Tuesday, December 30, 2014

සීනි-ආතා/අනෝදා[seeni-aatha/Anodha]/Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa)

Probably a native tree of West indies. Introduced and cultivated in home gardens as a fruit plant. Also naturalized in coastal scrubs and secondary forests in the dry lowlands. Whole plant medicinal.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Common Bullfrog (Kaloula taprobanica)

A common frog found in anthropological habitats, paddy fields, plantations and forest borders in both wet and dry lowlands up to about 500m a.s.l. Nocturnal in habits and stay hide under decaying logs, rock crevices, under leaf litter and inside humus or soil during the day time. Its calls resembles the bellowing of a bull. 

Saturday, December 27, 2014

ගොටුකොල/හීන් - ගොටුකොල[Gotukola/Heen gotukola] (Centella asiatica)

An indigenous prostrate herb common from sea level to higher hills. Flowering May to October. Leaves edible and also use in traditional medicine.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Double Branded Crow (Euploea sylvester montana)

An uncommon butterfly though widely distributed in most parts of the island from lowlands to about 1000m a.s.l. It takes part in migrations. Its larval host plants are Gymnema sylvestre (මස් බැද්ද) and Gymnema lactiferum of the family

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

මැහෝගනී[Mahogani]/Honduran mahogany(Swietenia macrophylla)

Native plant of tropical America. Introduced to Sri Lanka in 1888 and grown as a timber production tree in forest plantations and home gardens in wet and intermediate zone. 

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Mountain Reedling (Indolestes gracilis gracilis)


Locally common damselfly confined to the central hills of the island between 1800 and 2500 elevations. It can be found at grassy edges of lakes and ponds. Indolestes gracilis gracilis is an endemic Sri Lankan subspecies. 

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Cup-of-gold (Solandra maxima)


An introduced woody climber native to Mexico, Peru and Venezuela. Cultivated in gardens due to its attractive very large flowers.

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Vagrant Finches and Buntings (Family: Fringillidae and Emberizidae) recorded in Sri Lanka

     Birds that appear outside their normal range are known as vagrants. This post summarizes up to date published sight records of 3 vagrants of the family Emberizidae (Buntings) and single vagrant of the family Fringillidae (Finches)  in Sri Lanka. All four are here considered as unconfirmed vagrants*. 

*Species for which there are only one or two sight records exist categorized here as unconfirmed vagrants. Problematic records without sufficient details are also included.


     1) Common Rosefinch (Carpodacus erythrinus)
Single sight record at Horton Plains National Park in February 2002 by Uditha Hettige (Siriwardana, U., 2003).

     2) Grey-necked Bunting (Emberiza buchanani)
C.D. Kaluthota, Dammithra Samarasinghe, Dilshan de Silva and Hasith de Silva observed and photographed a bird at NirmalapuraDaluwa area of Kalpitiya peninsula on 16th December 2008. It is the first and only known occurrence of Grey-necked Bunting in Sri Lanka (Kaluthota et. al., 2009)

     3) Black-headed Bunting (Emberiza melanocephala)
Single sight record from Udawalawe National Park in February 2005 by Deepal Warakagoda is the first record of its occurrence in Sri Lanka (Sirivardana U. & Warakagoda  D. , 2006). Second record of it is also given by Warakagoda D. & Sirivardana U. in/near Yala Block 1 in the report of Ceylon Bird Club for 2008-2011 periods (Warakagoda D. & Sirivardana U., 2011)

     4) Red-headed Bunting (Emberiza bruniceps)
Single sight record from Udawalawe National Park in February 2005 by Deepal Warakagoda is the only record of its occurrence in Sri Lanka (Sirivardana U. & Warakagoda  D. , 2006)



References:
Kaluthota, C.D., Samarasinghe, D., de Silva, D. & de Silva, H. 2009 First record of the Grey-necked Bunting Emberiza buchanani from Sri Lanka. Malkoha 30(1):4 
Siriwardana, U., 2003. Report from the Ceylon Bird Club for 2002. Loris, 23(3&4), 36-39.
Sirivardana U. & Warakagoda  D. , 2006. Report from the Ceylon Bird Club for 2005 Loris 24(3& 4), 24 - 28
Warakagoda D. & Sirivardana U., 2011. Report from the Ceylon Bird Club for 2008-2011, Loris 26 (1&2)

Thursday, December 18, 2014

නඟා-මැරූ-අල [Naga-Maru-Ala]/Daffodil Orchid (Ipsea speciosa)

Rather common endemic ground orchid occurs in patana lands  in montane and sub-montane areas. One or two leaves sprout at the end of flowering period and shed when mature, followed by a resting period and after that flowers blooms at the end of spike rising out of the ground among grasses. 

