MolluscaBase taxon details
Unio caffer Krauss, 1848
1251264 (urn:lsid:marinespecies.org:taxname:1251264)
accepted
Species
Cafferia caffra (Krauss, 1848) · unaccepted
Cafferia caffra obesa Connolly, 1925 · unaccepted (junior synonym)
Unio (Hyridella) fissidens O. Boettger, 1886 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Unio africanus I. Lea, 1856 · unaccepted (junior synonym)
Unio charon Preston, 1910 · unaccepted (junior synonym)
Unio cyamus R. A. Philippi, 1851 · unaccepted > superseded combination
Unio diminutis I. Lea, 1859 · unaccepted (incorrect original spelling)
Unio diminutus I. Lea, 1859 · unaccepted (synonym [based I. Lea's 1860...)
synonym [based I. Lea's 1860 emendation from the original U. diminutis I. Lea, 1859]
Unio fissidens O. Boettger, 1886 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Unio mashonae Preston, 1910 · unaccepted (junior synonym)
Unio silongweensis Preston, 1912 · unaccepted (junior synonym)
Unio vaalensis Chaper, 1885 · unaccepted > junior subjective synonym
Unio verreauianus I. Lea, 1856 · unaccepted (junior synonym)
Unio verreauxianus I. Lea, 1867 · unaccepted (unjustified emendation of Unio...)
unjustified emendation of Unio verreauianus I. Lea, 1856
Unio vicinus Preston, 1910 · unaccepted (junior primary homonym of Unio...)
junior primary homonym of Unio vicinus Lea, 1856; Unio silongweensis Preston, 1912 is a replacement name.
Unio zelebori Dunker, 1866 · unaccepted (junior synonym)
- Subspecies Unio caffer caffer Krauss, 1848
- Subspecies Unio caffer connollyi Pilsbry, 1923
- Subspecies Unio caffer verrauxi Küster, 1856
recent + fossil
Krauss, F. (1848) Die Südafrikanischen Mollusken. Ein Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Mollusken des Kap- und Natallandes und zur Geographischen Verbreitung derselben mit Beschreibung und Abbildung der neuen Arten. Ebner and Seubert, Stuttgart, 140 pp., 6 pls., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13801704
page(s): 18, pl. 1, fig. 14 [details]
page(s): 18, pl. 1, fig. 14 [details]
Type locality contained in South Africa (country) , Note South Africa, Natal, in rivers
type locality contained in South Africa (country) [details]
Type locality South Africa, Natal, in rivers [details]
MolluscaBase eds. (2025). MolluscaBase. Unio caffer Krauss, 1848. Accessed at: https://www.molluscabase.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1251264 on 2025-07-17
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original description
Krauss, F. (1848) Die Südafrikanischen Mollusken. Ein Beitrag zur Kenntniss der Mollusken des Kap- und Natallandes und zur Geographischen Verbreitung derselben mit Beschreibung und Abbildung der neuen Arten. Ebner and Seubert, Stuttgart, 140 pp., 6 pls., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/13801704
page(s): 18, pl. 1, fig. 14 [details]
original description (of Unio charon Preston, 1910) Preston, H.B. (1910). Further additions to the molluscan fauna of Central Africa. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (8) 6 (31): 58-64, pl. 4-5. London. [1 July].
page(s): 60, pl. 4, fig. 5. [details]
original description (of Unio mashonae Preston, 1910) Preston, H.B. (1910). Further additions to the molluscan fauna of Central Africa. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (8) 6 (31): 58-64, pl. 4-5. London. [1 July].
page(s): 61, pl. 4, fig. 10. [details]
original description (of Unio africanus I. Lea, 1856) Lea I. (1856). Descriptions of twenty-five new species of exotic uniones. <em>Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.</em> 8(2): 92-95 [after 29 April; before 18 June]., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1935146
page(s): 94 [details]
original description (of Unio verreauianus I. Lea, 1856) Lea I. (1856). Descriptions of twenty-five new species of exotic uniones. <em>Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.</em> 8(2): 92-95 [after 29 April; before 18 June]., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1935146
page(s): 94 [details]
original description (of Unio zelebori Dunker, 1866) Dunker, W. & Zelebor, J. (1866). Bericht über die von der Novara-Expedition mitgebrachten Mollusken. <em>Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien.</em> 16: 909-916., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/26724138
page(s): 915 [details]
original description (of Cafferia caffra obesa Connolly, 1925) Connolly, M. (1925). New and little known South African Naiades. Records of the Albany Museum, 3 (4): 261-267, pl. 11-12. Grahamstown [6 March].
