අහිරාවා/වයිරන් අහිරාවා[Ahiraawa/Viran ahiraawa]Common Spiny Loach/Lesser Loach(Lepidocephalichthys thermalis)

Type specimen of Lesser Loach was taken from the hot springs at the Kinniya. Hence the name thermalis. However it is common in most part of the lowlands up to about 600m altitude. It can be found in sandy slow flowing streams and usually the last survive in the fast drying mud puddles in dry zone streams during the dry season. It is a vegetarian though it is believed that it also feeds on mosquito larva (Deraniyagala P.E.P, 1952). 

Wandering Glider (Pantala flavescens)

Very common insect inhabiting marshes, paddy fields, tanks etc. from lowlands to mid-hills. It usually emerges as large numbers when they do. Unlike most other dragonflies migratory habit has been observed among Wandering Gliders and high flying groups of them often seen away from water. 

Dark Palm Dart (Telicota bambusae)

Rare insect of mainly wet zone lowlands up to about 1500m. usually found settled on roadside grasses or weeds. Larval host plants are Schizostachyum brachycladum, Bambusa multiplex, Bambusa ventricosa, Bambusa vulgaris, Dendrocalamus giganteus, Bambusa bambos and Ochlandra stridula

Common Banded Awl (Hasora chromus)

Common Banded Awl is a rare butterfly found in forests all over the island but particularly common in the wet zone and hill country while comparatively scarce in the low country dry zone. It active at dawn and dusk though may be even appears day time in dull days. It rests on the underside of the leaves and usually fly short distance when disturbed to settle down again on the under side of another leaf with its wings close over the backs.  As per Ormiston it appears suddenly in great numbers during the north-east monsoon (October- December) and he believed it as a migratory butterfly since in October 1916 he noticed great flights of large Hesperiidae on several evenings just before dark, all going south (Ormiston W., 1924).  Its larval food plants are Pongamia pinnata(මගුල් කරඳ), Derris parviflora and Derris scandens (කල වැල් )

Clipper (Parthenos Sylvia cyaneus)

Clipper is a locally common butterfly in the wet zone forests from sea level up to about 1200m altitude. It has a very strong distinctive flight and usually flies at mid canopy level.  Its only known larval host plant in Sri Lanka is Zanonia indica.

වතු පාලු/ගම් පාලු/ලෝක පාලු/කෙහෙල් පාලු/මහ කිහිඹිය/Vatu-Palu/Kehel-Palu/Gam-Palu/Loka-Palu/Maha-Kihimbiya/Mile-a-minute (Mikania cordata)

An introduced (Native? >>) and very common creeping and climbing herb often growing over and covering other plants and shrubs. It is a weed of forest edges, roadsides, waste lands and secondary forests. Flowering from October to March. Native to tropical Asia, Philippines and New Guinea. 

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.  

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >> 

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.