomocanthidae – angelfishes
Acanthuridae – surgeonfishes – unicornfishes
Zanclidae – moorish idol
Pomacentridae – damselfishes – anemonefishes
Gobiidae – gobies
Callionymidae – dragonets
Blenniidae – blennies
Balistidae – triggerfishes
Monocanthidae – filefishes
Tetraodontidae – pufferfishes
Ostraciidae – boxfishes
Diodontidae – porcupine fishes
Reptilia
Mammalia
Gymnodorididae
Okeniidae
Hexabranchidae
Recent Additions
Dendrodoris fumata
Glossodoris atromarginata
Hypselodoris regina
Lamelleria sp 4
Sclerodoris coriacea
