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Saturday, June 22, 2019

මහනුවර පඳුරු මැඩියා/Kandyan Shrub Frog(Pseudophilautus rus)

An endemic shrub frog common in low vegetation, leaf litter, moss covered stones and logs in both shaded forests as well as the anthropogenic habitats of the Kandy district from 500-800 m a.s.l. It is very active at dusk and can be seen calling from leaves and branches of shrubs less than 1 m above the ground. It hides inside leaf litter, crevices in trees and cracks in the soil during the day time. So far it has been reported from KandyPeradeniyaGelioyaGampola, etc. Peabotuwage et. al. recorded it from Uda Maliboda trail of the Samanala Nature Reserve in 2012. This one was also photographed in the same trail at a tributary of Seethawaka Ganga river.

Peabotuwage I, Bandara IN, Samarasinghe D, Perera N, Madawala M, Amarasinghe C, Kandambi HKD, Karunarathna DMSS. 2012. Range extension for Duttaphrynus kotagamai (Amphibia: Bufonidae) and a preliminary checklist of herpetofauna from the Uda Mäliboda Trail in Samanala
Nature Reserve, Sri Lanka. Amphibian and Reptile Conservation 5(2):52-64(e38).

Wednesday, June 19, 2019

මුක්කං හොඹු ඇති පඳුරු මැඩියා/Pug nosed Shrub Frog (Pseudophilautus silus)

An endemic shrub frog inhabiting stream banks of both closed canopy rain forests and  open anthropogenic habitats from 1550 to 1600 m elevations. Two populations occurs near Agarapatana and Haputale on either side of the Horton plains plateau.  As per Anslem de Silva another population  found in Mandaramnuwara (de Silva A, 2009). This one was photographed at Bambarakanda waterfalls close to the Thangamale sanctuary where Haputale population was recorded.

Tuesday, June 18, 2019

විශාල පාදැති පඳුරු මැඩියා/Bigfoot Shrub Frog(Pseudophilautus macropus)

An endemic shrub frog occurs only in the Knuckles massif from 600 to 760 m elevations. It found only on boulders and rock crevices in or adjacent to the streams flowing through both closed and open canopy habitats and rarely on tree trunks along stream banks.  

Sunday, June 16, 2019

දුම්බර පඳුරු මැඩියා/Knuckles Shrub Frog (Pseudophilautus fulvus)

An endemic shrub frog restricted to the Knuckles range from 450 to 1220 m elevations, inhabiting closed canopy habitats of natural forests, secondary forests, Cardamom cultivation and home gardens. It can be observed during the night on branches, tree trunks and moss-covered rocks. 

Friday, June 14, 2019

කුඩාකන් පඳුරු මැඬියා/Small eared Shrub Frog (Pseudophilautus microtympanum)

An endemic shrub frog inhabiting both primary and secondary montane forests as well as the home gardens and tea plantations from 1500  to 2140 m elevations in the central hills. It is the dominant frog in and around the Horton Plains National Park. Also occurs in Pattipola, Ambewela, Agara pathana and Nuwaraeliya. It calls throughout the day and night though usually hides during the day time under logs, tree holes, root crevices, rocks, under leaf litter and such other micro habitats. Eggs are laid in humus or at the base of grass tussocks. Juveniles are usually found among grassy vegetation and such other disturbed habitats. 

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Biophytum proliferum

An indigenous herb with branching stems, occurs in open sunny places such as among bushes in tea plantations and roadsides from mid hills to higher hills. Often forms large mats covering considerable space. Flowering throughout the year. 

Wednesday, June 12, 2019

White clover/Dutch clover (Trifolium repens)

An introduced climbing herb native to Europe. Naturalized among grasses in the hill country.

Saturday, June 8, 2019

Flame Tree (Brachychiton acerifolius)

A native tree of Australia. Introduced to Sri Lanka in 1882 (Macmillan H.F., 1910).  "Several herbarium specimens collected from the South Garden of the Peradeniya available, but doubtless widely cultivated elsewhere 'eg. Talawakelle Estate, Nuwaraeliya District" (Dassanayake M.D. et. al., 1995). This single tree was observed at a roadside location of Boralanda - Haputhale B353 road near Glananore Estate. Flowering in May and June with large masses of red blossoms, when the tree is bare of leaves. 

Friday, June 7, 2019

Small hop clover/Least hop clover (Trifolium dubium)

An introduced herb native to Europe, Asia minor and Northern Asia. Naturalized along roadsides and open places among grasses in the higher hills of Central and Uva provinces.

Flower - 4mm long in heads of 5 - 7 mm
Leaflets- 5 - 10 mm long

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Triangle Skimmer (Orthetrum triangulare triangulare)

Rather rare dragonfly found in marshes, streams and pools of the higher elevations in the Knuckles range and Central hills. Isolated records also available from Nakiyadeniya, Hiyare and Kanneliya.

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Porpax braccata [Syn: Conchidium braccatum/Eria braccata]

Rather common native epiphyte on trunks of trees in the submontane and montane forests from 1000 to 2150 m altitudes. 

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Ceylon Treebrown (Lethe daretis)

rather common endemic butterfly restricted to hill country forests above 1500 m a.s.l. It flies all the year round though much common from March to April. Its larva feeds probably on leaves of  a bamboo species (Sinarundinaria debilis) occurs at the higher elevations (Only egg laying observed so far) 

Saturday, June 1, 2019

Coleus lanuginosus [Syn: Plectranthus lanuginosus]

An introduced herb native to tropical Africa. Naturalized in waste places and along roadsides of the upper hill country. Mainly in and around Nuwaraeliya.