Non-breeding adult. Note the whitish eyes and the grey smudges above eye and on cheeks. Hermanus, Western Cape (2020). Body white. Head, back and most of the upper surface of its wings grey. Tips of wings predominantly black, separated from the grey by a white flash. Legs and bill red. Eyes pale, with a red… Continue reading Grey-headed gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus)
Tag: Western Cape
Lightning seaweed (Oerstedtia scalaris)
Specimen of 'lightning seaweed' on the rocky shores at low tide. Unknown location, South Africa (2021). Plants dark brown to yellowish-brown, with tough rather than rubbery texture, comprising a prominent, woody, conical holdfast bearing one or more main axes that, in turn, bear primary lateral branches with distichous, alternating arrangement of leaves - rarely, second… Continue reading Lightning seaweed (Oerstedtia scalaris)
Elephant ear (Gynandrocarpa placenta)
A fresh specimen of elephant ear washed ashore. Unknown location, South Africa (2021). A large colonial ascidian that consists of a large fleshy disk, often cream or pink in colour, on a thin short brown wrinkled stalk. Zooids robust arranged on the outer layer of the test and opening separately on the surface of the… Continue reading Elephant ear (Gynandrocarpa placenta)
Red bait (Pyura stolonifera)
Detached red bait found on the rocky shores. Unknown location, South Africa (2021). A very large and well-known solitary ascidian with a thick opaque-white test covered in a wrinkled dark-brown skin. The flesh, which can be pink to bright-red, is commonly used by anglers as bait, hence the common name. About 15 cm high, but… Continue reading Red bait (Pyura stolonifera)
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)
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.)
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)
Bearded limpet (Scutellastra barbara)
A bearded limpet on a rock surface. Port Alfred, Eastern Cape (2024). Highly variable, but typically tall, with strong, spiky ribs. Sides of the foot white, speckled grey. About 80 mm. Maximum size : 100 mm (Kensley, 1973; Kilburn & Rippey, 1982). Occurs on the low-shore and subtidally. On the East Coast, it defends 'gardens'… Continue reading Bearded limpet (Scutellastra barbara)
F*CK FISH 