These are often the result of iron, and can indicate the presence of iron-oxidizing bacteria.
Mine is this oneā¦ It is probably form a plant, but maybe also a mushroom ?
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/132386214
@DianaStuder may have the link to one of the great unknowns of all time. We argued for the longest time about what kingdom the thing was in.
1 Like
The Madagascan silk angels from Len de Beer.
And he has since found more species!
1 Like
Could you provide a link?
1 Like
My only unknown: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/246217078
Yes sorry - had just found it again for this thread.
That was one of finest examples of iNat taxon specialists graciously refuting
ā¦ not ā¦ because ā¦
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/106687320
New species being described.
That first one was the most beautiful!
But there are now many more.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?q=Madagascar%20silk%20angel%20moth&search_on=tags
4 Likes
I looked through these observations just now. What amazing creatures! :D
I especially like the slightly spiky one. Silk angel is such a beautiful name too. I hope their scientific name (if it is a monophyletic group) will include this
2 Likes
And now I have your undivided attention - what about this curiously radially symmetrical āsomething on a leafā from my - What on earth even is that?! - trawl across GSB (Such a relief to get back to familiar faces on my Cape Peninsula!)
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/246092789
PS could it be as simple as fallen flowers from something nearby? That could explain the radial symmetry.
3 Likes
These arenāt totally āunknownā, but a student and I found a fair number of weird probably-arthropod related things on trees we were sampling this summer. Many of the ones in here are galls, which are less mysterious, but I couldnāt come up with an easy URL to exclude those because we otherwise donāt have many āEvidence of Presenceā annotations. Anyway, here they are: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?lrank=order&project_id=arthropod-constructs-colonizers-census-project&without_taxon_id=47157
2 Likes