Details of the spherules, and the long tentacles of the crevice anemone. Fishhoek, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Also called long-tentacled anemone. Column with large sticky pads, to which shells and gravel adhere. Dark stripes usually radiate from mouth to the 96 long pink-to-brownish tentacles. Spherules present. Up to 150 mm in diameter, but commonly… Continue reading Crevice anemone (Anthopleura michaelseni)
Tag: intertidal
Reticulated starfish (Henricia ornata)
A maroon reticulated starfish found in a rock pool on the shore. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2023) - iNaturalist Arms long, very gradually tapering and cylindrical. Color orange to maroon with an irregularly-honeycombed surface texture. Up to 90 mm across. Thought to feed on sponges by everting the stomach and digesting the sponge tissue in… Continue reading Reticulated starfish (Henricia ornata)
Scaly dogwhelk (Nucella squamosa)
Details of the operculum and the foot of the scaly dogwhelk. Unknown location, South Africa (2021). About 15 spiral ridges overlies longitudinal ridges, giving the shell a scaly (squamous) appearance.Operculum horny, brown-orange. Foot light orange, speckled white. About 35 mm. Occurs low on the shore or subtidally. Lays egg capsules resembling flat clubs. Shell usually… Continue reading Scaly dogwhelk (Nucella squamosa)
Striped anemone (Anthothoe stimpsonii)
Two striped anemones partially open in the crack of a rock pool. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024) - iNaturalist Also called humbug anemone. Live anemones exist in many different colours, ranging from green to orange. Column light green, brown, orange, yellow, white, transparent, grey or flesh. Column and tentacles without bright spots. Column smooth, not… Continue reading Striped anemone (Anthothoe stimpsonii)
Sandy anemone (Bunodactis reynaudi)
Close-up of sandy anemones in a rock pool. Yzerfontein, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Column covered in flattened sticky knobs, to which sand and gravel particles adhere. Over 300 short tentacles, no spherules. Colours include brown, green, pink and blue. Up to 80 mm in diameter. Often crowded into sandy gullies, around the bases of… Continue reading Sandy anemone (Bunodactis reynaudi)
African spiny starfish (Marthasterias africana)
Hunting bluish and orange spiny starfish. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2022) - iNaturalist Body salmon-pink, orange, deep blue or blue-grey. Aboral (dorsal) surface irregular, covered in conspicuous spines, each surrounded by a halo of minute pincer-like organs (called pedicellaria) that are used to keep the body surface clean. Tube-feet in 4 series. Small red eyespot… Continue reading African spiny starfish (Marthasterias africana)
False plum anemone (Pseudactinia flagellifera)
Details of the mauve-tipped tentacles. Cape Agulhas, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Column smooth, orange to red, tentacles red or yellow, often mauve-tipped. Cannot readily retract tentacles or close up. 3-5 rows of bubble-like, orange vesicles and one row of spherules just outside tentacles. 50 - 100 mm in diameter. Found singly, because aggressively territorial,… Continue reading False plum anemone (Pseudactinia flagellifera)
Eight-shell barnacle (Octomeris angulosa)
Old barnacle at the edge of a mussel bed (blue mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis), with the circle of apertures forming at its base. Yzerfontein, Western Cape (2020). Moderately large with eight shell plates extremely rugged, irregular, massive, generally much corroded, steeply conical or even sub-cylindrical. Colour dirty-white, often slightly tinted yellow from the investing membrane, and… Continue reading Eight-shell barnacle (Octomeris angulosa)
Knobbly anemone (Bunodosoma capense)
Details of the tentacles and the papillae. Mouille Point, Cape Town, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Previously known as Bunodosoma capensis. Column streaked with small non-adhesive knobs, called papillae. Up to 96 spherules present in fosse.Papillae are usually darker and brighter in contrast with the background colour, which can be cream-white, pink, orange, red, blue… Continue reading Knobbly anemone (Bunodosoma capense)
Granular limpet (Scutellastra granularis)
An eroded limpet next to a younger limpet with its 'tentacles' out. Jacobsbaai, Western Cape (2020). Previously known as Patella granularis. Roughly oval, with approximately 50 fine ribs textured with white granules. Often eroded, smoothing the ribs and revealing a brown cap. Interior blue-white with a central brown patch and a dark border that is… Continue reading Granular limpet (Scutellastra granularis)
F*CK FISH 