Beddome's cat snake (Boiga beddomei)

English: Beddome's cat snake
Binomial: Boiga beddomei
Sinhala: කහ මාපිලා[Kaha mapila]

Beddome's cat snake is a nocturnal and mostly arboreal colubrine snake found in Sri Lanka and India. It is considered to be mildly venomous. Above photographed one was found in a wet zone forest  of Sri Lanka in December, 2015.

Rhynchoglossum notonianum

Binomial: Rhynchoglossum notonianum
Sinhala: දියනිල්ල[Diyanilla]

It is an indigenous plant found in Sri Lanka and some other Asian countries. It is grown in hill country and mostly found close to water streams. Above photographs were taken close to a stream in Badulla district where elevation above the sea level is about 790m.

Kandyan Shrub Frog (Pseudophilautus rus)

English: Kandyan Shrub Frog
Binomial: Pseudophilautus rus
Sinhala: නුවර පඳුරු මැඩියා[Nuwara panduru madiya]

Pseudophilautus rus is an endemic species of frog found in wet zone of Sri Lanka. Lives many in wet zone forests and also close to human habitats. It was first described from Kandy district that caused the name 'Kandyan Shrub frog'. IUCN Red List status is 'Near Threatened'. Habitat loss and agrochemicals are considered to be the main treats for the existence of this species. 

References: Manamendra-Arachchi, K., and Pethiyagoda, R. (2005). ''The Sri Lankan shrub-frogs of the genus Philautus Gistel, 1848 (Ranidae: Rhacophorinae), with description of 27 new species.'' Raffles Bulletin of Zoology, Supplement 12, 163-303.
Sri Lankawe Ubhayajeeven - Rohan Pethiyagoda/Kelum Manamendra-arachchi.

Dendrobium nutantiflorum

Binomial: Dendrobium nutantiflorum

Dendrobium nutantiflorum is a wild orchid found in montane and submontane zone forests of Sri Lanka. Above photographs were taken in April (2015) that might be the flowering season of the plant.

Reference: An Annotated Checklist of the Orchids of Sri Lanka, Samantha Suranjan Fernando and Paul Ormerod

Indian Cupid (Everes lacturnus)

English: Indian Cupid/Oriental Cupid
Binomial: Everes lacturnus

It is a widely distributed butterfly found in Sri Lanka and some other Asian countries. Colour pattern of the wings are similar to Chilades pandava. Host plants belong to fabaceae family. Above was photographed at Makandawa rain forest, Kithulgala.

Hollow-snouted srub frog (Pseudophilautus cavirostris)

English: Hollow-snouted srub frog
Binomial: Pseudophilautus cavirostris
Sinhala: හිරිගඩු පඳුරු මැඩියා[Hirigadu panduru madiya]

Pseudophilautus cavirostris is an endemic species of shrub frog restricted to the wet zone rain forests where there is a good canopy cover. Mostly lives on mossy leaves of trees, stems and wet rock surfaces. Well camouflaged body makes it difficult to identify at once for their predators. physique is similar to Pseudophilautus schmarda and to Pseudophilautus decoris who's distribution is restricted to the central highlands and to the Rakwana highlands respectively. But the population of p.cavirostris has been extended to lowland rain forests also. IUCN Red List status of this frog is 'Endangered'. Habitat loss and agro-chemicals are considered to be the main threats for the existence of this frog.

Reference: Sri Lankawe Ubhayajeeven - Rohan Pethiyagoda/Kelum Manamendra-arachchi

Pethiyagoda’s Crestless Lizard (Calotes pethiyagodai)

Male

Male

Female

Female

English: Pethiyagoda’s Crestless Lizard
Binomial: Calotes pethiyagodai
Sinhala: පෙතියාගොඩගේ නොසිලු කටුස්සා[Pethiyagodage nosilu katussa]

Pethiyagoda’s Crestless Lizard is an endemic species of lizards found in Sri Lankan highlands. Population of this newly described species(2014) has been restricted to the higher elevations of Knuckles mountain range(>900 meters). Species name pethiyagodai was given for this lizard to honor Mr. Rohan Pethiyagoda for his contribution for the conservation of biodiversity of the country. Above photographs were taken at Knuckles mountain range in November, 2015.

References:
https://window2nature.wordpress.com/2014/04/11/garden-lizard-gains-an-elite-relative-from-knuckles/ http://mapress.com/zootaxa/2014/f/z03785p078f.pdf