This report provides a systematic account of the siphonophores (cystonects, physonects and calycophores) collected by cruises carried out by the Institut de Ciencies del Mar (Barcelona, Spain) and the Sea Fisheries Research Institut (Cape Town, Republic of South Africa) along the Southwest continental shelf of Africa from 1977 to 1986. Thc siphonophores collection comprises 52 species distributed in 11 families. The species were collected between 0 and 200 m depth. Illustrations and data on morphology and distribution are given for all species.