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Monday, December 15, 2014

සප්සඳ[Sapsanda]/Indian Birthwort (Aristolochia indica)

An indigenous twining herb common in low country moist areas up to 1000m a.s.l. Leaves and rhizomes use in traditional medicine. Flowering from September to January.

Sunday, December 14, 2014

Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike (Hemipus picatus)

An uncommon breeding resident inhabiting forest and well wooded areas of all climatic zones. But much common in the hills and  more or less restricted to the riverine forests in the dry zone.  It keeps in pairs or groups and often goes with 'Bird waves' of many species. Bar-winged Flycatcher-Shrike feeds on insects in the canopy. It frequently darting out like 'Flycatchers'  from its perch to catch flying insects. The breeding season lasts from March to May. The nest is a shallow cup made out of fibres, cobwebs, etc., well camouflages outside with fragments of bark, lichens etc. and places on the upper side of a branch high in the canopy. 

සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න >>





Friday, December 12, 2014

හිඟුරු-වැල්[Hinguru-Vel] (Senegalia caesia [Syn: Acacia caesia])

Large indigenous woody climber mainly grows in the dry lowlands of the country though also occurs in waste lands, along rivers and near bridges in the intermediate and wet lowlands.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Common Mime (Papilio clytia lankeswara)

Common Mime is a very common butterfly distributed in all climatic zones from lowlands to about 700m a.s.l. It occurs in two forms 'white' and 'brown'. White form [form dissimilis] mimics one of the poisonous 'Blue Tigers' (Tirumala (1)(2) or Parantica(1)(2)) and Brown form [form clytia] 'Crows' (Euploe spp.(1)(2)(3)(4)) Larval food plants are Litsea glutinosa [බෝ මී]Cinnamomum verum [කුරුඳු], Alseodaphne semecarpifolia [වෑවරණි], Litsea longifolia [රත්කෑලිය] Neolitsea cassia[Wild cinnamon/දවුල් කුරුඳු\කුඩු දවුල] and Cinnamomum dubium of the family Lauraceae



Tuesday, December 9, 2014

දෙළුම්[Delum]/Pomergranate (Punica granatum)

An introduced shrub or small tree native to central Asia. Widely cultivated as a fruit tree particularly in the low and mid-country. Flowering throughout the year. An outer layer of the seeds is edible. Roots, fruits, barks and leaves medicinal. 

Monday, December 8, 2014

Vagrant Rails and Crakes (Family: Rallidae) recorded in Sri Lanka

    Birds that appear outside their normal range are known as vagrants. This post summarizes up to date published sight records of vagrants of the family Rallidae (Rails and Crakes) in Sri Lanka.     


     1) Water rail (Rallus aquaticus) R.Indicus
3 or 4 specimens procured by Lieut. Long of H.M. Ceylon rifle regiment at Jayelle (Sic = Jaela) paddy-fields and given to Layard is the only record of the occurrence of this rail in Sri Lanka (Legge V. 1880: 1018).

      2) Corn Crake (Crex crex)
Two immature females procured from Bambalapitiya, one by Dr. Thelma Gunawardane from a garden near the sea on 9th October 1970 and another one in exhausted condition by David Bartholomeusz in the same area on 18th September 1972 are the only records of Corn Crake in Sri Lanka. Both are believe to be just arrived birds from the Indian mainland (Phillips W.W.A., 1978:23). Another previous sight record exists in 1950 on board a ship close to Ceylon. (Hoffmann, T. W., 1974)

References:

Hoffmann, T. W., 1974. Notes From The Ceylon Bird Club 1970-1973. Loris, 13(4), 211-214.
Legge V., 1880. A History of the birds of Ceylon  1983 second edition.
Phillips W.W.A., 1978 Annotated checklist of the Birds of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) 1978 revised edition.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Australian bottle plant (Jatropha podagrica)

Native shrub of tropical America. Cultivated in gardens as an ornamental plant especially in the dry areas of the country due to its drought resistance characteristic.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

නාග-දරණී [Naga-darani]/Tiger's claws(Martynia annua)

Native plant of Mexico and central America. Introduced and widely naturalized in waste places, along roadsides etc. in the dry areas of the country. Flowering throughout the year. 

