Animal of the week Archive

Armadillo girdled lizard

Common names: Armadillo lizard, golden-armadillo lizard, armadillo spiny-tailed lizard (Eng.). Evoking an ancient Egyptian symbol, the Ouroborus cataphractus lizard is […]

Tomato russet mite

Common names: Tomato russet mite Description/how to recognize a……. Aculops lycopersici, commonly known as tomato russet mites, are so small […]

House crow

Common names: House Crow, Indian House Crow, Grey-necked Crow, Town Crow, Ceylon Crow, Colombo Crow and Grey-necked Crow (Eng.); huiskraai […]

Cape Robin-Chat

A song-filled, perky, shy, yet curious bird that bears an orange throat and a striking white speculum, which separates the […]

Common fruit fly

Description/How to recognize a…….. An adult Drosophila melanogaster (common fruit fly) is yellow-brown (tan) in colour, and is only about […]

Honey badger

Derivation of scientific name: Even though primarily a carnivore/insectivore, honey badgers search out honeybee hives, hence their English common name. […]

Hover flies

Hover flies are among the most important pollinators globally, providing pollination services to many crops and natural vegetation. About 230 […]

Guttural toad

Derivation of scientific name (if known) The species name gutturalis derives from the loud calls of the guttural toad. Common […]

Blue duiker

Derivation of scientific name The genus name Philantomba has no known origin and the species name monticola refers to the […]

Agar animal

Derivation of scientific name: The animal has a disc-shaped cephalic shield (hard structure covering the head region) that protects its […]

Land hopper

Common names: Land hopper Talitriator africana is talitrid land hopper, which occurs mainly in forest and transitional areas between forest […]

Cheetah

Common names: cheetah, southeast African cheetah, hunting leopard (Eng.); jagluiperd (Afr.); lengau (seSotho, seTswana); xikankanka (Xitsonga); ihlosi (isiXhosa); ingulule (isiZulu) […]