Iziko Museums of South Africa

Fatumocoris flattirei, a new genus and species of Cotyledon-associated plant bugs from South Africa (Hemiptera, Miridae, Bryocorinae)

The Cape Floristic Region (CFR) is the most plant-dense Mediterranean-type ecosystem on Earth, but the number of described plant bugs (Heteroptera, Miridae) is relatively small. While Miridae are often host-plant specific, an association with succulent plants is only found in ~20...

Infection by Cardiodectes bellottii (Copepoda: Pennellidae) on Lampanyctodes hectoris (Actinopterygii: Myctophidae) in the southern Benguela Current upwelling ecosystem

Hector’s lanternfish Lampanyctodes hectoris is an abundant mesopelagic fish found in the Benguela Current marine ecosystem and is frequently parasitised by the copepod Cardiodectes bellottii. This parasite is relatively large compared with its fish host, and negative impacts of i...

The trophic ecology of 12 mesopelagic fish species in the northern Benguela Current ecosystem contributes to species coexistence

Mesopelagic fishes are abundant and play an important role, even if incompletely understood, in the ecology and functioning of the global ocean. Mesopelagic fishes are predominantly carnivorous, and assemblages may comprise species that feed on similar zooplankton resources. Yet,...