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Monday, 17 July 2023

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - BAMBOO ORCHID (Arundina graminifolia)


Arundina graminifolia is a species of orchid and the sole accepted species of the genus Arundina. This tropical Asiatic genus extends from Myanmar, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand, Vietnam, the Ryukyu Islands, Malaysia, Singapore, China to Indonesia, the Philippines and New Guinea. It has become naturalized in Réunion, Fiji, French Polynesia, Micronesia, the West Indies, Costa Rica, Panama, Belize, and Hawaii. It is also called bamboo orchid.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - BURMESE ENGRAILED MOTH (Ectropis bhurmitra)


Ectropis bhurmitra, the tea twig caterpillar, is a moth of the family Geometridae. The species was first described by Francis Walker in 1860. A widespread Asian species, it is found around Indo-Australian tropics from India, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong, Taiwan, Thailand, New Guinea to Australian Queensland and the Solomon Islands. 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - BALSAM (mpatiens walleriana)


Impatiens walleriana (syn. Impatiens sultanii), also known as busy Lizzie (British Isles), balsam, sultana, or simply impatiens, is a species of the genus Impatiens, native to eastern Africa from Kenya to Mozambique. The Latin specific epithet walleriana honours a British missionary, Horace Waller (1833–1896). 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - JEWEL DAMSELFLY (Rhinoneura villosipes)


Rhinoneura villosipes is a species of jewel damselfly in the family Chlorocyphidae.

The IUCN conservation status of Rhinoneura villosipes is "VU", vulnerable. The species faces a high risk of endangerment in the medium term.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - GEOMETER MOTH (Genus Orthocabera)


Orthocabera is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae. 

It is found in Sri Lanka, Japan, China, India and Taiwan.

Sunday, 16 July 2023

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - JEWEL DAMSELFLY (Rhinoneura villosipes)


Rhinoneura villosipes is a species of jewel damselfly in the family Chlorocyphidae.

The IUCN conservation status of Rhinoneura villosipes is "VU", vulnerable. The species faces a high risk of endangerment in the medium term.


 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - PLAIN HEDGE BLUE BUTTERFLY (Celastrina lavendularis)


Celastrina lavendularis, the plain hedge blue, is a small butterfly found in Sri Lanka, India, and Indomalayan realm that belongs to the lycaenids or blues family.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - COMMANDER BUTTERFLY (Moduza procris)

Moduza procris, the commander, sometimes included in the genus Limenitis, is a medium-sized, strikingly coloured brush-footed butterfly found in South Asia and Southeast Asia. It is notable for the mode of concealment employed by its caterpillar and the cryptic camouflage of its pupa.


16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - COMMON SUN SKINK (Eutropis multifasciata)


 Eutropis multifasciata, commonly known as the East Indian brown mabuya, many-lined sun skink, many-striped skink, common sun skink or (ambiguously) as golden skink, is a species of skink.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - COMMON MAPWING BUTTERFLY (Cyrestis maenalis)

Cyrestis maenalis, the common mapwing, is a species of butterfly of the family Nymphalidae. It is found in South-East Asia.



 

24-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU, BORNEO - ASHY DRONGO (Dicrurus leucophaeus) COURTESY OF MRS VALERIE FISHER

The ashy drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus) is a species of bird in the drongo family Dicruridae. It is found widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia with several populations that vary in the shade of grey, migration patterns and in the size or presence of white patches around the eye.

The ashy drongo has short legs and sits very upright while perched prominently, often high on a tree. It is insectivorous and forages by making aerial sallies but sometimes gleans from tree trunks. They are found singly, in pairs or small groups. During migration they fly in small flocks.


 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - BORNEO BLACK BANDED SQUIRREL (Callosciurus orestes)


The Borneo black-banded squirrel (Callosciurus orestes) is a species of rodent in the family Sciuridae. It is endemic to northern Borneo.

