African Wildlife Species ID threads, Charters

For the Species ID threads:

Just photos from the cams are preferred and an ID. A simple description are also wanted, IE: Waterbuck has the white circle around their tail. A reference link(s) must be added to provide the source(s) of information. An older, less clear photo on an ID may be replaced when a more current photo is posted on a cam thread.

Please click here to view: Amphibians, Reptiles, Insects, etc. ID

Reserved for Index

Bag worm ~ (part of a Moth)
Psyche casta



Picture taken by 'BBE' on Mar.12, 2010 at Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive

Any insect of the moth family Psychidae, found worldwide, named for the baglike cases the larvae (see larva) carry with them. The bag is constructed from silk and bits of leaves, twigs, and other debris. Bagworm larvae often damage trees, especially evergreens. Bagworms are considered pests to humans due to the damage done to host trees such as wattle in South Africa and orange in Florida (1)

Jared Glasson (the drive presenter), told us that the bag covers the cocoon; from which will emerge the moth / butterfly.conn

References:
(1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagworm_moth

Photoshttp://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/top ... lying-moth

http://tdserver1.fnal.gov/peterson/tom/ ... mMoth.html 3rd one down resembles what we saw

Stick Insect
Pharnacia kirbyi


Photo taken by 'BBE' on Mar.12, 2010 at Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive

The Stick Insect is one of the longest insects in South Africa. Although these insects are long, they are not heavy.(1)

Stick insects are among the best camouflaged of all creatures, with a body shape that mimics the branches of their home.
Stick insects are part of the Phasmida order. As its name suggests, the stick insect resembles the twigs among which it lives, providing it with one of the most efficient natural camouflages on Earth.
They are often called walking sticks. Phasmids generally mimic their surroundings in color, normally green or brown, although some species are brilliantly colored and others conspicuously striped. Many stick insects have wings, some spectacularly beautiful, while others resemble little more than a stump.(2)

References:
(1) http://www.scienceinafrica.co.za/2004/s ... insect.htm
(2) http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/a ... ck-insect/

Pearl Charaxes Butterfly
Charaxes varanes


Picture by eiguoc on May 1 2010 at Djuma, Sabi Sands, SA, WildEarth Game Drive

The wingspan is about 8.0 – 10.0 cm. The Pearl Charaxes is a member of the family NYMPHALIDAE. The butterfly is white and brown. The hind wings have one tail.

The fore wings are two-coloured. The inner part of the wing is white. The rest of wing is brown and contains many orange spots.
The underside is marbled brown and also marbled yellow. In the middle of wing there is a dark line. Next to the margin there is a chain of dark spots.

The hind wings two-coloured. The inner part of the wing is white. The rest of wing is brown. At the margin there is a chain of little black spots. The hind wings have one tail.
The underside is nearly a copy of the underside of fore wings. Next to the margin there is a chain of dark eyes.

The body is white but the underside is yellow.

The Pearl Charaxes (Charaxes varanes) is a butterfly of the Afrotropic ecozone (Africa). The distribution enfolded Namibia Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa Republic.

References:
http://en.butterflycorner.net/Charaxes- ... 505.0.html

Photos
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2321 ... 5816PEjGJG

http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesd ... _id=400220

Serrated Hinged Terrapin
Pelusios Sinuatus

photo taken by eiguoc Nov 9 07 At Nkorho Pan
info from old forum by BBE
The Serrated Hinged Terrapin is the largest hinged terrapin. Male and female are 3 - 400 mm in length.The carapace (dorsal, convex part of the shell) and bridge are uniform black in colour. The plastron (the belly) is yellow-centered, with a sharply defined, black, angular pattern around the edge. The skin of the neck and limbs is pale olive-grey. (1)

Reference:
(1) http://www.krugerpark.co.za/africa_serr ... rapin.html

Golden Orb Silk Spider
Araneidae & Tetragnathidae
Male

photo taken at WildEarth at Djuma Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, SA, Sept 8 08
female

Photo taken at WildEarth at Djuma Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, SA March 11 08

Photo taken at WildEarth at Djuma Game Reserve, Sabi Sands, SA March 11 08

References

1; http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/inverts/nephila.htm
2; http://www.animalcorner.co.uk/venanimal ... idorb.html

Katydid
Tettigoniidae
Tettigoniids may be distinguished from grasshoppers by the length of their filamentous antennae, which may exceed their own body length, while grasshoppers' antennae are always relatively short and thickened.

Taken at Djuma Game Reserve, Sabi Sands SA, Wildearth Game drive March 14 08

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tettigoniidae

http://www.iucnredlist.org/sotdfiles/pa ... itatus.pdf