Eastern granular limpets on a rock face, showing the black granules that decorate their fine ribs. Port Edward, KwaZulu-Natal (2021). Previously known as Patella echinulata or Patella natalensis. Roughly oval, with approximately 50 fine ribs textured with black granules (and not white as in Scutellastra granularis). Often eroded, smoothing the ribs and revealing a brown… Continue reading Eastern granular limpet (Scutellastra natalensis)
Author: fockfish
Greater double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris afer)
Male greater double-collared sunbird posing in a tree by the house. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Larger than the Southern double-collared sunbird, with a long, heavier bill. Male has a broader, red breast band bordered above by a violet-blue band, with yellow pectoral tufts. Female grey-brown above, paler below. Immature male has… Continue reading Greater double-collared sunbird (Cinnyris afer)
Nodding thistle (Carduus nutans)
Close-up on a budding flower. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Also called musk thistle, or nodding plumeless thistle. A spiny, herbaceous, biennial plant, with sharp spines that densely covers the stems and leaf margin, giving the plant a spiny texture. Leaves dark green and bipinnately lobed.Flower heads are large, red, pink or… Continue reading Nodding thistle (Carduus nutans)
Lesser striped swallow (Cecropis abysinnica)
Close-up of a lesser striped swallow, with details of its bold streaking on the underparts, and the orange ear coverts. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Smaller and darker than the greater striped swallow, with more prominent blackish striping contrasting strongly with the whiter underparts. Rump darker rufous. Ear coverts rufous (not whitish).… Continue reading Lesser striped swallow (Cecropis abysinnica)
Silver-leaf bitter apple (Solanum elaeagnifolium)
Details of the satansbos flower, with its purple petals and its thick yellow pistils. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Also called satansbos (in Afrikaans), silver-leaf nightshade or bitter apple. A herbaceous shrub, growing up to 60 cm high, with felty stems and deep, spreading roots. Stems and undersurfaces of the leaves covered… Continue reading Silver-leaf bitter apple (Solanum elaeagnifolium)
Greater striped swallow (Cecropis cucullata)
Greater striped swallow with its white ear coverts and diffuse streaking on the underparts. Valley of Desolation, Graaf-Reinett, Eastern Cape (2021). Larger and paler than the lesser striped swallow. Striping on the buffy underparts is paler and less well defined. Orange crown slightly paler, and rump paler rufous. Ear coverts whitish (and not rufous). Crown… Continue reading Greater striped swallow (Cecropis cucullata)
Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Young tubular flower of the spear thistle. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Also called Scottish thistle or bull thistle. A spiny, herbaceous, biennial plant, with a large basal rosette of leaves, a deep taproot, and a flowering stem growing from the center of the rosette up to 1.5 m high. Stems have… Continue reading Spear thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
Long triangle (Cuneisigna obstans)
Side view of the long triangle moth, with details of the black triangle on the forewings. The Walsingham Farm, Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Forewing 15 - 17 mm. Body and wings grey to cream. Forewings with distinctive narrow black triangle on the inner margin, and vertical undulating black bar separated from the brown wing… Continue reading Long triangle (Cuneisigna obstans)
Beach hopper (Talorchestia capensis)
Blurry close-up of a beach hopper on a tuft of algae. Doringbaai, Western Cape (2020). Body off-white. First pair of antennae much shorter than second. Last three pairs of legs are elongated and splayed to the sides to support the animal upright.Second pair of legs bear large nippers in males. Between 10 and 20 mm.… Continue reading Beach hopper (Talorchestia capensis)
Violet zoanthid (Zoanthus sansibaricus)
Open violet zoanthid polyps covering the bottom of a rock pool. Port St Johns, Wild Coast, Eastern Cape (2021). Polyps tall, with a height of 2-3 times the width, and connected by a thin coenenchyme. Like all Zoanthus species, the polyp column is smooth, never embedded with sand. Column usually violet to grey, with an… Continue reading Violet zoanthid (Zoanthus sansibaricus)
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