SA iNaturalists - January 2020 Update

This month we surpassed 70,000 observations and 5,000 species!


A total of 103 observers contributed 3,490 observations of 1,066 species.

With an average of 112.6 observations/day we doubled the average from the same month last year. The record still stands at 186.5 observations/day from Oct '19.

The number of species observed for the first time in SA continues to rise steadily with 97 added this month.

Top 10 observers for the month all exceeded 100 observations: davidsando (608), cobaltducks (538), mtank (262), davemmdave (233), stephen169 (214), benjaminlancer (194), rfoster (168), danimations (158), naturehoodz (110) & wattlebird (105)

Top 10 identifiers of observations in SA for the month: ellurasanctuary (401), davemmdave (296), thebeachcomber (234), deborod (221), twan3253 (210), ethmostigmus (198), ratite (198), alan_dandie (151), jadonald (140) & asimakis_patitsas (122).





I've updated the format of the monthly summaries below. The first table is the summary for this month. The second table is a running summary for SA. You can now follow the links to see the taxon pages, total observations, total species, and records of the most commonly observed species.

Observations Made in January 2020

Common Name Taxon Observations Species Most Observed This Month
Vertebrates
Birds Aves 1,039 173 25 x Egretta novaehollandiae (White-faced Heron)
Mammals Mammalia 48 15 15 x Macropus fuliginosus (Western Grey Kangaroo)
Reptiles Reptilia 53 18 16 x Eulamprus quoyii (Eastern Water Skink)
Amphibians Amphibia 9 4 3 x Litoria ewingii (Ewing's Tree Frog)
Ray-finned Fishes Actinopterygii 256 76 12 x Tilodon sexfasciatus (Moonlighter)
Cartilaginous Fishes Elasmobranchii 7 5 3 x Myliobatis tenuicaudatus (Southern Eagle Ray)
Insects
Flies Diptera 108 31 8 x Culex quinquefasciatus (Southern House Mosquito)
Dragonflies & Damselflies Odonata 67 17 13 x Orthetrum caledonicum (Blue Skimmer)
Beetles Coleoptera 104 55 5 x Phoracantha semipunctata (Common Eucalyptus Longhorn Beetle)
Bees, Ants & Wasps Hymenoptera 185 63 15 x Apis mellifera (European Honey Bee)
Butterflies & Moths Lepidoptera 244 99 31 x Heteronympha merope (Common Brown)
Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids Orthoptera 34 13 6 x Phaulacridium vittatum (Wingless Grasshopper)
Earwigs Dermaptera 2 1 2 x Dermaptera sp. (Earwigs)
Antlions, Lacewings, & Allies Neuroptera 25 7 4 x Myrmeleon sp.
