16-5-2023 KOTA KINABULU NAT PRK, BORNEO - BORNEAN LEAFBIRD (Chloropsis kinabaluensis)

The Bornean leafbird (Chloropsis kinabaluensis), also known as the Kinabalu leafbird, is a species of bird in the family Chloropseidae. It is found in humid forest in Borneo, to which it is endemic (elevated areas, including the Meratus Mountains). It has traditionally been considered a subspecies of the blue-winged leafbird (C. cochinchinensis), but differ in measurements and morphology, the female Bornean leafbird having a distinctive male-like plumage. The distribution of the two are known to approach each other, but there is no evidence of intergradation.

16-5-2023 KOTA KINABALU NAT PRK, BORNEO - FRUITHUNTER (Chlamydochaera jefferyi)

The fruithunter or fruit-hunter (Chlamydochaera jefferyi), also known as the black-breasted fruit-hunter, is an enigmatic species of bird currently placed with the typical thrushes in the family Turdidae. It is endemic to forests on the south-east Asian island of Borneo.

It is highly distinct from other thrushes, instead being convergent to Corvoidea such as trillers (Lalage) or true orioles (Oriolus). Thus it is placed in a monotypic genus Chlamydochaera.

29-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - SOUTHEAST ASIAN PILL MILLIPEDE (Family Zephroniidae)

Zephroniidae (sometimes misspelled "Zephronidae") is a family of giant pill millipedes in the taxonomic order Sphaerotheriida. They occur in southeast Asia from the Himalayas and China south and east to Sulawesi and to Australia, and also inhabit some Philippine islands.

29-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - JUNE BEETLE (Genus Apogonia)

Apogonia is a genus of scarab beetles. Some are pests of durian trees. 

29-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - FLAT TAILED HOUSE GECKO (Hemidactylus platyurus)

The flat-tailed house gecko (Hemidactylus platyurus), also known as the frilled house gecko or Asian house gecko, is a species of Gekkonidae native to southeastern and southern Asia. The species is sometimes classified under the genus Cosymbotus.

Distribution

Bangladesh, N India (Darjeeling, Sikkim), Nicobar Islands, Nepal, Bhutan, China (Guangdong, SE Xizang = Tibet),Taiwan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia (កម្ពុជា), Malaysia (incl. Pulau Tioman), Burma (= Myanmar), Vietnam, New Guinea (?), Philippine Islands (Palawan, Calamian Islands, Panay, Luzon), Indonesia (Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores).

They are also introduced in Florida (Pinellas, Alachua, Lee, Broward, and Miami-Dade counties) in the USA.

 

29-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - GREY CHEEKED BULBUL (Alophoixus tephrogenys)

The grey-cheeked bulbul (Alophoixus tephrogenys) is a species of songbird in the bulbul family, Pycnonotidae. It is found from the Malay Peninsula to the Greater Sunda Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - BORNEAN ORANGUTAN (Pongo pygmaeus)

The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is a species of orangutan endemic to the island of Borneo. Together with the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis), it belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia. Like the other great apes, orangutans are highly intelligent, displaying tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild. Orangutans share approximately 97% of their DNA with humans. Also called mias by the local population, the Bornean orangutan is a critically endangered species, with deforestation, palm oil plantations, and hunting posing a serious threat to its continued existence.

The Bornean orangutan lives in tropical rain forests in the Bornean lowlands, as well as montane rain forests in mountainous areas up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft) above sea level. This species lives throughout the canopy of primary and secondary forest, and moves large distances to find trees bearing fruit.

It is found in the two Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, and four of the five Indonesian Provinces of Kalimantan. Due to habitat destruction, the species distribution is now highly patchy throughout the island, the species has become rare in the southeast of the island, as well as in the forest between the Rajang River in central Sarawak and the Padas River in western Sabah. Its presence in Brunei is uncertain and unconfirmed.

In history, orangutans ranged throughout Southeast Asia and into southern China, as well as on the island of Java and in southern Sumatra. They primarily inhabit peat swamp forest, tropical heath forest, and mixed dipterocarp forest. Bornean orangutan are more solitary than their Sumatran relatives. Two or three orangutans with overlapping territories may interact, but only for short periods of time. Although orangutans are not territorial, adult males will display threatening behaviors upon meeting other males, and only socialize with females to mate. Males are considered the most solitary of the orangutans. The Bornean orangutan has a lifespan of 35–45 years in the wild; in captivity it can live to be about 60.

Despite being arboreal, the Bornean orangutan travels on the ground more than its Sumatran counterpart. This may be in part because no large terrestrial predators could threaten an orangutan in Borneo. In Sumatra, orangutans must face predation by the fierce Sumatran tiger.

