Twenty-one species of acanthocephalans, representative of thirteen genera from ten families of seven orders and three classes, are included in this updated checklist of acanthocephalans in South Africa. Although South Africa appears to have a less diverse acanthocephalan fauna compared to some other countries such as Iran in Asia, or Brazil in South America, this is probably an artefact of fewer parasitological surveys.
Keywords: Acanthocephala; Africa; diversity; helminths; wildlife.