Ceylon Rose/Sri Lankan Rose (Pachliopta jophon)

Sri Lankan or Ceylon Rose is an uncommon endemic butterfly found in the low country wet zone forest areas. Its larval host plant is Thapasara Bulath[තපසර බුලත්] (Thottea siliquosa).  

කිරි දණ්ඩියා/කුඩමස්සා[Kiri Dandiya/Kudamassa]/Narrow line Rasbora (Rasbora microcephalus)

Common fish species distributed in lowland streams, rivers and paddy fields.  It can be easily distinguish from other Rasbora species by having narrow metallic blue dark lateral strip, which is somewhat hazy anteriorly and diffuse on the caudal fin base. Upper margin of dark lateral strip is distinct and lower margin hazy with slightly darkened scale pockets. Also the post-dorsal length, when carried forward falls anterior to the posterior border of the eye.

Dark Evening Brown (Melanitis phedima)

An uncommon butterfly occurs from lowlands to about 3500ft elevations, particularly in the wet zone.  It flies mainly in the late afternoon and settles in the undergrowth during the day time. Dark Evening Brown is seldom seen out of jungles or well wooded home gardens. It feeds on rotting fruits and usually seen under fruit bearing trees even during the day time.  Larval host plants are grasses [Arundo donax, Cyrtococcum trigonum,  Panicum maximum(ගිනි තණ/Guinea grass),  Setaria barbat] and paddy (Oryza sativa). Its larva also fed on Carpet grass/පොටු තණකොළ (Axonopus compressus), Digitaria didactyla and Ischaemum timorense only when offered in the lab.

ගැරඩියා/කහ ගැරඩියා/Garadiya/Rat Snake (Ptyas mucosa)

Rat snake is the second largest snake in the country with some specimens observed with 3000mm long while many exceed 2400mm in length (de Silva, Anslem & Jinasena Jayantha 2009). It is a widely distributed snake from sea level to higher hills including some off-shore islands in Jaffna peninsula (Somaweera R., 2006) while common in the low country and foot hills.  It is mostly living in anthropogenic habitats like home gardens, plantations and paddy fields since its main food frogs, toads and rats are abundant in such places. Other than that it feeds on lizards, birds, snakes, palm squirrels, bats etc.  Rat snake is active during the day time and it is mainly a terrestrial snake though usually climbs trees and roofs in search of its prey.  It is a non-venomous snake though may bite savagely when cornered. Its usual defense habit is raise its fore body and hissing like a cobra while sometime also produces a deep long groaning sound.  Rat snake ‘dances’ with two snakes raise their heads from the ground and bodies coiled around each other are often observed as shown in above picture too. It was earlier believed that it is a courtship dance of a male and a female but it is a combat dance by the males (de Silva, P.H.D.H, 1980) . Female rat snake lays 5-10 eggs in a termite mound and stays with the eggs coil herself around them.

වයිරන් අහිරාවා/ඉරි අහිරාවා/පොල් අහිරාවා [Wairan Ahirawa/Iri Ahirawa/Pol Ahirawa]/Tiger Loach (Acanthocobitis urophthalmus)

An uncommon fish restricted to the shallow slow flowing shaded streams with pebbles in South-western lowlands up to about 300m elevation.  

Sri Lankan Cerulean/Ceylon Cerulean (Jamides coruscans)

An endemic and rare butterfly found in the low country wet zone forests up to about 500m. Its larval host plant is Gal Karanda[ගල් කරඳ] (Humboldtia laurifolia)

Merrem’s Hump-nosed Pit Viper/පොලොන්තෙලිස්සා/කුණකටුව/ගැට පොලගා[Polon Thelissa/Kunakatuwa/Gata Polaga] (Hypnale hypnale)

Common venomous terrestrial snake found in anthropological habitats and plantations (Especially tea, coconut and rubber plantations) from coastal areas up to about 600m of the central hills. More abundant in the south-western wet zone than in the northern and eastern dry lands. However it appears to be absent in undisturbed forests in Sri Lanka.  It is a nocturnal snake and during the day time rest under stones, logs and among leaf litter sometime with its head keep at an angle of 45 degrees to its body resembling a dry leaf. When  disturbed it flattened its body, forms it into ‘S’ shaped loops, often vibrates the tail and lashed out. Rapid tongue protrusion has been observed too.  It preys on skinks, shrews, geckos, frogs and rodents. Instances of feeding on reptile eggs and snakes are also observed. Merrem’s Hump-nosed Viper is responsible for the highest incidents of snake bites in Sri Lanka (~27%) with occasional fatalities though its venom is considered as moderate.

රත් කයිලයා/දම්කොල සාලයා [Rath Kaiyala/Damkola Saalaya]/Giant Danio (Devario malabaricus)

Very common fish widely distributed throughout the lowlands of both wet and dry zones up to the higher hills. It is common in flowing water though occurs also in tanks, reservoirs and paddy fields.  Giant Danio is a mid-water fish and it forms medium size shoals.  

Episcia reptans

Low-growing herb native to the South America. Introduced as an ornamental plant and cultivated in Sri Lankan home gardens, often in shade.

