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Beetles & arachnids
Fog-basking beetle
Fog-basking beetle · Onymacris unguicularis
The fog-basking beetle survives in the Namib desert by collecting water from fog droplets, enabling it to cope with the extreme dryness.
Fact file
- Size
- Around 2 to 3 cm long, compact, flat body shape
- Males and females
- Sexes can only be distinguished under the microscope
- Sounds
- Silent, does not communicate through sounds
- Diet
- Drinks water from fog and feeds on plant remains
- Offspring
- Lays eggs in moist sand in late summer
How to identify Fog-basking beetle
The fog-basking beetle appears in matt black with an oval, smooth body shape. Its legs are long and strong, and the abdomen tapers towards the rear. Its low body height is striking, giving it a compact, almost flattened profile.
At a size of about two to three centimetres, the fog-basking beetle often goes unnoticed in the sand. Characteristic features are the wing cases angled upwards and its movable antennae. There are no visible patterns; the black colouring protects it from the sun’s heat.
More in the app
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- general viewing tips
Where Fog-basking beetle live
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Photo credits: Nebeltrinkerkäfer von Marielle Janotta