The Bornean orangutan exhibits nest-building behavior. Nests are built for use at night or during the day. Young orangutans learn by observing their mother's nest-building behaviour. This skill is practiced by juvenile orangutans. Nests may be elaborate and involve a foundation and mattress made by intertwining leaves and branches and adding broken leafy branches. Additional features such as shade, waterproof roof, "pillow", and "blanket", all of which are made from branches, twigs and leaves, may also be added. Nest-building in primates is considered as an example of tool use and not animal architecture.

The Bornean orangutan diet is composed of over 400 types of food, including wild figs, durians (Durio zibethinus and D. graveolens), leaves, seeds, bird eggs, flowers, sap, vines, honey, fungi, spider webs, insects, and, to a lesser extent than the Sumatran orangutan, bark. They have also been known to consume the inner shoots of plants and vines. They will also occasionally eat nutrient rich soil. They get the necessary quantities of water from both fruit and from tree holes.

27-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - SOUTHERN PIG TAILED MACAQUE (Macaca nemestrina)

The southern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina), also known as the Sundaland pig-tailed macaque and Sunda pig-tailed macaque, is a medium-sized macaque that lives in southern Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. It is known locally as berok.

This macaque is mostly found in rainforest up to 2,000 metres (6,600 ft), but will also enter plantations and gardens.

It is found in the southern half of the Malay Peninsula (only just extending into southernmost Thailand), Borneo, Sumatra and Bangka Island. There are reports of the species having been present in Singapore before 1950, but these were likely escaped pets. The only pig-tailed macaques in Singapore today are introduced monkeys.

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - COMMON GRASS YELLOW BUTTERFLY (Eurema hecabe)

Eurema hecabe, the common grass yellow, is a small pierid butterfly species found in Asia, Africa and Australia. They are found flying close to the ground and are found in open grass and scrub habitats. It is simply known as "the grass yellow" in parts of its range; the general term otherwise refers to the entire genus Eurema.

The common grass yellow exhibits seasonal polyphenism. The lepidopteran has a darker summer morph, triggered by a long day exceeding 13 hours in duration, while the shorter diurnal period of 12 hours or less induces a fairer morph in the post-monsoon period.

29-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - BLUE MARSH HAWK DRAGONFLY (Orthetrum glaucum)

Orthetrum glaucum is an Asian dragonfly species, common across much of tropical and subtropical Asia. The common name for this species is blue marsh hawk.

Description and habitat

It is a medium sized dragonfly with dark face and greenish blue eyes. The thorax of old males are dark blue due to pruinescence. Its wings are transparent with dark amber-yellow tint in the extreme base. Its abdomen is pruinosed with blue color up to segment 8; last two segments are black. It breeds in marshes associated with forest streams, plantations and canals.

 

27-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - BROWN PANSY BUTTERFLY (Junonia hedonia)

Junonia hedonia, the brown pansy, chocolate pansy, brown soldier or chocolate argus, is a butterfly found in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Australia.

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - MALAYSIAN BLUE FLYCATCHER (MALE) (Cyornis turcosus)

The Malaysian blue flycatcher (Cyornis turcosus) is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand.

Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - MALAYAN EGGFLY BUTTERFLY (Hypolimnas anomala)

This species is present as various subspecies in South East Asia (Moluccas, New Guinea, Australia). It especially occurs in lowlands and tropical rainforests, wastelands, hill parks and natural reserves.

Females lay golden in colour globular eggs in a large cluster on the underside of the leaves. They hatch after about 3–4 days. The 6th (and final) instarcaterpillars are black with yellow spots and spines. Also the head is yellow. with long black cephalic horns. They are gregarious and usually occur in large numbers. 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - ORIENTAL PIED HORNBILL (Anthracoceros albirostris)

The oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) is an Indo-Malayan pied hornbill, a large canopy-dwelling bird belonging to the family Bucerotidae. Two other common names for this species are Sunda pied hornbill (convexus) and Malaysian pied hornbill.

The species is considered to be among the smallest and most common of the Asian hornbills. It has the largest distribution in the genus and is found in the Indian Subcontinent and throughout Southeast Asia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. The oriental pied hornbill's diet includes fruit, insects, shellfish, small reptiles and, sometimes, small mammals and birds including their eggs.

