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)
Tag: marine
Goose barnacle (Lepas anserifera)
Close-up of goose barnacles attached on the sole of a shoe washed ashore. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Off-white stalked barnacle. Shelled body flat, triangular in shape and compressed, wide at bottom and narrowing to a point.Shell plates (5) calcareous, not overlapping and with no gaps in between, with orange edges, covered with radiating ridges… Continue reading Goose barnacle (Lepas anserifera)
Ribbed false-limpet (Siphonaria concinna)
Adult and juvenile ribbed false-limpets on an exposed rock. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Previously called Siphonaria deflexa. Apex of the shell almost central, smooth, white and oval. Outline oval but slightly swollen on the right to accommodate a siphon that extends outwards from the lung cavity. Ribs well-spaced and never prickly, with 20-25 (or… Continue reading Ribbed false-limpet (Siphonaria concinna)
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)
Spiral fanworms (Spirorbis sp.)
Spiral fanworms on coralline algal crust at the bottom of a rock pool. Mouille Point, Cape Town, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Minute coiled worms with spiral shells. Head with a small number of feathery filter-feeding branches and a stalked operculum that blocks the shell. About 2 mm. Abundant everywhere, dotting most rocks in the… Continue reading Spiral fanworms (Spirorbis sp.)
Southern periwinkle (Afrolittorina knysnaensis)
Gang of Southern periwinkles hiding in a rock crack. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024) - iNaturalist Aperture rounded and closed by a transparent, horny operculum. Shell smooth, with a short conical spire. Colour from flecked brown with a dark ring around each coil to almost pure black. Usually under 10 mm. Congregates in crevices, or… Continue reading Southern periwinkle (Afrolittorina knysnaensis)
Common dogwhelk (Nucella dubia)
Details of the yellow speckled foot of the common dogwhelk. Doringbaai, Western Cape (2020). Extraordinarily variable (hence, dubia). Aperture usually large. Body whorl weakly ridged. Colour variable, from grey with black flames, to red-brown with dotted bands, plain grey or brown. Aperture usually dark, often purple. About 20 mm. Extends almost to the high-tide mark… Continue reading Common dogwhelk (Nucella dubia)
Cape false-limpet (Siphonaria capensis)
Two Cape false-limpets (Siphonaria capensis) in a shallow rock pool. Mosselbaai, Western Cape (2022) - iNaturalist Apex of the shell almost central. Outline oval but slightly swollen on the right to accommodate a siphon that extends outwards from the lung cavity. About 40-50 low, flat ribs that are roughly equal in size and scarcely project,… Continue reading Cape false-limpet (Siphonaria capensis)
Marine springtail (Anurida maritima)
Springtail cruising on a rock surface. Doringbaai, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Minute, mauve-coloured, six-legged, wingless creatures, covered in short waxy hairs. About 2-3 mm. During high tides, shelters in air pockets under rocks and shells, or in crevices. Emerges during low tide to scavenge, sometimes congregating around dead or dying animals. Often seen floating… Continue reading Marine springtail (Anurida maritima)
F*CK FISH 