INVERTEBRATES
Chief butterfly, Amauris echeria echeria
Toordokter, hoofmonnik
The Chief (Amauris echeria) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in southern Africa. The wingspan is 55–65 mm for males and 63-70 mm for females. Its spots on the forewing are always cream-colored and they occur more frequent in thicket than the Layman. Their flight period is all year round with a peak during summer and autumn
Trumpet-mouthed hunter, Gulella salpinx
As a recently discovered species, relatively little is known about this snail’s biology. Unusually for snails, however, it is known to be ovoviviparous, with developing eggs brooded internally within the uterus before hatching. The female then ‘gives birth’ to minute juvenile snails. The flamboyant common name of the trumpet-mouthed hunter snail refers to the flaring, trumpet-like opening of its distinctive shell. The white shell has strongly defined whorls and grooves. The semi-translucent body is pale buff, while the tentacles are bright orange. Its shell length reaches up to 7, 6 mm. The critically endangered trumpet-mouthed hunter snail is found on limestone deposit. The species has been found amongst the leaf-litter of dense valley thicket and woodland on south-facing slopes.
Flightless dung beetle, Circellium bacchus
The flightless dung beetle is an endemic species of dung beetle endemic and the only species in the genus Circellium. Originally widespread in southern Africa, it now qualifies as an IUCN vulnerable species. The flightless dung beetles mostly feed on elephant or buffalo faeces, but they have been recorded to also feed on dung from other species such as rabbits, baboons, antelopes, and ostrich. Buffalo dung is preferred for breeding. Females produce only one off-spring per breeding cycle, usually one but sometimes two per year so fecundity is therefore low. When breeding, the female removes a portion of dung from the pile, pats it onto a ball and rolls it away. The male trails her by a few centimeters and does not help roll the ball. When the ideal site is decided on, the female excavates the hole and the male then positions himself on top of the dung ball and sinks down with it, the depth varying from 17 to 37 cm. Mating then takes place and the egg is deposited. The male returns to the surface and the female remains with her brood throughout the early (larval) development.
Flightless dung beetles are under threat of agriculture and human activities as well as general human encroachment, has a low breeding capacity and is constrained because of being flightless.
Toordokter, hoofmonnik
The Chief (Amauris echeria) is a butterfly of the Nymphalidae family. It is found in southern Africa. The wingspan is 55–65 mm for males and 63-70 mm for females. Its spots on the forewing are always cream-colored and they occur more frequent in thicket than the Layman. Their flight period is all year round with a peak during summer and autumn
Trumpet-mouthed hunter, Gulella salpinx
As a recently discovered species, relatively little is known about this snail’s biology. Unusually for snails, however, it is known to be ovoviviparous, with developing eggs brooded internally within the uterus before hatching. The female then ‘gives birth’ to minute juvenile snails. The flamboyant common name of the trumpet-mouthed hunter snail refers to the flaring, trumpet-like opening of its distinctive shell. The white shell has strongly defined whorls and grooves. The semi-translucent body is pale buff, while the tentacles are bright orange. Its shell length reaches up to 7, 6 mm. The critically endangered trumpet-mouthed hunter snail is found on limestone deposit. The species has been found amongst the leaf-litter of dense valley thicket and woodland on south-facing slopes.
Flightless dung beetle, Circellium bacchus
The flightless dung beetle is an endemic species of dung beetle endemic and the only species in the genus Circellium. Originally widespread in southern Africa, it now qualifies as an IUCN vulnerable species. The flightless dung beetles mostly feed on elephant or buffalo faeces, but they have been recorded to also feed on dung from other species such as rabbits, baboons, antelopes, and ostrich. Buffalo dung is preferred for breeding. Females produce only one off-spring per breeding cycle, usually one but sometimes two per year so fecundity is therefore low. When breeding, the female removes a portion of dung from the pile, pats it onto a ball and rolls it away. The male trails her by a few centimeters and does not help roll the ball. When the ideal site is decided on, the female excavates the hole and the male then positions himself on top of the dung ball and sinks down with it, the depth varying from 17 to 37 cm. Mating then takes place and the egg is deposited. The male returns to the surface and the female remains with her brood throughout the early (larval) development.
Flightless dung beetles are under threat of agriculture and human activities as well as general human encroachment, has a low breeding capacity and is constrained because of being flightless.