This species is found in northern Borneo at middle elevations (Payne et al. 1985). It was known from G. Dulit (above 1,000 metres (3,300 ft)) and reported from similar altitude on Usun Apau, the Kelabit Highlands and the upper S. Terusan, all montane localities in northern Sarawak. It was also known from Mount Kinabalu (1,000–1,700 metres (3,300–5,600 ft)) and Mount Trusmadi (about 1,500 metres (4,900 ft)) in Sabah. It appears to be restricted to lower montane forest and to upper dipterocarp forest.


The upper part is finely speckled brown. A pale buffy spot behind each ears. The underside is grey, sometimes with a reddish tinge. It also has a black and buffy-white side stripe. Callosciurus orestes is diurnal. They are active in small to medium-sized trees. Recently, fruit and black ants were found out in the two species of Mount Kinabalu.


 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - TEMMINCK'S SUNBIRD (Aethopyga temminckii)


 Temminck's sunbird (Aethopyga temminckii) is a species of sunbird. It is found in up to 1800 m altitude in Borneo, Sumatra, West Malaysia, and south west Thailand in tropical moist montane forests.

This bird's common name and Latin binomial commemorate the Dutch aristocrat and zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck.

The Temminck's sunbird is 10 cm (female) -12.5 cm (male) long. The longer-tailed male is mostly scarlet, except for a greyish belly, yellow and purple bands between the back and tail, and four purple bands on the head emanating from the beak. The female is drab olive, except for rufous fringes to the wing and tail feathers.



16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - GOLDEN NAPED BARBET (Psilopogon pulcherrimus)


Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is endemic to the island of Borneo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest.

Medium-sized bird (20-21.5 cm); overall stocky built. Bill- thick and distinctive. Body coloration, primarily green. Wings having darker shade of green compared to underparts. Azure blue on forehead, extending up to nape; blue coloration on throat. Small but distinct yellow nape forms a collar. A distinctive black band from the base of bill to eye. Black pupils. Black mandibles. Greyish green tarsus.


The golden-naped barbet (Psilopogon pulcherrimus) is a member of the family Megalaimidae. It is found in Endemic to lowland and montane forests of Borneo. It is presumably a resident species in this region. Most often reported from Mount Kinabalu and Trus Madi south to Mulu and Murud.

Primarily feeds on fruits and berries. Occasionally takes insects like other barbet species. They are often found foraging in the mid-storey layer of the forest and are known to nest in tree cavities. 

6-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - MELASTOMES (Medinilla speciosa)


Medinilla speciosa is a perennial epiphytic plant in the genus Medinilla of the family Melastomataceae.

Medinilla is named for José de Medinilla y Pineda, who was governor of Mauritius (then known as the Marianne Islands) in 1820. 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - GEOMETER MOTH (Genus Ourapteryx)

The geometer moths are moths belonging to the family Geometridae of the insect order Lepidoptera, the moths and butterflies. Their scientific name derives from the Ancient Greek γεω (geo) (derivative form of γῆ or γαῖα "the earth"), and μέτρον (métron) "measure" in reference to the way their larvae, or inchworms, appear to measure the earth as they move along in a looping fashion. Geometridae is a very large family, containing around 23,000 described species; over 1400 species from six subfamilies are indigenous to North America alone. A well-known member is the peppered moth, Biston betularia, which has been the subject of numerous studies in population genetics. Several other geometer moths are notorious pests.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - GEOMETER MOTH (Thinopteryx crocoptera)


Thinopteryx crocoptera is a moth of the family Geometridae first described by Vincenz Kollar in 1844. It is found in eastern Asia, including Japan, Thailand, Myanmar and Malaysia.

The wingspan is 51–64 mm. Body orange yellow. Head and collar white, irrorated (sprinkled) with fuscous. Wings with numerous orange strigae more or less combined into patches. Forewings with white costa, irrorated with fuscous. Antemedial and postmedial oblique fuscous line present, sometimes slightly curved. There is a fuscous line found on the discocellulars. A submarginal more or less lunulate line present, often reduced to a series of specks towards costa. Hindwings with a fuscous line on discocellulars. A double submarginal line angled at base of tail. A fuscous patch can be seen on tail.