Monday, December 1, 2014

Dingy Lineblue (Petrelaea dana)

Dingy Lineblue is rather rare butterfly flies from lowlands to about 500 m a.s.l elevations. Males often settle on damp patches of the roads or stream beds. Hitherto no records available on its early stages of life cycle or on larval host plants in published materials on Sri Lankan butterfly fauna. Recently egg laying and larva feeding on Terminalia catappa (කොට්ටම්බා) flowers were observed by Sujeewa Gunasena (Sujeeva Gunasena ‎ Personal communication, October 28, 2014 &  https://www.facebook.com/kamanijeeva/media_set?set=a.811498772250436.1073741853.100001709620688&type=1&pnref=story)

* Terminalia arjuna (කුඹුක්) is also known as one of its larval host plant.

Sunday, November 30, 2014

කොට්ටම්බා/කොට්ටන්[Kottamba/Kottan]/Indian almond/Country almons (Terminalia catappa)

Common tree cultivated as a shade tree in home gardens, roadsides etc. from coastal areas to about 800 m elevations. It is native to Tropical Asia, Northern Australia and Polynesia. Seed edible and leaves medicinal. 

Friday, November 28, 2014

Vagrant Swifts (Family: Apodidae) recorded in Sri Lanka

Birds that appear outside their normal range are known as vagrants. This post summarizes up to date published sight records of four unconfirmed vagrants* of the family Apodidae (Swifts ) in Sri Lanka.

*Species for which there are only one or two sight records exist categorized here as unconfirmed vagrants. Problematic records without sufficient details are also included.

1) White-throated Needletail (Hirundapus caudacutus)
Amila Salgado reported a sight record of White-throated Needletail first time in Sri Lanka in Pokunutenna (located in the North-Eastern boundary of the Udawalawe national park) on 22nd February 2007. He had observed several of them in a flock of swifts which included little swifts, Indian swiftlets and Asian palm swifts. He has also mentioned about a sight record of this swift in 2003 at Sinharaja by a visiting bird watcher though which was not reported formerly (Salgado A., 2007). A sight record of two White-throated Needletails on 19th February 2003 in Sinharaja is mentioned under ‘List of rejections (after 1990)’ of Ceylon bird club (http://www.ceylonbirdclub.org/List-of-Rejections.pdf). This is probably the same sight record Salgado was referring above.

     2) Pallid Swift (Apus pallidus)
A swift probably of this species was photographed in South-east Sri Lanka (Rasmussen P.C. and Anderton J.C., 2012: 259-260)

     3) Fork-tailed Swift [Pacific Swift/Large White-rumped swift] (Apus pacificus)
First record in Sri Lanka by Deepal Warakagoda from Bundala national Park in 28th November 1996 (Hoffmann, T. W., 1997 & Warakagoda, D., 1999).  A sight record by M.J. Pointon (UK) at Bentota in December 1997 is the second record of it in Sri Lanka (Hoffmann, T. W., 1999). However another record is given as the second report of it in/near Yala Block 1 by Warakagoda D. & Sirivardana U. in the summery of bird club notes for 2008-2010 periods (Warakagoda D. & Sirivardana U., 2011)

     4) Dark-rumped Swift (Apus acuticauda)
A sight record at Kandy in February 1993 by A.J. Vincent is the only record (Kotagama S. & Ratnavira G., 2010: 257)

References:

Hoffmann, T. W., 1999. Ceylon Bird Club Notes, 1997. Loris, 22(1), 57-58.
Hoffmann, T. W., 1997. Ceylon Bird Club Notes 1996. Loris, 21(3), 112-113.
Kotagama, S., Ratnavira, G. 2010. An illustrated Guide to the Birds of Sri Lanka. Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka, Colombo.
Rasmussen P.C. and Anderton J.C., 2012. Birds of South Asia - The Repley Guide Volume 2 Attributes and Status, second edition.
Salgado A., 2007. A sight record of White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudacutus in Pokunutenna, Sri Lanka Siyoth 2(2): 43.
Warakagoda, D., 1999. Ceylon Bird Club Notes,1998. Loris, 22(2), 33-34.
Warakagoda D. & Sirivardana U., 2011. Report from the Ceylon Bird Club for 2008-2011, Loris 26 (1&2)





Monday, November 24, 2014

Tamil Bushbrown (Mycalesis subdita)

Tamil Bushbrown is an endemic butterfly occurs in scrublands, home gardens and grasslands in dry and intermediate zones below 750m elevation. It is fond of rotting fruits. Larva feeds on Ischaemum timorense in the field and fed on Panicum maximum(Guinea Grass/රට තණ) and Axonopus compressus (Carpet Grass/පොටු තණ) in the lab when offered.