page(s): 263, pl. 11, figs 1-4. [details]
original description (of Unio silongweensis Preston, 1912) Preston, H. B. (1912). <i>Unio silongweensis</i>, a new name for <i>Unio vicinus</i> Preston not Lea. <em>The Nautilus.</em> 26(3): 35. Philadelphia. [July]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1738236 [details]
original description (of Unio vicinus Preston, 1910) Preston, H.B. (1910). Further additions to the molluscan fauna of Central Africa. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (8) 6 (31): 58-64, pl. 4-5. London. [1 July].
page(s): 60, pl. 4, fig. 7. [details]
original description (of Unio diminutis I. Lea, 1859) Lea, I. (1859). Descriptions of twenty one new species of exotic Unionidae. <em>Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.</em> 11: 151-154 [after 31 May 1859]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/26310565
page(s): 151 [details]
original description (of Unio verreauxianus I. Lea, 1867) Lea, I. (1867). Index to Vol. I. to XI. of Observations on the Genus <i>Unio</i>, Together with Description of New Species of the Family Unionidæ. And Descriptions of New Species of the Melanidæ, Paludinæ, Helicidæ, etc. Read before the American Philosophical Society and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and Published in their Journal, from 1827 to 1863. 63 pp. [with errata and corrigenda section on pp. 61–62]. Printed for the author, Philadelphia. , available online at https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.095533064 [details]
original description (of Unio vaalensis Chaper, 1885) Chaper M. (1885). Description de quelques espèces nouvelles de coquilles vivantes provenant de l'Afrique Australe et d'Assinie. <em>Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France.</em> 10: 479-486., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11306203#page/503/mode/1up
page(s): 480, pl. 11, figs 1-3. [details]
original description (of Unio cyamus R. A. Philippi, 1851) Philippi, R. A. (1849-1851). Centuria quarta testaceorum novorum. <em>Zeitschrift für Malakozoologie.</em> 6(2): 27–32 [May 1849]; 6(3): 33-35 [July 1849]; 8(2): 29-32 [June 1851]; 8(3): 39-48 [July 1851]; 8(4): 49-64 [15 July 1851]; 8(5): 65-74 [July 1851]. [Second issue (July 1849) entitled in error]., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16300125
page(s): 125 [details]
original description (of Unio (Hyridella) fissidens O. Boettger, 1886) Boettger, O. (1886). Beiträge zur Herpetologie und Malakozoologie Südwest-Afrikas. <em>Berichte der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft.</em> 1886: 3-29, pl. 1-2. Frankfurt am Main., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8783751
page(s): 27, pl. 2, fig. 6a-b [details]
basis of record Graf, D. L.; Cummings, K. S. (2011). Freshwater mussel (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionoida) richness and endemism in the ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar based on comprehensive museum sampling. <em>Hydrobiologia.</em> 678(1): 17-36., available online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0810-5 [details] Available for editors
[request]
additional source Ortmann, A. E. (1918). The anatomy of two African nayades, <i>Unio caffer</i> and <i>Spatha wahlbergi</i>. <em>The Nautilus.</em> 31(3): 75-78., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42799799
page(s): 75-77 [details]
additional source Connolly, M. (1939). A monographic survey of South African non-marine Mollusca. <em>Annals of the South African Museum.</em> 33: 1-660.
page(s): 605 [details] Available for editors [request]
new combination reference Daget J. (1998). <i>Catalogue raisonné des mollusques bivalves d'eau douce africains</i>. 329 pp. Leiden: Backhuys / Paris: Editions de l'ORSTOM. , available online at http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers14-12/010016420.pdf
page(s): 68 [details]
page(s): 18, pl. 1, fig. 14 [details]
original description (of Unio charon Preston, 1910) Preston, H.B. (1910). Further additions to the molluscan fauna of Central Africa. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (8) 6 (31): 58-64, pl. 4-5. London. [1 July].
page(s): 60, pl. 4, fig. 5. [details]
original description (of Unio mashonae Preston, 1910) Preston, H.B. (1910). Further additions to the molluscan fauna of Central Africa. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (8) 6 (31): 58-64, pl. 4-5. London. [1 July].
page(s): 61, pl. 4, fig. 10. [details]
original description (of Unio africanus I. Lea, 1856) Lea I. (1856). Descriptions of twenty-five new species of exotic uniones. <em>Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.</em> 8(2): 92-95 [after 29 April; before 18 June]., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1935146
page(s): 94 [details]
original description (of Unio verreauianus I. Lea, 1856) Lea I. (1856). Descriptions of twenty-five new species of exotic uniones. <em>Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.</em> 8(2): 92-95 [after 29 April; before 18 June]., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1935146
page(s): 94 [details]
original description (of Unio zelebori Dunker, 1866) Dunker, W. & Zelebor, J. (1866). Bericht über die von der Novara-Expedition mitgebrachten Mollusken. <em>Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien.</em> 16: 909-916., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/26724138
page(s): 915 [details]
original description (of Cafferia caffra obesa Connolly, 1925) Connolly, M. (1925). New and little known South African Naiades. Records of the Albany Museum, 3 (4): 261-267, pl. 11-12. Grahamstown [6 March].
