Lestinogomphus angustus, Martin, 1911

Riddle of the day: What does today's featured creature share with whale sharks and dogfish?

No, it's not a cartilaginous fish. It shares a misleading name, although in this case it's the Latinate generic name, Lestinogomphus, derived from Lestes and Gomphus, the type genera of the Spreadwing Damselflies (Lestidae) and the Clubtail Dragonflies (Gomphidae), respectively. As with dogfish and whale sharks, the second one is the actual affiliation. 

Behold, then, the common fairytail dragonfly:

 

Photographed in near Chombe, in the Kafue National Park, in October 2011, Using and Olympus E-420 with Zuiko 40-150mm lens and 1 KOOD magnifier.

It's not a great photograph, and I would have tried for a better one but, having a perfectly rational fear of crocodiles, I was uncomfortable keeping my back to the Kafue for more than a few seconds at a time.  

This delightfully odd dragonfly, which we've already established is the common (or spined) fairytail, is also known as 

Lestinogomphus angustus

Martin, 1911

As with all dragonflies I'm aware of, it is harmless - there is no sting in that tail - but can deliver a painful (but venomless) nip if handled.   

 - Gomphini

- Gomphinae

- Gomphidae  

- Aeshnoidea    

- Anisoptera       

- See also Rhyothemis semihyalina.

- Epiprocta             

- Odonata                 

- See also Pseudagrion hageni and Enallagma cyathigerum.

- Holodonata                

- Odonatoptera               

- Manopterygota               

- See also Metisella willemi, Acada biseriata, Anthocharis cardamines, Laelia robusta, Zebronia phenice, Crambus pascuella, Senaspis haemorrhoa, Helophilus pendulus, Episyrphus balteatus, Diasemopsis meigenii, Dolichotachina caudata, Megistocera filipes, Metadon inermis, Panorpa germanica, Melolontha melolontha, Malachius bipustulatus, Demetrias atricapillus, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Cheilomenes lunata, Anthia fornasiini, Oedemera noobilis, Synagris proserpina, Vespula germanica, Astata tropicalis, Andrena nigroaenea, Hagenomyia tristis, Pephricus, Anoplocnemis curvipes, Ranatra, Grypocoris stysi, Cyathosternum prehensile, Lobosceliana loboscelis, Stictogryllacris punctata, Sibylla and Humbe tenuicornis.

- Pterygota                                        

- Dicondylia                                        

- Insecta                                                 

- Hexapoda                                               

- Arthropoda                                               

- See also Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus, Alopecosa barbipes, Enoplognatha ovata, Argiope bruennichi and Hyllus argyrotoxus.

- Ecdysozoa                                                       

- Protostomia                                                       

- Nephrozoa                                                             

- See also Zootoca vivipara, Trachylepis varia, Lygodactylus capensis, Thelotornis capensis, Burhinus vermiculatus, Sterna hirundo, Ardea goliath, Chalcophaps indica, Troglodytes troglodytes, Hipposideros vittatus, Chiromantis xerampelina, Rana temporaria and Synchiropus splendidus.

- Bilateralia                                                                         

- Eumetazoa                                                                            

- Animalia                                                                                    

- Eukaryota                                                                                                            

And it might not be much, but that is all, folks! 

As previously mentioned, the best place online to go for african dragonflies is the aptly names Africa Dragonfly, although use with caution, as the moderators may occasionally let though a misidentified image... Warwick Tarboton's page on dragonflies of South Africa also seems good, although I've yet to explore it fully...

Burhinus vermiculatus (Cabanis, 1868)

Another vertebrate - and quite a small image:

Photographed near Chumba, Central Province, Zambia, in October 2011, using an Olympus E-420 with a Zuiko 40-150mm lens

 This rather cynical looking bird is the Water Dikkop (or, for purist Anglophones, Water Thick-Knee),

Burhinus vermiculatus

(Cabanis, 1868)

 It seems worthy of note that the Afrikaans Dikkop does not mean thick-knee, but thick-head. Something else that's been lost in translation.