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - BORNEAN ORANGUTAN

The Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) is a species of orangutan endemic to the island of Borneo. Together with the Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) and Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis), it belongs to the only genus of great apes native to Asia. Like the other great apes, orangutans are highly intelligent, displaying tool use and distinct cultural patterns in the wild. Orangutans share approximately 97% of their DNA with humans. Also called mias by the local population, the Bornean orangutan is a critically endangered species, with deforestation, palm oil plantations, and hunting posing a serious threat to its continued existence.

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - SOUTHEAST ASIA WATER MONITOR (JUVENILE) (Varanus salvator ssp. macromaculatus)

The bodies of Asian water monitors are muscular, with long, powerful, laterally compressed tails. Water monitors are often defined by their dark brown or blackish coloration with yellow spots found on their underside - these yellow markings have a tendency to disappear gradually with age. This species is also denoted by the blackish band with yellow edges extending back from each eye. These monitors have very long necks and elongated snouts. They use their powerful jaws, serrated teeth, and sharp claws for both predation and defense.

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - GOULD'S FROGMOUTH (Batrachostomus stellatus)

Gould's frogmouth (Batrachostomus stellatus) is a nocturnal species of bird in the order Caprimulgiformes and the family Podargidae. It is one of the 12 species in the Batrachostomus genus. Its common name commemorates the English ornithologist and bird artist John Gould.

This species is found solely in Southeast Asia. More precisely, it is found in Brunei, certain regions of Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and in Southern Thailand. However, it is mostly present in Malaysia and Singapore. The habitat of Gould's frogmouths is tropical rainforest. They are mostly found in forest with native tree species that has not been disturbed by humans. This species usually lives in lowland forests, up to 500 metres elevation.

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - SOUTHEAST ASIAN WATER MONITOR (Varanus salvator ssp. macromaculatus)

This common species occurs throughout Southeast Asia in virtually all habitats including urban areas where it may sometimes be seen feasting on roadkill. It is particularly common, however, in mangrove areas as it is a strong swimmer and it can flourish on a diet of crabs and other large invertebrates. 

It can remain submerged underwater for a considerable time. It is also an agile climber, and a raider of bird's nests. The Malayan Water Monitor is distinguished from other monitors by the position of the nostrils, which lie near the tip of the snout.

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - JUNE BEETLE (Tribe Melolonthini)

Melolonthini is a tribe of scarab beetles in the family Scarabaeidae. There are over 250 genera in Melolonthini, occurring worldwide; there are over 300 species in North America alone, and more than 3000 worldwide. 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - ORANGE SHARPSHOOTER (Bothrogonia addita)

 Bothrogonia is a genus of leafhoppers with a large number of species distributed across the Old World. They can be told apart from others in their tribe by the pattern of setae on the hind tibia.

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - NORTH BORNEAN GREY GIBBON (Hylobates funereus)

 

The eastern grey gibbon or northern grey gibbon (Hylobates funereus) is a primate in the gibbon family, Hylobatidae.

Formerly, the eastern grey gibbon and western grey gibbon (H. abbotti) were considered conspecific with the southern grey gibbon (H. muelleri), but more recent studies indicate that all three are distinct species, and both the IUCN Red List and the American Society of Mammalogists consider them such. However, they can still hybridize with one another where their ranges meet.

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - AFRICAN GIANT SNAIL (Lissachatina fulica)

Lissachatina fulica is a species of large land snail that belongs in the subfamily Achatininae of the family Achatinidae. It is also known as the Giant African land snail. It shares the common name "giant African snail" with other species of snails such as Achatina achatina and Archachatina marginata. This snail species has been considered a significant cause of pest issues around the world. Internationally, it is the most frequently occurring invasive species of snail.

Outside of its native range, this snail thrives in many types of habitat in areas with mild climates. It feeds voraciously and is a vector for plant pathogens, causing severe damage to agricultural crops and native plants. It competes with native snail taxa, is a nuisance pest of urban areas, and spreads human disease. This snail is listed as one of the top 100 invasive species in the world.

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - AFRICAN COROMANDEL (Asystasia intrusa)

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - CREPE GINGER (Hellenia speciosa)

Cheilocostus speciosus, or crêpe ginger, is a species of flowering plant in the family Costaceae. Some botanists have now revived the synonym Hellenia speciosa for this species.

It is native to southeast Asia and surrounding regions, from India to China to Queensland, It is especially common on the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is also reportedly naturalized in Puerto Rico, Mauritius, Réunion, Fiji, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Belize, Melanesia, Micronesia, and the West Indies. It is widely cultivated as an ornamental.

 

29-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - SHORT WINGED RICE GRASSHOPPER (Pseudoxya diminuta)

Pseudoxya diminuta is a species of grasshopper in the monotypic genus Pseudoxya (subfamily Oxyinae).