Sunday, November 23, 2014

හීන් එරමිණියා [Heen Eraminiya] (Ziziphus oenopolia)

Common indigenous shrub occurs in forests of dry areas. Flowering from October to March and Fruiting from February to April. Bark, leaves, flowers, fruits and roots are medicinal.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Possible range extension of Rasboroides nigromaginatus(?)

Note : - Sudasinghe et al., 2018 based on a phylogenetic study, resolved the issues raised in this post at    the end. Now Rasboroides nigromarginatus is considered as a synonym of Rasboroides vaterifloris

Sudasinghe, H., Herath, J., Pethiyagoda, R. and Meegaskumbura, M. , 2018, ‘Undocumented translocations spawn taxonomic inflation in Sri Lankan fire rasboras (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae)’. PeerJ [Online journal], (20 December 2018). Link >>

Endemic genus Rasboroides is restricted to the shaded rain forest streams of South-western wet zone from Kalu to Walawe drainages.  A single species of Rasboroides formerly known as Rasbora vaterifloris was divided into four different species recently base on morphological differences. Table 1 summarized some of their morphological features with distribution in the country base on Batuwita S. et al., 2013

Rasboroides nigromarginatus (Black Line Golden Rasbora/කලු-ඉරි හල්මල්දන්ඩියා[Kaluiri Halmaldandiya])

Rasboroides nigromarginatus was first described by a German scientist H. Meinken in 1957 as a new species base on a single specimen collected from the ‘Ceylon’ without knowing exact locality. He had found that specimen among some exported ornamental fishes from Sri Lanka and considered it as a synonymy of Rasboroides vaterfloris (Deraniyagala, 1958 & Pethiyagoda, 1991). It has not been collected since then until the rediscovery in 1994 from Athwelthota by R. Pethiyagoda & K. Manamendra Arachchi and independently in 2010 by members of Wildlife Conservation Society, Galle
With the recent review of Rasboroides group it is now considered as a valid species occurs only in Athwelthota area of Kalu river basin. Here we record a possible range extension of this species again on Kalu river basin but considerable distance away from the type locality.  We would like to keep exact locality undisclosed, considering past experiences of   extinction of some rare endemic fish species from certain localities without proper protection, due to excess collection for export and local ornamental fish industry (Ex. Extinction of bright color Rasboroides species from Puwakpitiya Dola in Indikada Mookalana and total extinction of them from Madakada Mookalana - Chamikara S., 2012).  
We were able to observe and photograph four live specimens of Rasboroides in a tributary of Kalu River in the Kiriella area of the Rathnapura district.  The stream is bordered to a rubber plantation but with well wooded  banks with several indigenous plants. One specimen we observed was bit bigger than other three and lack black color of un-branched ray of dorsal and other fins on the leading edge (However it is slightly visible on the dorsal fin ray on nearly half of its length – See picture).  But three small specimens had prominent black lines along leading edge of all their fins. Other than that large specimen was more yellowish on its dorsal and upper half of the side and fins while small specimens had more silver in dorsal as well as venter and sides.  However orange red color of dorsal fin and orange of caudal fin was not observed in any specimens. Taking accurate measurements of the specimens was impossible with living fishes due to obvious reason. But approximate size of the large specimen was visually estimated as 30mm and about 20mm of small three.  Body depth of all 4 specimens was around 30% SL.
Three out of four species of Rasboroides have been recorded from Kalu river basin and R. vaterifloris reported from Small shaded streams and rivulets in and around Gilimale is the closet Rasboroides locality recorded so far to the locality of the current specimens. However morphological features of them much resembles to the R. nigromaginatus hitherto only recorded from Athwelthota area.  
     Is this a hybridization of R. nigromaginatus and R. vaterifloris? Why only small individuals have prominent black ray on leading edges of fins? Are they juveniles and would it be faded away in adult specimens?  Or we are here dealing with two different species (We have observed that small individuals are schooling separately during our observation)? More research need to be done before come to a conclusion especially with exact measurements and scale counts with preserved specimens. But which is beyond our scope and for the time being we would like just to report this observation and highlight the need of conducting more research on our ichthyofauna and also most importantly conserving of their habitats with special consideration towards the streams and rivulets outside the protected forest reserves in Southwestern wet zone of the country.  Because those water sources are highly vulnerable to the human activities (We got to known that excessive fishing have been practicing in above area some time even with using explosives which destroy every living inhabitants of the stream from big to small). There are enough possibilities of discovering new species not only of fishes but also other animals as well in these unprotected areas and it is needed to conserve them before those ‘to be discovered’ species would be vanishing from the world before even known to the scientific community.

