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Africam Reptiles-Frogs-Insects-Spiders-Fish Database
EP still down but resolution in sight - hopefully Friday
Sat, 15/11/2008 - 5:15am
Africam database
Clicking on the names in the lists will take you directly to the specific category"
Boomslang ~ Dispholidus typus ~
pictures taken from Elephant Plains cam.
- diurnal
- Coloration is variable
- Hunts small vertebrates, particularly chameleons and small birds
- Potent venom may cause death from internal bleeding in 1-3 days
Cape Dwarf Gecko ~ Lygodactylus capensis ~
pictures taken from Nkorho cam.
- Active by day
- Feeds on ants and termites.
Serrated Hinged Terrapin ~ Pelusios sinuatus ~
pictures taken from Nkorho and Elephant Plains cam.
- Often seen basking on floating logs.
- Seen at large rivers and pans.
- Hinged terrapins derive their name from the hinged mechanism at the front of the plastron, that closes the shell, protecting the head and front limbs
Striped Skink ~ Mabuya striata ~
pictures taken from Nkorho cam.
- Hunts for insects including beetles, termites, ants and spiders
- This species is widespread in Southern Africa.
- Size up to 200 mm.
Water Monitor ~ Varanus niloticus ~
pictures taken from Nkorho cam.
- Largest African lizard.
- Forages along rivers and pans in search of crabs, frogs etc..
- They retreat to burrows and abandoned termite mounds at night but in warm weather they may remain outside, sleeping on branches of half submerged in water.
- This monitor is able to swim and dive.
Grey Tree Frog - Chiromantis xerampelina -
picture taken from Nkorho cam
- Lays nest in foam nest, the nests are attached to branches near water, and are produced during the rains
- The females secretes a substance which she and attendant males beat into foam
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Also known as Ranger's toad
- Breeds in rivers, streams, dams and ponds but spends most of its time away from water.
- Calls can be heard mostly at night .
- Adult frogs attain a body lenght of approx. 115 mm.
African Giant Millipede ~ Archispirostreptus gigas ~
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Also known as Shongololo.
- Millipedes do not move rapidly but they are able to force their way through soil and similar loose material
- Rolls into a ball when threatened.
- Up to 120 pairs of legs.
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Order Polydesmoidea.
- About 20 segments.
- Blue Pansy
- Common Termite
- Common Diadem
- Darkling Beetle
- Hippo Fly
- House Fly
- Lily Weevil
- Slender Grey Blister Beetle
- Spider Hunting Wasp
- White-cloaked Skipper
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Often settles on ground with wings flat, making identification easy.
- Male defends territory against other males.
- Seen in woodland and bushland.
Common Diadem - Hypolimnas misippus -
pictures taken from Nkorho cam.
- on the first picture you see the female.
- The females resembles the African Monarch, it's a typical example of Batesian mimicry.
- Second picture is the male
Common Termite - Family Termitidae -
pictures taken from Nkorho cam.
- There are about 2600 taxonomically known species of these soft-bodied social insects worldwide.
- the prominent mounds you see in Southern Africa are made by termites, not ants.
- Termites are sometimes also called "white ants"
- Colonies include reproductives, a queen, workers and soldiers.
Darkling Beetle - Family Tenebrionidae
pictures taken from Nkorho cam.
- Very varied family.
- The well known Toktokkies refers to those species that use their bodies to make a Tok-tok knocking sound on the ground, by drumming their abdomens agains soil and rocks to attract mates.
- Toktokkies do not possess wings, thus they cannot fly around in search of mate. Each species taps with differing frequency, thus attrackting only females of the same species.
- Adults are omnivorous, larvae feed on roots of small plants.
Hippo Fly - Tabanus biggutatus -
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Very large, wingspan 46 mm
- One of the regions biggest and best known horse flies.
- Attacks larger mammals such as cattle and hippos,obliging hippo to spend most of the day underwater.
pictures taken from Nkorho cam.
- Grey to black
- Often rubs front legs together in grooming action
- Common throughout the world.
Lily Weevil - Family: Curculionoidea
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Order Coleoptera - family: Curculionidae:Brachycerinae
- Ground dwelling.
- Typically feigns death if touched or attacked.
- They have fused wing cases and can't fly.
- Adults feed on foliage of various plants.
Slender Grey Blister Beetle - Family Meloidae -
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Feeds on flowers.
- Secretes cantharidin which can blister the skin.
Spider Hunting Wasp - Family pompilidae -
- medium to large insect
- preys on spiders, they imobilise their prey with a paralysing sting
- females are generally larger than males
White-cloaked Skipper - Leucochitonea levubu -
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Males engage in "hilltopping" during the heat of the day
Baboon Spider - Family Theraphosidae
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Belongs to the family Theraphosidae, a very diverse family.
- Ground living animals,they construct silk-lined burrows or retreats under stones and rocks.
- Uses its fangs, chelicerae and pedipalps to excavate the burrows.
- Preys on insects, ants, beetles, cicadas, spiders, scorpions, millipedes, reptiles, frogs and lizards.
- Body size varying from 13-90 mm. Very hairy and colour varies between brown, grey, yellow to black.
Jumping Spider - Family Salticidae
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Many species with varied colouring, often hairy.
- Leaps on prey after securing a silk line to substrate.
Scorpion - Uroplectes vittatus
pictures taken from Nkorho cam.
African Sharptooth Catfish - Clarias gariepinus -
picture taken from Nkorho cam.
- Can move overland, crawling on extended pectoral spines.
- It can tolerate water conditions of low clarity, low oxygen and even pollution.
- Can grow very large, with rate depending of food availability and water temperature.
- Lifespan is estimated at around 8 to 10 years.
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