page(s): 263, pl. 11, figs 1-4. [details]
original description (of Unio silongweensis Preston, 1912) Preston, H. B. (1912). <i>Unio silongweensis</i>, a new name for <i>Unio vicinus</i> Preston not Lea. <em>The Nautilus.</em> 26(3): 35. Philadelphia. [July]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/1738236 [details]
original description (of Unio vicinus Preston, 1910) Preston, H.B. (1910). Further additions to the molluscan fauna of Central Africa. The Annals and Magazine of Natural History, (8) 6 (31): 58-64, pl. 4-5. London. [1 July].
page(s): 60, pl. 4, fig. 7. [details]
original description (of Unio diminutis I. Lea, 1859) Lea, I. (1859). Descriptions of twenty one new species of exotic Unionidae. <em>Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia.</em> 11: 151-154 [after 31 May 1859]., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/26310565
page(s): 151 [details]
original description (of Unio verreauxianus I. Lea, 1867) Lea, I. (1867). Index to Vol. I. to XI. of Observations on the Genus <i>Unio</i>, Together with Description of New Species of the Family Unionidæ. And Descriptions of New Species of the Melanidæ, Paludinæ, Helicidæ, etc. Read before the American Philosophical Society and the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, and Published in their Journal, from 1827 to 1863. 63 pp. [with errata and corrigenda section on pp. 61–62]. Printed for the author, Philadelphia. , available online at https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=chi.095533064 [details]
original description (of Unio vaalensis Chaper, 1885) Chaper M. (1885). Description de quelques espèces nouvelles de coquilles vivantes provenant de l'Afrique Australe et d'Assinie. <em>Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France.</em> 10: 479-486., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11306203#page/503/mode/1up
page(s): 480, pl. 11, figs 1-3. [details]
original description (of Unio cyamus R. A. Philippi, 1851) Philippi, R. A. (1849-1851). Centuria quarta testaceorum novorum. <em>Zeitschrift für Malakozoologie.</em> 6(2): 27–32 [May 1849]; 6(3): 33-35 [July 1849]; 8(2): 29-32 [June 1851]; 8(3): 39-48 [July 1851]; 8(4): 49-64 [15 July 1851]; 8(5): 65-74 [July 1851]. [Second issue (July 1849) entitled in error]., available online at http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/16300125
page(s): 125 [details]
original description (of Unio (Hyridella) fissidens O. Boettger, 1886) Boettger, O. (1886). Beiträge zur Herpetologie und Malakozoologie Südwest-Afrikas. <em>Berichte der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft.</em> 1886: 3-29, pl. 1-2. Frankfurt am Main., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8783751
page(s): 27, pl. 2, fig. 6a-b [details]
basis of record Graf, D. L.; Cummings, K. S. (2011). Freshwater mussel (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Unionoida) richness and endemism in the ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar based on comprehensive museum sampling. <em>Hydrobiologia.</em> 678(1): 17-36., available online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-011-0810-5 [details] Available for editors
[request]additional source Ortmann, A. E. (1918). The anatomy of two African nayades, <i>Unio caffer</i> and <i>Spatha wahlbergi</i>. <em>The Nautilus.</em> 31(3): 75-78., available online at https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42799799
page(s): 75-77 [details]
additional source Connolly, M. (1939). A monographic survey of South African non-marine Mollusca. <em>Annals of the South African Museum.</em> 33: 1-660.
page(s): 605 [details] Available for editors
[request]new combination reference Daget J. (1998). <i>Catalogue raisonné des mollusques bivalves d'eau douce africains</i>. 329 pp. Leiden: Backhuys / Paris: Editions de l'ORSTOM. , available online at http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers14-12/010016420.pdf
page(s): 68 [details]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Type locality South Africa, Natal, in rivers [details]
To Barcode of Life (2 barcodes)
To Conchology (Unio caffer)
To Conchology (Unio caffer)
To Conchology (Unio caffer)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Unio caffer)
To GenBank (69 nucleotides; 37 proteins)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
To Conchology (Unio caffer)
To Conchology (Unio caffer)
To Conchology (Unio caffer)
To European Nucleotide Archive, ENA (Unio caffer)
To GenBank (69 nucleotides; 37 proteins)
To IUCN Red List (Least Concern)
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Hosted externally
Hosted externally
Hosted externally
