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)
Tag: Yzerfontein
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)
Dead-man’s finger (Splachnidium rugosum)
Wrinkling dead-man's fingers in a rock crevice. Hondeklipbaai, Northern Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Swollen yellow-brown, finger-like bladders, filled with thick, clear slimy mucilage, turgid when wet and becoming withered and wrinkled when dry. The main stipe is swollen with many similarly shaped side branches which are constricted at their point of origin and rounded at… Continue reading Dead-man’s finger (Splachnidium rugosum)
Coralline crust (Spongites spp)
Cochlear coralline crust covering a rock surface. Jacobsbaai, Western Cape (2020) - iNaturalist Cochlear coralline crust (Spongites yendoi) Hard, encrusting species of crustose coralline algae (Rhodophyta). Thallus relatively thin, mainly composed of filaments of small, often fused, squarish cells, with the lowermost layer up to eight filaments thick of mostly elongated cells. Chalky-white in color,… Continue reading Coralline crust (Spongites spp)
Cape reef-worm (Gunnarea gaimardi)
Cape reef-worm stuck in a rock crevice. Yzerfontein, Western Cape (2020). Previously known as Gunnarea capensis. Gregarious, forming massive intertidal reefs of sandy tubes. There is a double row of 40-50 stiff golden bristles on the head, forming a 'door' (operculum) that blocks the tube when the worm withdraws. Worms are about 50 mm long.… Continue reading Cape reef-worm (Gunnarea gaimardi)
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)
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)
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)
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)
Dwarf cushion star (Parvulastra exigua)
Yellow starfish wrapped around algae. Doringbaai, Northern Cape (2020). Previously known as Patiriella exigua and Asterina exigua. Tiny, flattened, pentagonal starfish, with poorly developed arms. Dorsal surface made up of tile-like plates, each with a cluster of tiny knob-like spines. Gonophores on lower (oral) surface.Uniformly khaki-green of the West Coast, but variegated patterns of orange,… Continue reading Dwarf cushion star (Parvulastra exigua)
F*CK FISH 