MUSSELpdb | valid sp. Unio caffer specimens

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Page last updated
Sun 07 Sep 2025

The Freshwater Mussels (Unionoida) of the World (and other less consequential bivalves)

FM(U)otW(aolcb) is the web version of the MUSSEL Project Database. Follow the links to browse the data or use the custom Google search field. Either way, you win!

This page reports the specimens in the MUSSELpdb and provides a map if geocodes are known. The taxonomic history reports the record of different names and combinations that have been applied to this species (and its synonyms) since 2007.

The MUSSEL Project Database has moved to a new server, with a new URL! The new address for this page is: https://musselpdb.org/db.php?ty=validsp&id=1570

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species Unio caffer Krauss, 1848: specimens
31 nominal species as synonyms

Taxonomic History (since 2007)

Cafferia caffra — Graf & Cummings (2007), Hoeh et al. (2009), Bogan (2010), Graf & Cummings (2011), Reis et al. (2013), Marshall et al. (2014)
Cafferia caffer — Jadhav & Jamkhedkar (2009)
Unio caffer — Araujo et al. (2009), IUCN (2010), Whelan et al. (2011), Zieritz et al. (2015), Froufe et al. (2016), Sonamzi et al. (2019), Graf & Cummings (2021), Bieler (2021), Lopes-Lima et al. (2021), Lyubas et al. (2022)

Range: Southern Africa, north to the Zambezi.