ගිරාමලිත්තා/Gira Maliththa/Hanging Parrot/Lorikeet (Loriculus beryllinus)

An endemic and locally common bird of forests and well wooded home gardens in wet lowlands to mid hills. Also found in foothill areas of the dry lowlands. Hanging parrot is a strictly arboreal bird and usually encounters as solitary birds or as pairs (Warakagoda D et. al., 2012). However above bird was captured in a feeding flock, travelling through the Acacia plantation of Meethirgala forest reserve with at least 50 companions of the same species. It feeds on fruits, nectar of flowers, seeds and also juice of palms collected in toddy-drawers pots. While feeding it has very restless characteristic behavior of hangs at all sort of angles. It sleeps hanging head downward from a slender, leafy twig. Hanging Parrot breeds in a tree hole from March to June and sometime again from August to September. Female builds the nest with strips nibbled from the edge of green leaves and lays 2-3 white color eggs.  

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ඉපිල් ඉපිල්/Ipil Ipil/ Wild Tamarind/Cofee bush (Leucaena leucocephala)

An introduced shrub or small tree cultivated as green manure, fodder, for afforestation and as cover plants of tea estates. It is native to the tropical America. Since it has the ability of rapidly spreading to adjacent areas and invade all other native flora, Ipil Ipil is now considered as an invasive.

Chocolate Soldier (Junonia iphita pluviatalis)

Common butterfly found in open jungle areas of all elevations of the island all the year round. It takes part in migrations especially in November to December. Chocolate Soldier often settles on damp earth. Its larva feeds on Strobilanthes diandra (නෙළු), Eranthemum capense, Phaulopsis dorsiflora, Ruellia patula, Ruellia prostrata (නිල් පුරුක්), Dyschoriste nagchana and Barleria prionitis (කටු කරඬු/Yellow Hedge Barleria)

Soft khaki weed/Prostrate globe amaranth (Gomphrena celosioides)

A native herb of South America. Introduced to Sri Lanka and now widely distributed along roadsides, rocky places and waste lands. 

Purple Leafblue (Amblypodia anita)

Rather rare butterfly occurring from sea level up to about 300m, particularly in the dry zone. Males settle on wet patches on the roads, or on carrion to absorb minerals. Larva feeds on Olax scandens, Olax imbricata and probably on Olax zeylanica.  

වල් අබ/රන් මානිස්ස/Wal-Aba/Ran-Manissa/Yellow Spider Flower (Cleome viscosa)

An indigenous and very common herb found along roadsides, cultivated grounds and rocky and sandy places. 

Mexican fireweed/Lesser green poinsettia (Euphorbia heterophylla)

An introduced very common weed widely distributed throughout the island along roadsides and waste places. It is a native plant of tropical America.  

Large Cuckooshrike/මහ කොවුල්සැරටිත්තා/මහ කොවුල්ඇස්පටියා[Maha Kovulsaratiththa/Maha Kovulaspatiya] (Coracina macei)

An uncommon breeding resident found in forest areas of lowlands up to mid hills. It is less common in wet zone. Usually a solitary bird though some time occurs as pairs or as small flocks. Large Cuckooshrike is a bird of the canopy and feeds mainly on insects. It's breeding season is from May to June and lays 2 eggs in a shallow cup made out of fine twigs, leaf-stalks, lichens etc. and felted together with cobwebs.

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Redspot (Zesius chrysomallus)

Common butterfly found all over the island from lowlands to mid hills up to about 2500ft. Larvae of Red spot has symbiotic relationship with large red ants. Red ants feed on liquid exuded by the larvae and in turn are attended by them. The larva feeds on Terminalia bellirica, Bridelia retusa (කැටකෑල), Canthium coromandelicum, Terminalia catappa (කොට්ටම්බා/කොට්ටන්/Indian almond/Country almons),  Terminalia arjuna (කුඹුක්), Falcataria moluccana (මාර), Symplocos acuminata, Cassia fistula (ඇහැළ/Indian Laburnum/Shower of Gold), Psidium guajava (පේර/Guava), Dendrophthoe falcata (පිලිල),  Cassia roxburghii (රතු වා/Ceylon cassia/Red cassia),  Senna auriculata (රණවරා/Matara Tea/Tanner's Cassia), Grewia damine (දමිණිය), Acacia longifolia, and Sesbania grandiflora (කතුරු මුරුංගා/Agati/Vegetable hummongbird).

කබර රදනකයා(Kabara Radanakaya)/ඉරි කරවලා(Iri karawala)/Shaw’s Wolf Snake/ (Lycodon striatus)

Shaw’s Wolf Snake is a small (100-400mm) terrestrial and nocturnal snake distributed mostly in wet zone though occurs rarely also in intermediate and dry zone areas. It is a non venomous and inoffensive snake, which balls itself and hides its head underneath these coils (See right bottom picture) when disturbed.  It preys mainly on geckos and skinks during the night and stay under decaying logs, loose soil, earth cracks and leaf litter during the day time. Parental care of eggs is observed among these snakes and it lays 2-3 eggs.

බෙරු - දියනිල්ල/Beru-diyanilla/Creeping water primrose (Ludwigia adscendens)

An indigenous common herb with prostrate floating stems, grows in water margins of ponds, tanks and flooded paddy fields in the low country.