This species occurs in Indochina, Malesia, and southern China. The holotype is a male from Yunnan, China.

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - SENSITIVE PLANT (Mimosa pudica)

Mimosa pudica (from Latin pudica 'shy, bashful, or shrinking'; also called sensitive plant, sleepy plant, action plant, touch-me-not, or shameplant is a creeping annual or perennial flowering plant of the pea/legume family Fabaceae.

The species is native to the Caribbean and South and Central America, but is now a pantropical weed, and can now be found in the Southern United States, South Asia, East Asia, Micronesia, Australia, South Africa, and West Africa as well. It is not shade-tolerant and is primarily found on soils with low nutrient concentrations.

Mimosa pudica is well known for its rapid plant movement. Like a number of other plant species, it undergoes changes in leaf orientation termed "sleep" or nyctinastic movement. The foliage closes during darkness and reopens in light. This was first studied by French scientist Jean-Jacques d'Ortous de Mairan. Due to Mimosa's unique response to touch, it became an ideal plant for many experiments regarding plant habituation and memory.

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - BRACKET FUNGI (Earliella scabrosa)

 

28-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - HARVESTMAN SPIDER (Order Opiliones)

The Opiliones (formerly Phalangida) are an order of arachnids colloquially known as harvestmen, harvesters, harvest spiders, or daddy longlegs. As of April 2017, over 6,650 species of harvestmen have been discovered worldwide, although the total number of extant species may exceed 10,000. The order Opiliones includes five suborders: Cyphophthalmi, Eupnoi, Dyspnoi, Laniatores, and Tetrophthalmi, which were named in 2014.

Representatives of each extant suborder can be found on all continents except Antarctica.

Well-preserved fossils have been found in the 400-million-year-old Rhynie cherts of Scotland, and 305-million-year-old rocks in France. These fossils look surprisingly modern, indicating that their basic body shape developed very early on, and, at least in some taxa, has changed little since that time.

Their phylogenetic position within the Arachnida is disputed; their closest relatives may be the mites (Acari) or the Novogenuata (the Scorpiones, Pseudoscorpiones, and Solifugae). Although superficially similar to and often misidentified as spiders (order Araneae), the Opiliones are a distinct order that is not closely related to spiders. They can be easily distinguished from long-legged spiders by their fused body regions and single pair of eyes in the middle of the cephalothorax. Spiders have a distinct abdomen that is separated from the cephalothorax by a constriction, and they have three to four pairs of eyes, usually around the margins of the cephalothorax.

English speakers may colloquially refer to species of Opiliones as "daddy longlegs" or "granddaddy longlegs", but this name is also used for two other distantly related groups of arthropods, the crane flies of the superfamily Tipuloidea, and the cellar spiders of the family Pholcidae, (commonly referred to as "daddy long-leg spiders") most likely because of their similar appearance. Harvestmen are also referred to as "shepherd spiders" in reference to how their unusually long legs reminded observers of the ways that some European shepherds used stilts to better observe their wandering flocks from a distance.

27-5-2023 TABIN RESERVE, BORNEO - BUFFY FISH OWL (Ketupa ketupu)

The buffy fish owl (Ketupa ketupu), also known as the Malay fish owl, is a fish owl in the family Strigidae. It is native to Southeast Asia and lives foremost in tropical forests and wetlands. Due to its wide distribution and assumed stable population, it is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List since 2004.

The buffy fish owl is distributed from Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore to Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and the Sunda Islands. On Cocos (Keeling) Island, it is non-breeding. It inhabits tropical forests and freshwater wetlands near rivers, lakes and aquaculture sites up to an elevation of 1,600 m (5,200 ft). It also lives in plantations, and rural and urban gardens.

The buffy fish owl feeds foremost on fish, crabs, frogs, small reptiles and birds. It also forages on carrion. Stomach content found in Javan buffy fish owls included insects, winged ants and winged termites, goldfish (Carassius auratus), gold-ringed cat snake (Boiga dendrophila), immature false gharials (Tomistoma schlegelii), red junglefowl (Gallus gallus), black rat (Rattus rattus), and fruit bats.

It has been recorded consuming remains of a crocodile and a Sunda stink badger (Mydaus javanensis). The buffy fish owl does not produce firm pellets as do most owls. Instead, bones, and frog and insect remains are ejected in pieces and fall to the ground below the roost. Prey remains have only been found within the nest, never around or below the nest as is commonly recorded in other owls. The buffy fish owl hunts mainly from the bank, swooping down much in the manner of a fish eagle but never getting its feathers wet. It also walks into shallow streams and brooks, additionally snatching food in such locations.