Map of Georeferenced Specimens
species map

Malawi
MRAC_56589 Brit. C. Afr.: Silongwe	MRAC_56592 Brit. C. Afr.: Silongwe	MRAC_56859 Brit. C. Afr.: Silongwe
South Africa
MCZ_218808 East London, Cape Province, South Africa	MCZ_240231 Cape of Good Hope, Union of South Africa	MCZ_240249 freshwater pools at Blauw Krantz, Grahamstown, Union of South Africa
MCZ_MP.243 Natal	MCZ_52455 Wilge River, Pretoria District, Transvaal	MCZ_83551 Pretoria, Transvaal, Africa
MCZ_110951 Aberdeen, Cape Province	MCZ_110950 Steytlerville, Cape Province	MCZ_MP.244 Cape of Good Hope, Cape Province, South Africa
MCZ_99758 Letaba River, near camp, Kruger National Park, Transvaal	MCZ_134111 Premier Mine Pumping Station, junction of Elands and Wilge rivers, Pretoria District, Transvaal	MCZ_52457 Bushmans River, Alicedale, South Africa
MCZ_17042 Cape of Good Hope	MCZ_99783 Hlazifumme, Kruger National Park, Transvaal	SMF_3539 S. Afr. Vaal b. Barclay
IRSNB_MP_0281 Cape b. Esp.	IRSNB_MP_0282 Cape du Bu. Esp.	IRSNB_MP_0283 Cape du Bu. Esp.
IRSNB_MP_0284 Port Eliz.	USNM_125817 Cape of Good Hope	ANSP_355358 Port Natal, Natal Province, South Africa
USNM_126303 Port Elizabeth, Cape of Good Hope	ZMB_MP_0456 “New Zealand” [South Africa]	ZMB_12327 “New Zealand” [South Africa]
IRSNB_MP_0831 Riviere du Elephant au Transvaal	IRSNB_MP_0835 Le Nil [South Africa]	MRAC_56407 Natal
MRAC_56411 Zululand	MRAC_56412 Natal	USNM_127186 Natal, So. Afr.
USNM_128816 S. Africa	MNHN_MP_1058 Cap de Bonne Esperance	MNHN_MP_1059 Durban, Natal
MNHN_MP_1060 Flueve Orange, Rive Nord en face de Sendeling	MNHN_MP_1061 Cap de Bonne Esperance	MNHN_MP_1062 Port Natal
MNHN_MP_1063 Port Elizabeth	MNHN_MP_1064 Natal	MNHN_MP_1065 le Vaal
SMF_6546 Ermelo, Transvaal	IRSNB_MP_0888 Algoa Bay, S. Africa	IRSNB_MP_0896 Afrique Sud
IRSNB_MP_0905 Riviere du Vaal	MRAC_56761 Pretoria	MRAC_56787 Cape of Good Hope
MNHN_MP_0180 la Vaal, Afrique Australe	IRSNB_MP_2007 Napier River, Pretoria, Transvaal	SMF_832 Premier Co.’s Dam, junction of Wilge River, Bronkhorst Spriut, Pretoria District, S. Afr.
SMF_833 Elands River, Pretoria Distr. Transvaal	ANSP_125501A Port Natal, Africa	ANSP_125730 Southendal’s Valley, Cape of Good Hope, Cape Colony
ANSP_125802 Cape Colony	ANSP_133833 Vaal River, Africa	USNM_84418 C. Good Hope
BMNH_1964215 Natal	USNM_424251 Barkly West, Bechuanaland	USNM_424252 Barkly West, Bechuanaland
ANSP_186854 Port Alfred, So. Africa	ANSP_189005 Kleinmonde River, Port Alfred, S. Afr.	SMF_3540 Bushmans River, bei Alicedale, Cape Prov.
ZMB_41763 Am Vaal zwinden Kimberley und Christiana, Transvaal	ZMB_41762 Kalksp..mil .... Vaal und Heidelberg, Transvaal	ZMB_MP_0406 Cap p sp. [?]
ZMB_MP_0414 Vaal, Afr. Sud	ANSP_41686 Umpingave River, Natal, S. Afr.	SMF_106 Bergville, Tugela River, Natal, S. Afr.
SMF_108 Lindegue Spruit, Nebenfl. d. Little Tugela, Natal	ZMB_MP_0445 Sudafrica	USNM_85233 C. Good Hope
USNM_84144 Natal	USNM_85232 Port Natal, Africa	FMNH_21727 Irene, 9 mi S Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa
FMNH_31035 Kleinmond River, near Port Alfred, C.P. South Africa	FMNH_68300 South Africa	FMNH_9355 South Africa
FMNH_115945 Transvaal, South Africa	UMMZ_111815 New Zealand [South Africa]	USNM_738194 South Africa
ANSP_48959 Gwelera River, East London District, Ciskei 32.53 S; 28.02.15 E	AMNH_35523 Cape Colony, Cape of Good Hope [South Africa]	AMNH_100922 Kleinmonde River, Port Alfred, South Africa
AMNH_61951 Cape Colony, Cape of Good Hope [South Africa]	ANSP_48415 Junction of Elands and Wilge rivers, Pretoria District, Transvaal, Africa	UMMZ_22869 South Africa
CM_61.8627 Lindague Spruit [?], (trib. of Little Tugela River) Natal [Africa]	UMMZ_60409 Hennops River, Irene, Transvaal, South Africa	ZMB_15329 Port Elizabeth
CM_61.8628 Premier Mine Pumping Station, junction of Elands and Wilge Rivers, near Pretoria, Transvaal	ZMB_MP_0394 I have no idea	SMF_15113 Middleburg Division, Kap-Kolonie, S. Afr.
SMF_15114 Somerset East, Kapkolonie, S. Afr.	ZMB_MP_0398 Elephant fluss ...	ZMB_MP_0415 P. Natal
ZMB_33076 Vaal fluss Voaluiz [?]	SMF_15115 Witkop zw. Rietfontein- Süd u. Upington am Oranje, S. Afrika	SMF_15116 Kapkolonie, S. Afr.; Cape Flats, Cape Colony
