Stranded ram's horn shell covered in small goose barnacles. Found on the beach in Port Alfred (Eastern Cape, South Africa), 2024. Shell cylindrical, forming a loose, flat spire, and made up of a series of chambers.Rarely seen, the animal is squid-like, with eight short arms and two long tentacles. About 25 mm. The live animal… Continue reading Ram’s horn shell (Spirula spirula)
Tag: beach
Columbus crab (Planes minutus)
Mottle brown Columbus crab found washed ashore. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Also referred to as Gulfweed crab or flotsam crab. Conspicuous eyes in wide orbits at the corners of the wide front edge of the carapace. First pair of pereiopods - or walking legs - with a symmetrical pair of chelae - or claws… Continue reading Columbus crab (Planes minutus)
African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
Dead specimen of jackass penguin washed up on the beach. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Also called the jackass penguin. The only species of penguins that breeds in southern Africa. Adults are jet black, with diagnostic striped head and sides. Some have a double breast band as in the Magellanic penguin, but with a narrower… Continue reading African penguin (Spheniscus demersus)
Cape gannet (Morus capensis)
Dead Cape gannet washed ashore. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). The largest gannet in the Sulidae family. Adult white with golden head, black stripe across the eyes and long black gular stripe down the throat, black tail and flight feathers. Some have 1 - 4 white outer-tail feathers. Pale blue bill pointed with fine serrations… Continue reading Cape gannet (Morus capensis)
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)
The Plastic Life of Hermit Crabs 🦀🐚🗑️ [11 min]
Let's Start A Conversation ! 💬 #10 - Biological & Ecological News Video published on my YouTube channel as part of the 'Let's Start A Conversation' playlist, that shares biological and ecological news in a fun and concise manner. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkvl0Pr_pPo We are in the Anthropocene and plastic is everywhere. On the ground. In the ground.… Continue reading The Plastic Life of Hermit Crabs 🦀🐚🗑️ [11 min]
F*CK FISH 