16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - EMERALD MOTH (Genus Orothalassodes)


Orothalassodes is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae. Members of the genus are found primarily in Southeast Asia.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - GEOMETER MOTH (Ourapteryx picticaudata)


The GEOMETER MOTH (Ourapteryx picticaudata) is a specific species of geometer moth belonging to the diverse family Geometridae. Native primarily to the Southeast Asian regions of Borneo, Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra, this species is typically found in higher-altitude, mountainous environments.

Key Characteristics & Facts

Geographical Range: Endemic to tropical regions in Southeast Asia.

Family Roots: Like all geometer moths, the larvae are famously known as "inchworms" because of the looping, earth-measuring way they crawl.


Physical Appearance: They belong to the genus Ourapteryx, members of which are often characterized by their bright white to pale yellow, butterfly-like wings, distinctive pointed tails (similar to the European Swallow-tailed moth), and delicate transverse bands across the wing surfaces.

Family Traits: The broader Geometridae family is one of the largest in the Lepidoptera order, boasting over 23,000 described species. While specific wingspan and lifespan data for Ourapteryx picticaudata are not broadly separated from the family averages, the wider family features wingspans from 10 mm to 70 mm and an adult lifespan typically ranging from 5 to 9 days.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - UNDERWING MOTH (Genus Hyposada)


Hyposada is a genus of moths of the family Erebidae. 

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - INDIGO FLYCATCHER (Eumyias indigo)


The indigo flycatcher (Eumyias indigo) is a species of bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in Indonesia and Malaysia, where it is found in Sumatra, Java and northern montane areas of Borneo. Its natural habitat is tropical moist submontane montane forests between 900m to 3000m, where it is a common to fairly common species.

2-6-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - WAVE MOTH (Genus Scopula)


Scopula is a genus of moths in the family Geometridae described by Franz von Paula Schrank in 1802.

1-6-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - ASIAN COMMON TOAD (Duttaphrynus melanostictus)


 Asian common toads occur widely from northern Pakistan through Nepal, Bangladesh, India including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, southern China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau to Malaysia, Singapore, and the Indonesian islands of Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Anambas and Natuna Islands. They have been recorded from sea level up to 1,800 m (5,900 ft) altitude, and live mostly in disturbed lowland habitats, from upper beaches and riverbanks to human-dominated agricultural and urban areas. They are uncommon in closed forests.

1-6-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - WHITE BREASTED WATERHEN (Amaurornis phoenicurus)

The white-breasted waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is a waterbird of the rail and crake family, Rallidae, that is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They are somewhat bolder than most other rails and are often seen stepping slowly with their tail cocked upright in open marshes or even drains near busy roads. They are largely crepuscular in activity and during the breeding season, just after the first rains, make loud and repetitive croaking calls.


 

31-5-2023 HANDARA GOLF COURSE, BALI - YELLOW VENTED BULBUL (Pycnonotus goiavier)


The yellow-vented bulbul (Pycnonotus goiavier), or eastern yellow-vented bulbul, is a member of the bulbul family of passerine birds. It is a resident breeder in southeastern Asia from Indochina to the Philippines. It is found in a wide variety of open habitats but not the deep forest. It is one of the most common birds in cultivated areas. They appear to be nomadic and roam from place to place regularly.


The yellow-vented bulbul builds a well-camouflaged but fragile, loose, deep, cup-shaped circular nest from grass, leaves, roots, vine stems, and twigs. The nest is untidy on the outside, but neatly lined with plant fibers. It may be built in a wide range of places from low bushes to high trees. This is a species adapted to humans and may even nest in gardens. The yellow-vented bulbul lays 2–5 eggs from February to June.

The yellow-vented bulbul eats berries and small fruits. They also sip nectar, nibble on young shoots, and consume some insects.