Cephalopods · Marine Life · South Africa

Ram’s horn shell (Spirula spirula)

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)

Gastropods · Marine Life · Sea Slugs · South Africa

Spotted sea hare (Aplysia oculifera)

Spotted sea hare oozing purplish chemical deterrent ink in a rock pool. Eastern Cape, South Africa (2021). A typical smooth-skinned sea hare with prominent tentacles and ear-like rhinophores. Green-brown, speckled with small, white-centred black spots. Up to 150 mm in length. Common in shallow bays and estuaries. Hides by day and emerges at night to… Continue reading Spotted sea hare (Aplysia oculifera)

Bivalves · Marine Life · South Africa

Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)

Mediterranean mussel bed surrounded by algae of all sorts. Yzerfontein, Western Cape (2020). Shell smooth, typically black or blue, shading to brown on the lower surface, but rarely light brown. Broad in cross-section and usually widest at base. Distinguished from Choromytilus meridionalis by pits in the resilial ridge. Up to 140 mm. Thought to be… Continue reading Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis)