Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Dull-green shrub frog (Pseudophilautus viridis)


English: Dull-green shrub frog
Binomial: Pseudophilautus viridis
Sinhala: අඳුරු කොළ පඳුරු මැඩියා[Anduru kola panduru madiya]

Pseudophilautus viridis is an endemic species of frog restricted to central highlands of Sri Lanka. Occurs in the elevations between 1555m to 1830m above the sea level. No water is required to lay eggs. They deposit eggs in a hole excavated by the female in the wet soil of the forest floor. Habitat loss and agricultural activities has become a major threat for this frog. IUCN Red list status of P. viridis is 'Endangered'.

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Dendrobium panduratum


Binomial Name: Dendrobium panduratum/Callista pandurata 

Dendrobium panduratum is a wild orchid found in India and Sri Lanka. In Sri Lanka, it grows in lowland wet and submontane zones.

Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Corrugated water frog (Lankanectes corrugatus)


Watch below video to listen the call
English: Corrugated water frog/ Sri Lanka wart frog
Binomial Name: Lankanectes corrugatus
Sinhala: වක රැලි දිය මැඩියා[Waka reli diya mediya]

Endemic but common frog found in law-land and montane zone of Sri Lannka. L. corrugatus is the only member of genus Lankanectes and the only member of Lankanectinae sub family. They only live in running and still water bodies. They can be easily identified by their corrugated/folded skin of the dorsum. Living places can be identified by the unique call, "Urrm". IUCN Red List status of this frog is 'Least Concern'.

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Red-striped Threadtail (Elattoneura tenax)


English: Red-striped Threadtail
Binomial Name: Elattoneura tenax

Endemic and rare to find damselfly of Sri Lanka. It has been recorded from lowland wet-zone and from hill country. IUCN red list status of this damselfly is 'Vulnerable'.

Cyathea crinita


Binomial Name: Cyathea crinita
Sinhala: ගිනිහොට[Ginihota]

Cyathea crinita is a tree fern restricted to Western Ghats of India and Sri Lanka. Grows in cool and wet places. In Sri lanka mostly found in Nuwaraeliya district where the elevation above the sea level is greater than 1500m. IUCN Red list status is 'Endangered'.

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Jungle Threadtail (Elattoneura caesia)

Male

English: Jungle Threadtail
Binomial Name: Elattoneura caesia

Jungle Threadtail is a rare and endemic damselfly of Sri Lanka. Mostly restricted to the wet zone. Above photo was taken close to a stream inside a rain forest. Male can be identified by dark colored body and light blue pruinescence on the thorax. IUCN Red List status of this damselfly is 'Endangered'.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Dark-glittering Threadtail (Elattoneura centralis)

Male
Mating, Left - Male, Right - Female

English: Dark-glittering Threadtail
Binomial Name: Elattoneura centralis

Dark-glittering Threadtail is an endemic common dragonfly found in Sri Lanka. Its population has been distributed in wet zone, dry zone and also in hill country. Male has a body with a metallic purple gloss which cant be seen in females. Above photographs were taken close to a branch of Kalu river in Rathnapura district in the month of April, 2015. Currently it has been categorized as 'Least Concern' in IUCN Red List.

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Sri Lanka Orange-billed babbler (Turdoides rufescens)

Orange Billed Babbler in 100 rupee note

English: Orange-billed babbler/Sri Lankan rufous babbler/Ceylon rufous babbler
Binomal Name: Turdoides rufescens
Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකා රතු දෙමලිච්චා[Sri Lanka rathu demalichcha]

Orange-billed babbler is an endemic resident breeder of Sri Lanka. Restricted to wet zone forests. But can be seen in home gardens close to undisturbed forests. It lives in flocks and can be identified by noisy behavior. This bird is a common member of mixed species feeding flocks of Sinharaja.

Friday, April 3, 2015

Common Pierrot (Castalius rosimon)

English: Common Pierrot
Binomial Name: Castalius rosimon

Common Pierrot is a widely distributed butterfly found in South Asian countries. It can be found in all environmental regions of Sri Lanka except central highlands.

Kirtisinghe's frog (Zakerana kirtisinghei)


English: Kirtisinghe's frog
Binomial Name: Fejervarya kirtisinghei/Zakerana kirtisinghei
Sinhala: කීර්තිසිංහගේ මැඩියා[Kirtisinghe madiya]

An endemic widely distributed common frog found in Sri Lanka. Population has been distributed in the altitude range of 150-1580m. Adults are semi-aquatic. In IUCN Red List it is listed in 'Least Concern' category. Agrochemical pollution has become the major threat for this species.

Angled Pierrot (Caleta decidia)


English: Angled Pierrot
Binomial Name: Caleta decidia

A butterfly mainly found in wet zone forests of Sri Lanka. Host plants belong to Rhamnaceae family. Its population has been distributed in many other Asian countries.

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Spot winged Ground Thrush (Zoothera spiloptera)


English: Spot-winged thrush/Spot winged Ground Thrush
Binomial Name: Zoothera spiloptera/Geokichla spiloptera
Sinhala: පුල්ලි වල් අවිච්චියා / ශ්‍රී ලංකා තිත්පිය තිරාසිකයා [Pulli wal awichchiya / Sri Lannka thithpiya thirasikaya]

Endemic species of bird found mainly in wet zone of Sri Lanka. Rare to find in dry zone. Feed mainly on insects and sometimes on fruits. Above photographs were taken at Sinharaja rain forest when the bird is feeding on the ground in the leaf litter.

Malaxis thwaitesii

Grows on wet surfaces of stones
Seed capsules

Binomial Name: Malaxis thwaitesii

Malaxis thwaitesii is an endemic rare to find wild orchid grows in lowland wet zone forests of Sri Lanka. Most of the time it can be seen on wet surfaces of stones close to water streams.