Thursday, 27 August 2020
27-8-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - MEDITERRANEAN SPINY FALSE WOLF SPIDER (Zoropsis spinimana)
%2020.jpg)
Males of Z. spinimana reach a length around 10–12 mm (0.39–0.47 in), while females are 15–18 mm (0.59–0.71 in) long. This spider resembles a wolf spider, as its eyes are of the same configuration, but unlike wolf spiders, the eyes of Zoropsis spiders are more spread out along the front third of the cephalothorax. The front body (prosoma) is brownish with broad darker markings. The abdomen (opisthosoma) has median black markings. The legs are mainly a speckled brown color.
The brown and light marking on the upper side of the front body evokes the face of the vampire of the 1922 German silent film Nosferatu, which led to the common German name of the spider, Nosferatu-Spinne.
Zoropsis spinimana is distributed widely in the Mediterranean, but reaches into Russia, and was introduced to the United States, primarily in the San Francisco Bay Area, and the United Kingdom, primarily the London area.
Wednesday, 26 August 2020
26-8-2020 MONTE CORONA, VALENCIA - WAVED UMBER MOTH (Menophra abruptaria)
%2030.jpg)
Menophra abruptaria, the waved umber, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Carl Peter Thunberg in 1792. It is found in south-western North Africa, southern Europe and Anatolia; in the north, it is found from England to Switzerland, south-western Germany, Bangladesh . The wingspan is 36–42 mm. Adults are on wing from April to June. Normally, there is one generation per year, although there can be a partial second generation in summer.
The larvae feed on Ligustrum ovalifolium and Syringa vulgaris.
Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Monday, 24 August 2020
Sunday, 23 August 2020
27-3-2018 FERNKLOOF, SOUTH AFRICA - ORANGE BREASTED SUNBIRD (FEMALE) (Antohobaphes violacea)
The orange-breasted sunbird, Anthobaphes violacea, is a small, nectar-feeding bird endemic to the fynbos biome of southwestern South Africa. It is the sole representative of its genus, Anthobaphes, within the family Nectariniidae. Exhibiting sexual dimorphism, the male is a vibrant mix of orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, particularly on the head and neck, while the female is dressed in more subdued olive green tones.
Males can be identified by their metallic green head, throat, and mantle, violet upper breast, and bright orange lower breast, which fades into yellow on the belly. Their long, decurved bills are adapted for nectar feeding, with the male's bill being notably longer than the female's. Females and juveniles are less conspicuous, with olive-greenish grey upperparts and paler underparts.
The orange-breasted sunbird is a denizen of the fynbos, a unique heathland habitat. It is particularly associated with ericas and proteas, which provide much of its nectar diet.
This species is confined to the Western Cape of South Africa, where it is a common breeder within its range.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)