Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Common Shrub Frog (Pseudophilautus popularis)

English : Common Shrub Frog
Binomial Name : Pseudophilautus popularis / Philautus popularis
Sinhala : සුලභ පඳුරු මැඩියා [Sulabha panduru mediya]
P. popularis is an endemic shrub frog restricted to wet zone of Sri Lanka. In IUCN red list this frog is concerned as 'Least Concern' due to its abundance and adaptability. According to IUCN Red List, Agro chemical pollution and rapid urbanization have become the main threats for this species.

Sunday, April 27, 2014

White Four-ring (Ypthima ceylonica)


Appears on 1000 rupee note
English : White Four-ring
Binomial Name : Ypthima ceylonica
White Four-ring is a butterfly lives in India and all parts of Sri Lanka. It can be seen in home gardens and grasslands. Y. ceylonica appears on the new 1000 rupee currency note of Sri Lanka.

Montane Frog (Fejervarya greenii)


English: Montane Frog
Binomial Name : Fejervarya greenii / Zakerana greenii 
Sinhala : ලංකා කඳුකර දිය මැඩියා [Lanka kandukara diya mediya]
F. greenii is an endemic frog living in central highlands of Sri Lanka. Restricted to highlands with the elevation above the sea level is between 1700m to 2135m. It is a common frog in Horton National Park.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Strobilanthes viscosa


English : Strobilanthes
Binomial Name : Strobilanthes viscosa
Sinhala : නෙළු [Nelu]
An endemic species of Strobilanthes that grows in highlands of Sri Lanka.Not like other species of Strabilanthes, S. viscosa is said to be flowering annually. Strobilanthes viscosa comes in two varieties. Var. viscosa that grows in high altitude mountain zones and variant digitalis grows in lower elevations.

White-browed Bulbul (Pycnonotus luteolus)


English : White-browed Bulbul  
Binomial Name : Pycnonotus luteolus  
Sinhala : බැමසුදු කොණ්ඩයා [Bema sudu kondaya]
This bird can be seen in all zones of Sri Lanka. It is a noisy bird that lives in secoundary forests, scrubs, cultivations and home gardens. Apart form Sri Lanka it lives in India.

Mountain Reedling (Indolestes gracilis gracilis)

Male
Mating
Juvenile

English : Mountain Reedling
Binomial Name : Indolestes gracilis gracilis
Mountain Reedling is a dragonfly endemic to Sri Lanka. It can be seen in ponds and lakes of central hills. Normally males come with blue color and females are less bright in color.

Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot (Loriculus beryllinus)

Usually hangs upside down by feet
Appearance
on 1000 rupee currency note

English : Sri Lanka Hanging Parrot / Ceylon Lorikeet 
Binomial Name : Loriculus beryllinus
Sinhala : ගිරාමලිත්තා / පොල් ගිරවා [Gira Maliththa / Pol Girawa]
An endemic bird of Sri Lanka that can be seen in low country and hill country elevation above the sea level is lesser than 1200 meters. This strictly arboreal bird feeds on fruits, seeds and nectar of flowers. It has been observed that this bird drink toddy collected on toddy pots during toddy tapping season of coconut trees. It is given the name 'Hanging Parrot' due to the habit of roosting and feeding with its head down like a bat. It appears on the new 1000 rupee currency note of Sri Lanka.

Friday, April 25, 2014

Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe)


English : Common Grass Yellow
Binomial Name : Eurema hecabe
Common Grass Yellow butterfly lives in Asia and Africa. In Sri Lanka they have been distributed across all parts of the country.

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Small Grass Yellow (Eurema brigitta)

English : Small Grass Yellow
Binomial Name : Eurema brigitta
E. brigitta is a butterfly belongs to Pieridae family. It lives in Asia, Australia and Africa. More than ten sub species exist and the one that lives in Sri Lanka is E.brigitta rubella. It can be found in grass lands and home gardens of hill country.

Mountain Hourglass Treefrog (Taruga eques)

In transition between tadpole and frog
Male
Female

English : Mountain Hourglass Treefrog / Günther's Whipping Frog
Binomial Name : Taruga eques / Polypedates eques
Sinhala : කඳුකර ගස් මැඩියා
T. eques is an endemic frog restricted to central hills elevation between 1200-2130 meters above the sea level of Sri Lanka . An hour-glass shaped marking can be seen on dorsum.

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Indian Palm Bob (Suastus gremius)


English : Indian Palm Bob / Palm Bob
Binomial Name : Suastus gremius
Indian Palm Bob is a butterfly lives in India and Sri Lanka. It can be commonly seen in Sri Lanka except central highlands.

Friday, April 11, 2014

Black Prince (Rohana parisatis)

Male

English : Black Prince
Binomial Name : Rohana parisatis
Black prince is a species of butterfly lives in Asia. Upper side of the male is black and female has the color of yellowish brown. Male has three tiny white apical spots. In Sri Lanka it is uncommon and can be seen in dense forests of hill country.

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Pied Bushchat (Saxicola caprata)


Male
Female
Female

English : Pied Bushchat
Binomial Name : Saxicola caprata 
Sinhala : ගෝමර සිටිබිච්චා
Resident breeder lives in West Asia and Central Asia to the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They can be seen in hill country of Sri Lanka. Male birds comes in black color and females are brownish. Many subspecies of this bird has been recognized and the S.ccaprata subsp.atratus is restricted to Sri Lanka.