Stick Insects Phasmida 2 2 1 x Ctenomorpha marginipennis (Margin-winged Stick Insect)
Barklice & Booklice Psocodea 0 0 No observations this month
Caddisflies Trichoptera 5 1 5 x Trichoptera (Caddisflies)
Cockroaches & Termites Blattodea 10 4 2 x Periplaneta americana (American Cockroach)
Mantises Mantodea 4 2 3 x Archimantis sobrina (Mallee Grass Mantis)
True Bugs, Hoppers & Aphids Hemiptera 50 25 3 x Choerocoris paganus (Red Jewel Bug)
Other Animals
Mollusc Mollusca 119 64 8 x Lunella undulata (Common Warrener)
Echinoderms Echinodermata 38 14 9 x Petricia vernicina (Velvet Sea Star)
Comb Jellies Ctenophora 0 0 No observations this month
Cnidarians Cnidaria 24 8 6 x Zoanthus robustus
Bryozoans Bryozoa 7 3 3 x Celleporaria sp.
Sponges Porifera 52 8 3 x Sycon sp.
Flatworms Platyhelminthes 0 0 No observations this month
Ribbon Worms Nemertea 1 1 1 x Baseodiscus delineatus
Hemichordates Hemichordata 0 0 No observations this month
Peanut Worms Sipuncula 0 0 No observations this month
Crustacean Crustacea 45 18 6 x Guinusia chabrus (Red Rock Crab)
Sea Squirts Tunicata 74 23 5 x Clavelina moluccensis (Bluebell Tunicate)
Clitellates Clitellata 0 0 No observations this month
Polychaete Worms Polychaeta 0 0 No observations this month
Springtails Entognatha 1 1 1 x Hypogastruridae sp.
Sea Spiders Pycnogonida 0 0 No observations this month
Centipedes Chilopoda 0 0 No observations this month
Millipedes Diplopoda 1 1 1 x Ommatoiulus moreleti (Portuguese Millipede)
Spiders, Scorpions & Mites Arachnida 83 34 3 x Latrodectus hasselti (Redback Spider)
Plants
Red Algae Rhodophyta 12 4 1 x Gloiosaccion brownii (Red Sausage Weed)
Green Algae Chlorophyta 10 8 1 x Caulerpa racemosa (Sea Grapes)
Mosses Bryophyta 5 2 2 x Hypnum cupressiforme (Cypress-leaved Plait-Moss)
Liverworts Marchantiophyta 0 0 No observations this month
Hornworts Anthocerotophyta 0 0 No observations this month
Flowering Plants: Dicots Magnoliopsida 541 189 30 x Banksia marginata (Silver Banksia)
Flowering Plants: Monocots Liliopsida 104 43 11 x Xanthorrhoea caespitosa (Sand-heath Grasstree)
Conifers Pinopsida 7 3 36 x Callitris gracilis (Slender Cypress-Pine)
Ferns Polypodiopsida 8 1 8 x Pteridium esculentum (Austral Bracken)
Other Kingdoms
Bacteria Bacteria 0 0 No observations this month
Protozoans Protozoa 1 1 1 x Fuligo septica (Dog Vomit Slime Mold)
Kelp & Diatoms Chromista 28 11 4 x Hydroclathrus clathratus
Fungi Fungi 39 14 5 x Ramboldia laeta

