Meet Stellenbosch biology graduate Kira-Lee Courtaillac, wrangler of sampling containers, cold-water stalwart, and biodiversity scholar. Together with Sea Change marine biologist Jannes Landschoff and molecular ecologist Prof Sophie von der Heyden, based at Stellenbosch University, Kira-Lee penned a groundbreaking paper that shows the diversity and distribution of fish communities in the Great African Seaforest – from the cold west coast to the warmer south coast. The research saw Kira-Lee spending cumulative hours in the forest capturing 192 water samples from eight different sites in a process called environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding. Essentially, eDNA probes for organisms’ molecular footprints: the samples are filtered, and DNA is extracted and sequenced to produce a detailed picture of all the fishes in the kelp forest. It’s challenging, shiver-inducing, and exciting hard work! The research – the first to comprehensively look at the Great African Seaforest as an entire ecosystem – shows how biodiversity differs from region to region, which means tailored protection or management methods are needed for different areas, and provides a crucial baseline for future monitoring. We are super proud of Kira-Lee and honoured to be collaborating with the Von der Heyden Lab. This is science in action … to inform science-based action.

Follow the link in our bio for the paper.

@von_der_heyden_lab @kira.courtz @stellenboschuni @jannes_landschoff #greatafricanseaforest #edna #stellenboschuniversity #seachangeproject #biodiversity

#0012 Sinous sea fan — Eunicella tricoronata

Look at the first shot and you’ll see what looks like a fuzzy halo around the branches of this sinous sea fan. Zoom in on the second macro image, and you’ll see what this is: hundreds of pale polyps topped by eight tentacles that create a star-like formation. These tiny appendages are the engines that keep the colony alive. Sinous sea fans, found in a range of yellow and orange hues, have a stiff inner skeleton made of a horn-like protein called gorgonin. They’re slow-growing and are thought to live for decades – thanks to those little tentacles. When the polyps are extended, creating that ‘fuzz’, the eight tentacles snag small planktonic organisms from the water column. Sinous sea fans are popular sites for catshark eggs, as they have stinging cells that protect the egg casings from whelk predation (see image 3).

@saveourseasfoundation #1001 #1001seaforestspecies #greatafricanseaforest #marinescience #taxonomy #biodiversity #seachangeproject

#0011 – Feather star shrimp – Hippolyte catagrapha

Safety definitely comes first for this cunningly camouflaged shrimp. Can you spot it hidden along the arms of this Elegant feather star? Its colour not only matches its host, it also has a longitudinal stripe that blends in with the arms of the feather star. Because of their incredible camouflage and cryptic behaviour, Feather star shrimps are not easy to spot. However, usually one shrimp can be found on every large Elegant feather star. Even though these two species live closely together there’s still a lot we don’t know about the shrimp’s life - like what it eats. We think that the shrimp snatches food particles from the Feather star’s arms, though much remains to be discovered about this fascinating relationship.

Pictures: Jannes Landschoff

@saveourseasfoundation #1001species #1001speciesproject #biodiversity #greatafricanseaforest #seachangeproject

Tomorrow is World Environment Day, with a focus on plastic pollution. From the teeniest creatures and flowing kelp forests, to large predators and eight-armed friends, all life is woven together. And we are part of this great, biodiverse system. Now, more than ever, our more-than-human world needs us to do better. By living with intention — pausing before we make choices — we can create space for better options, better ways, better actions — for outcomes that don’t just better our lives, but all life on Earth.

#worldenvironmentday🌍 #sustainability #plasticpollution #plastic #biodiversity #seachangeproject #myoctopusteacher

0010 – Limpet amphipod (Calliopiella michaeleni)

This shrimp-like amphipod, with its funky green body and red eyes, has found the perfect house-sharing set-up. It lives in the mantle cavities on the underside of limpets such as goat’s eye and pink-rayed limpets, where it is protected and feeds on the limpets’ faeces and possibly on algal fragments. Usually occurs in male and female pairs, territorially defending their host against other amphipod individuals, these co-habitors pay their way by keeping the place clean.

Pictures: Charles Griffiths

#1001seaforestspecies #saveourseasfoundation #marinebiology #taxonomy #greatafricanseaforest #seachangeproject

#0009 Mantled keyhole-limpet (Pupillaea aperta)

These large gastropods are endemic to Southern Africa and resemble sci-fi-worthy cloaked beings. They are covered by a firm, fleshy mantle that ranges in a myriad colour combinations, from yellow, orange and blue with dots, to brown, black, mottled and striped. These animals are large, but due to their camouflage are not always easy to spot. We are always amazed to see how animals blend into the kelp forest habitat. At first glance, keyhole limpets can look like shell-less sea slugs, however this species has a highly reduced internal shell and often appears ‘naked’, but has a small shell with a ‘keyhole-shaped’ opening at the top, hence the name. Mantled keyhole limpets are usually loners fond of eating sponges – the individual in the picture is seen competing with an orange starfish for its lunch. There’s still so much to learn about these curious-looking creatures.

Pictures: Jannes Landschoff and Craig Foster

@saveourseasfoundation #1001seaforestspecies #mantledkeyholelimpet #greatafricanseaforest #taxonomy #biodiversity

#0008 – GHOST DORID - Leciphorus capensis

Ghost dorids are small nudibranchs (sea slugs) often found on densely colonised rocky reefs. Like all nudibranchs they bear naked rosette-shaped gills on their back, hence the name (‘naked gills’). These aptly named animals are almost see-through and if you look at the close-up image, you can see a dark shape, called a visceral mass, that contains the dorid’s organs. One of these is its digestive system, which gladly receives snacks such as encrusting bryozoans. On one of our dives we were excited to photograph an animal snacking - can you try and spot how the nudibranch in the second image contracts its head in order to scrape into the bryozoan? What these images don’t show is just how small Ghost dorids are, and it takes a keen eye to find them in the vast Great African Seaforest.

Pictures: Jannes Landschoff

#1001seaforestspecies #nudibranchs #ghostdorid #greatafricanseaforest #seachangeproject @saveourseasfoundation #marinebiology #natureconnection