SMF_15117 Crocodile Drift, Limpopo River, bei Pretoria, S. Afr.	SMF_15118 Kapkolonie, S. Afr.	SMF_15119 Sudafrica
SMF_15120 Pretoria, Transvaal, S. Afr.	SMF_15121 Kowie River, bei Blaawkrantz, n Grahamstown, Kapkolonie, S. Afr.	SMF_15123 Ngqamakwe, S. Afr.
SMF_15124 Kapkolonie, S. Afr.	SMF_15126 Natal, S. Afr.	SMF_15127 Tumpel Trockenbell des Mawobje Creeks, Zufluss des Gr. Letaba Rivers bei Letaba Camp, Ost, Transvaal
SMF_15128 Grear Letaba River, bei Letaba Camp Ost Transvaal	BMNH_MP_510 Blaaukrantz, Cape Province	SMF_15129 A.d. Crocodile River, bei Malelane, Ost Transvaal
SMF_15130 Black Umfolozi River, Bei Mazima Hil, Zululand	SMF_15132 Altwasser des Olifants River, bei Pont zwischen Satara und Letaba, Ost., Transvaal	SMF_15133 Umsindusi River, maritzburg, Natal,S. Afr.
SMF_15134 Pondoland, Kapkolonie, S. Afr.	SMF_168332 Pondoland, S. Afrika	CM_61.1512 Port Natal [Africa]
CM_61.1513 Songaal (?) River, Natal [Africa]	AMNH_30820 Cape of Good Hope, South Africa, Africa	SMF_287 Little Brak River, Middleburg Division, Kapkolonie, S. Afr.
SMF_288 Umsindusi River, Maritzburg, Natal, S. Afr.	SMF_297014 SWA: Nabas - Drift ca. 28° 15’ S / 17° 22’ E	BMNH_1907-12-30-13131-13132 Retreat Viei [?], C.P.
BMNH_MP_503 Crocodile River, Transvaal	BMNH_MP_508 Algoa Bay	BMNH_MP_509 Kiooi River, Porcheptroon, Transvaal (= Potchefstroom)
ANSP_125503 Cape of Good Hope	BMNH_1937-12-30-13859 Klein Karas, Great Namaqualand	BMNH_MP_522 Cape Province
BMNH_MP_523 Port Elizabeth	BMNH_1954-6-2-1450-1452 Cape, S. Africa	BMNH_1937-12-30-13143-13144 Alicedale, C.P.
BMNH_1937-12-30-13134-13136 Vaal River, Christiania, Transvaal	BMNH_79-11-16-1-2 Natal	BMNH_1907-10-28-183 South Africa
BMNH_1937-12-30-13142 Barclay River, non loin des mines de diamants du Griqualand West, Africa	BMNH_MP_524 Vaal River, Kimberley	BMNH_89-11-4-4 Midlands, Natal
BMNH_1913-3-4-1-2 Orange River at Upington, Cape Colony	BMNH_61-7-3-21 Port Natal	BMNH_MP_526 Crocodile River
BMNH_MP_525 Cape of Good Hope	BMNH_1902-12-29-8-9 Vaal River, Boschland, NW of Woenhoeck [?]	BMNH_1903-10-30-71 Umkonto River, Piet Relief, Transvaal
BMNH_1937-12-30-13145-13146 Blaaukrantz, Cape Province	BMNH_89-11-4-5 Midlands, Natal	BMNH_1948-5-5-1-5 Vaal River, Griqualand West
BMNH_MP_527 Algoa Bay	BMNH_76-5-19-22 Cape of Good Hope	AMS_5507 South Africa
AMS_127033 Cape of Good Hope, South Africa	AMS_127034 South Africa	AMS_127032 Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
USNM_424254 Culdale, Steylerville, C Colony	USNM_424255 Cradock CP, C Colony	USNM_162772 Grahamstown, Cape Colony
DMNH_19935 near Bethleham, T. Orpens Farm, Orange Free State, South Africa
Zambia
ANSP_413307 Zambezi River, near Livingstone, c. 2 km above Mosi-au-Tunya, Zambia	USNM_341222 Kafue, Rhodesia	BMNH_1947-8-18-26-31 Kafue River, Namwala, N. Rhodesia
BMNH_1937-12-30-13137-13140 Kafue River, Mumbwa Dist. [Rhodesia]
Zimbabwe
MRAC_56804 Mashonaland	ANSP_161017 Ingezi R., S. Rhodesia, at Shangani	BMNH_1910-1-15-6 Banks of a strait, or on the veldt about 16 miles from Enkeldoorn, Mashonaland
UMMZ_234710 Lundi River at Chilonga Crossing, about 24 km south of Chiredzi, Chiredzi District, Rhodesia	SMF_15131 Lundi River, (Gebiel des rhodesischen Sabi Rivers) bei Lundi Hotel zwischen Beitbridge und Fort Victoria, Sud Rhodesien	BMNH_1937-12-30-13133 Victoria Falls
BMNH_1910-15-7-12 Banks of a strait, or on the veldt about 16 miles from Enkeldoorn, Mashonaland
unknown
SMF_3441 Hygap östl. v. Keheum, S. Kalahari	SMF_3442 Hygap östl. v. Keheum, S. Kalahari	BMNH_1965165 East Africa
BMNH_1965166 East Africa	ANSP_125801 [no locality available - Africa]	SMF_3541 Hygap östl. v. Keheum, S. Kalahari
SMF_3542 Hygap östl. v. Keheum, S. Kalahari	SMF_3543 Hygap östl. v. Keheum, S. Kalahari	ZMB_MP_0436 [no locality available - Africa]
ZMB_27274 [no locality available - Africa]	BMNH_74-12-11-4 Riv. Columbia	ZMB_MP_0386 Rudolf See
ANSP_355359 [no locality available - Africa]	ZMB_MP_0407 [no locality available - Africa]	SMF_15125 W. Afrika ?

Genbank Vouchers

South Africa

UMMZ_265692 (COI, 28S) South Africa

Page updated: 08:30:11 Sun 07 Sep 2025

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