All Observations in South Australia

Common Name Taxon Observations Species All Time Most Observed
Vertebrates
Birds Aves 17,866 308 880 x Gymnorhina tibicen (Magpie)
Mammals Mammalia 2,194 57 512 x Macropus fuliginosus (Western Grey Kangaroo)
Reptiles Reptilia 1,666 111 314 x Tiliqua rugosa (Shingleback Lizard)
Amphibians Amphibia 179 14 41 x Crinia signifera (Common Eastern Froglet)
Ray-finned Fishes Actinopterygii 4,979 241 194 x Cheilodactylus nigripes (Magpie Perch)
Cartilaginous Fishes Elasmobranchii 233 20 68 x Heterodontus portusjacksoni (Port Jackson Shark)
Insects
Flies Diptera 1,217 141 53 x Aedes camptorhynchus (southern saltmarsh mosquito)
Dragonflies & Damselflies Odonata 613 33 108 x Orthetrum caledonicum (Blue Skimmer)
Beetles Coleoptera xxx 280 100 x Harmonia conformis (Large Spotted Ladybird Beetle)
Bees, Ants & Wasps Hymenoptera 2,205 165 397 x Apis mellifera (European Honey Bee)
Butterflies & Moths Lepidoptera 3,059 448 227 x Heteronympha merope (Common Brown)
Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids Orthoptera 34 13 37 x Phaulacridium vittatum (Wingless Grasshopper)
Earwigs Dermaptera 56 4 9 x Forficula auricularia (European Earwig)
Antlions, Lacewings, & Allies Neuroptera 143 16 14 x Myrmeleon sp.
Stick Insects Phasmida 33 11 13 x Ctenomorpha marginipennis (Margin-winged Stick Insect)
Barklice & Booklice Psocodea 6 2 6 x Pediculus humanus ssp. capitis (Human Head Louse)
Caddisflies Trichoptera 17 1 1 x Leptoceridae sp. (Long-horned Caddisflies)
Cockroaches & Termites Blattodea 209 27 12 x Drymaplaneta communis (Common Shining Cockroach)
Mantises Mantodea 123 10 58 x Archimantis sobrina (Mallee Grass Mantis)
True Bugs, Hoppers & Aphids Hemiptera 741 129 47 x Choerocoris paganus (Red Jewel Bug)
Other Animals
Mollusc Mollusca 2,848 338 91 x Lunella undulata (Common Warrener)
Echinoderms Echinodermata 1,034 69 132 x Tosia australis (Common Biscuit Star)
Comb Jellies Ctenophora 6 2 5 x Coeloplana scaberiae
Cnidarians Cnidaria 612 47 76 x Plesiastrea versipora (Green Coral)
Bryozoans Bryozoa 204 22 42 x Celleporaria sp.
Sponges Porifera 1,027 37 46 x Holopsamma laminaefavosa (Cream Honeycomb Sponge)
Flatworms Platyhelminthes 47 15 6 x Cycloporus sp.
Ribbon Worms Nemertea 28 4 6 x Baseodiscus delineatus
Hemichordates Hemichordata 8 2 4 x Saccoglossus otagoensis
Peanut Worms Sipuncula 4 2 1 x Phascolosoma agassizii (Pacific Peanut Worm)
Crustacean Crustacea 1,237 119 81 x Portunus armatus (Australian Blue Swimmer Crab)
Sea Squirts Tunicata 1,124 82 86 x Herdmania grandis (Mauve-mouth Ascidian)
Clitellates Clitellata 24 5 3 x Eisenia fetida (Redworm)
Polychaete Worms Polychaeta 257 39 33 x Sabella spallanzanii (Mediterranean Fanworm)
Springtails Entognatha 6 3 2 x Hypogastruridae sp.
Sea Spiders Pycnogonida 5 3 2 x Anoplodactylus evansi (Evan's Sea Spider)
Centipedes Chilopoda 101 8 24 x Cormocephalus aurantiipes (Orange-footed Centipede)
Millipedes Diplopoda 173 4 133 x Ommatoiulus moreleti (Portuguese Millipede)
Spiders, Scorpions & Mites Arachnida 1,771 179 72 x Latrodectus hasselti (Redback Spider)
Plants
Red Algae Rhodophyta 453 36 17 x Asparagopsis sp.
Green Algae Chlorophyta 298 26 33 x Caulerpa brownii (Sea Rimu)
Mosses Bryophyta 343 38 32 x Hypnum cupressiforme (Cypress-leaved Plait-Moss)
Liverworts Marchantiophyta 77 10 17 x Fossombronia sp. (Frillworts)
Hornworts Anthocerotophyta 3 1 3 x Phaeoceros sp.
Flowering Plants: Dicots Magnoliopsida 13,593 1,190 395 x Drosera whittakeri (Whittaker's Sundew)
Flowering Plants: Monocots Liliopsida 4,846 361 177 x Xanthorrhoea semiplana
Conifers Pinopsida 160 18 36 x Callitris gracilis (Slender Cypress-Pine)
Ferns Polypodiopsida 363 20 120 x Pteridium esculentum (Austral Bracken)
Other Kingdoms
Bacteria Bacteria 16 1 2 x Nostoc commune (Star Jelly)
Protozoans Protozoa 26 5 7 x Fuligo septica (Dog Vomit Slime Mold)
Kelp & Diatoms Chromista 637 43 70 x Ecklonia radiata (Common Kelp)
Fungi Fungi 1,572 180 34 x Lichenomphalia chromacea

(Data used for this post taken on the 3rd of February. It excludes any observations from January that are uploaded after this date)

Posted on February 3, 2020 11:45 AM by cobaltducks cobaltducks

Comments

Great information Geoff!

Posted by saltmarshsteve about 4 years ago

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