I'm going into the taxonomy now. I may be some time; 

 - Burhinidae  
- Chionidi         
 - Charadriiformes

See also Sterna hirundo

- Neoaves               

See also Ardea goliath and  Chalcophaps indica

- Neognathae            
- Neornithes                
- Euornithes                   
 - Aves                               
- Maniraptora                     
- Coelurosauria                     
- Tetanurae                                             
 - Therapoda                              
- Saurischia                                 
- Dinosauria                                   
 - Avemetatarsalia                             
 - Archosauria                                     
 - Archosauromorpha                           
- Sauria                                                  

See also Trachylepis varia, Lygodactylus capensis and Thelotornis capensis

- Diapsida                                                
 - Romeriida                                               
 - Reptilia                                                     
- Amniota                                                      

See also Hipposideros vittatus

- Reptiliomorpha                                             

- Tetrapoda                                                        

See also Chiromantis xerampelina

- Sarcopterygii                                                    

- Osteichthys                                                         

See also Synchiropus splendidus

- Teleostomi                                                            

- Gnathostomata                                                       

- Vertebrata                                                                

- Craniata                                                                     

- Chordata                                                                      

- Deuterostomia                                                               

- Nephrozoa                                                                        

See also Hyllus argyrotoxus, Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus, Enoplognatha ovata, Argiope bruennichi, Enallagma cyathigerum, Rhyothemis semihyalina, Pseudagrion hageni,Cyathosternum prehensile, Lobosceliana loboscelis, Sibylla, Stictogryllacris punctata, Pephricus, Anoplocnemis curvipes, Ranatra , Hagenomyia tristis, Vespula germanica, Synagris proserpina, Astata tropicalis, Melolontha melolontha, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Malachius bipustulatus, Demetrias atricapillus, Dolichotachina caudata, Anthia fornasiini .Zebronia phenice Laelia robusta, Anthocharis cardamines, Panorpa germanica, Megistocera filipes, Senaspis haemorrhoa, Episyrphus balteatus, Helophilus pendulus, Diasemopsis meigenii, Crambus pascuella, and Acada biseriata

- Bilateralia                                                                                 

- Eumetazoa                                                                                   

- Animalia                                                                                         

- Eukaryota                                  


And that's all, folks!

Ardea goliath, Cretzschmar, 1827

I'm a little ashamed... two vertebrates in three posts... and both of them in the same class....

Suffice to say that recent posting is not representative of species diversity.

Anyhow, on with the cinema of shame...

 - Eukaryota
   - Animalia
     - Eumetazoa
       - Bilateralia
         - Nephrozoa -see also Ligia oceanica, Dicranopalpus ramosus, Hyllus argyrotoxus, Pseudagrion hageni, Sybilla, Stictogryllacris punctata, Cyathosternum prehensile, Pephricus, Anoplocnemis curvipes, Hagenomyia tristis, Synagris proserpina, Melolontha melolontha, Otiorhynchus atroapterus, Demetrias atricapillus, Anthia fornasinii, Zebronia phenice, Laelia robusta, Anthocharis cardamines, Acada biseriata, Panorpa germanica, Megistocera filipes, Diasemopsis meigenii, Episyrphus balteatus, Helophus pendulus and Senaspis haemorrhoa
           - Deuterostomia
             - Chordata
               - Craniata
                 - Vertebrata
                   - Gnathostomata
                     - Teleostomi
                       - Osteichthyes
                         - Sarcopterygii
                           - Tetrapoda
                             - Reptiliomorpha
                               - Amniota - see also Hipposideros vittatus.
                                 - Reptilia
                                   - Romeriida
                                     - Diapsida
                                       - Sauria - see also Thelotornis capensis and Lygodactylus capensis.
                                         - Archosauromorpha
                                           - Archosauria
                                             - Avemetatarsalia
                                               - Dinosauria
                                                 - Saurischia
                                                   - Therapoda
                                                     - Tetanurae
                                                       - Coelurosauria
                                                         - Maniraptora
                                                           - Aves
                                                             - Euornithes
                                                               - Neornithes
                                                                 - Neognathae
                                                                   - Neoaves - see also Chalcophaps indica and  Sterna hirundo.
                                                                     - Pelecaniformes
                                                                       - Ardeidae
                                                                         - Ardeinae
                                                                       

Ardea goliath

Cretzschmar, 1827

 As its specific epithet (goliath) suggests, this is a big bird, next to which the - itself respectably sized - grey heron (Ardea cinerea) seemed the size of a little egret. Distributed throughout the less populous parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and photographed on the Kafue river (nr. Chumbe, Central Province, Zambia in October 2011). 

That's all, folks.