Subtidal sea cucumber deploying its tentacles, with details of the tube feet. Fishhoek, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Previously known as Cucumaria insolens, Trachythyone insolens or Pseudocnella insolens. Colour diagnostic. Intertidal specimens may be dark above with a red 'chest', but subtidal ones are uniformly bright red. Tube feet scattered dorsally, but in three bands… Continue reading Red-chested sea cucumber (Hemiocnus insolens)
Tag: South Africa
Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)
Two kelp gulls - only one visible - on a rock along the coast. Stormsrivier Mouth, Western Cape (2018) - iNaturalist The largest gull in the region, also called the Dominican gull. Heavily built, with relatively short wings (folded wings do not project well beyond the tail tip), a robust bill, a steep forehead, and… Continue reading Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus)
Pear limpet (Scutellastra cochlear)
Eroded adult limpet surrounded by its garden. Fishhoek, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Previously known as Patella cochlear, or cochlear limpet. Distinctively pear-shaped, often encrusted by coralline algae. Inner surface white, tinged blue and often mottled with black. Muscle scar is U-shaped and black. Around 50 mm. Large specimens may exceed 70 mm. Lives in… Continue reading Pear limpet (Scutellastra cochlear)
Girdled dogwhelk (Trochia cingulata)
Whelk with spiral tube worms (Spirorbinae) and chiton on the shell. Jacobsbaai, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Previously know as Nucella cingulata. White or blue-grey, usually girdled with 1 to 4 strong spiral ridges. About 30 mm. Common among mussels, drilling neat cylindrical holes through their shells. The mussels can, however, retaliate by binding the… Continue reading Girdled dogwhelk (Trochia cingulata)
Granite limpet (Cymbula granatina)
Eroded limpet carrying smaller limpets on its shell. Hondeklipbaai, Northern Cape (2020). Previously known as Patella granatina. Similar in shape to the goat's eye limpet (Cymbula oculus), but taller, with about 15 major ribs. Distinctive granite-like chevron pattern on the upper surface, although this is often eroded away. Interior pale, with a narrow edging that… Continue reading Granite limpet (Cymbula granatina)
Tentacled flatworm (Planocera gilchristi)
Two tentacled flatworms on the underside of a rock. Old Woman's River, Eastern Cape (2021) - iNaturalist Also referred to as Gilchrist's flatworm or the spotted flatworm. Body broadly oval, both ends being similarly rounded. Margin of the body 'frilly' (strongly folded) but dorsal surface smooth. Fairly firm consistency and very little transparent. Mottled brown… Continue reading Tentacled flatworm (Planocera gilchristi)
Cape urchin (Parechinus angulosus)
Purple urchin shading himself with the egg of a ray or a shark. Fishhoek, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Also called 'pumpkin shell'. Test round, densely covered in shortish, pointed spines which vary in length but never exceed about one-fifth test diameter.Colour variable, most often purple, but also green, red or pale. About 60 mm.… Continue reading Cape urchin (Parechinus angulosus)
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)
Hartlaub’s Gull (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)
Non-breeding adult cruising the rocky shores, in search of sustenance. Yzerfontein, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Also known as the king gull. Short, thin and dark bill, with deep red legs. Eyes usually dark at all ages, but some birds have whitish eyes. Told from vagrant gulls in flight by grey underwing and mostly black… Continue reading Hartlaub’s Gull (Chroicocephalus hartlaubii)
Flame-patterned burnupena (Burnupena catarrhacta)
Whelk with a delicate flame pattern, and a slipper limpet (Crepidula porcellana) attached to its shell. Hondeklipbaai, Northern Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Previously know as Burnupena delalandii. Shell elongated (length twice width), smooth by crossed by numerous fine spiral ridges. Juveniles often patterned with alternating dark and light streaks or 'flames', later obscured by erosion… Continue reading Flame-patterned burnupena (Burnupena catarrhacta)
F*CK FISH 