The Habitat of Rasboroides nigromaginatus(?)


R. vaterifloris
R. nigromaginatus
R. pallidus
R. rohani
Male –Upper body color
Golden brown lightening on side to silvery, scattered with melanophores
Golden orange, sides and venter silver
Dorsal color varies from pinkish-grey to dark golden yellow, lighter latterly. Silver on venter
Dorsally greyish-yellow, golden yellow on sides and silvery-white on venter.
Male- belly
Silver
Silver
Silver

Dorsal Fin
Hyaline with scattered melanophores
Orange red, Longest un-branched dorsal fin ray black along its entire length.
Golden yellow
Golden yellow
Anal fin
Hyaline with scattered melanophores
Yellow with scattered melanophores. Unbranched rays of leading edge black
Golden yellow
Yellow-orange
Pectoral fin
Hyaline with scattered melanophores
Yellow with scattered melanophores. Unbranched rays of leading edge black
Golden yellow
Golden yellow
Pelvic fin
Hyaline with scattered melanophores
Yellow with scattered melanophores. Unbranched rays of leading edge black
Golden yellow
Golden yellow
Caudal fin
Greenish Yellow
Orange.
Lighter with upper lobe hyaline
Yellow-orange on lower lobe. Upper lobe hyaline.
Sclera

Upper third of sclera deep Orange
Dense melanophores on sclera above and below giving effect of black bar on eye (Bothe M and F)

Opercle


Suffused with dark red (Bothe M and F)

Female
Similar to male but lighter in color, yellowish tan dorsally whitish with scattered melanophores on sides, belly white
Similar but lighter in color. Lacking black dorsal and anal fin margins and yellowish tan dorsally. Whitish with scattered melanophores on sides, , belly white
Overall light whitish orange. Lighter ventrally and on fins, which are partly hyaline
Sexes alike
Fins
Pectoral fin reaching beyond pelvic fin base; pelvic fin reaching beyond anal fin origin. Dorsal fin origin located halfway between snout-tip and hypural notch.
Pectoral fin reaching beyond base of pelvic fin; pelvic fin reaching beyond origin of anal fin; Dorsal fin origin located halfway between snout-tip and hypural notch.
Pectoral fin reaching base of pelvic fin; pelvic fin reaching origin of anal fin. Dorasl fin origin located halfway between snout-tip and hypural notch.
Pectoral fin reaching base of pelvic fin; pelvic fin reaching origin of anal fin. Dorasl fin origin located halfway between snout-tip and hypural notch.
Dorsal fin origin
1 scale width behind the pelvic fin origin
1 scale width behind the pelvic fin origin
3 scale width behind the pelvic fin origin
3 scale width behind the pelvic fin origin
Pelvic fin origin
Midway between pectoral fin base and anal fin origin
Closer to anal fin origin than to pectoral fin base.
Falling midway between pectoral fin base and anal fin origin
Closer to anal fin origin than to pectoral fin base
Dorsal margin of the operculum
More or less straight
Deep indentation


Dorsal profile of the head
Approximately straight behind the level of the eye in the male
Slightly concave
Slightly concave behind level of eye, arched thereafter
Approximately straight posterior to level of eye
Male Interorbital width
29-33 % HL
17-22 % HL


Male Internarial width
19-21 % HL
11-17 % HL


Female anal fin depth
23.5-24.8 % SL
17.4 – 22.7 % SL


Female interorbital width
25-33 % HL
16-21 % HL
33-36%HL
25-28 % HL
Female  Caudal-peduncle depth
12.4 – 13.4 % SL
10.4 – 12.3 % SL


Female  Caudal-peduncle length
18.6-21.2% SL
21.1-25 % SL


Body depth
31-32.8 % SL ( 31.1-32.8 in males and 31 – 31.7 in females)
26.9-33% SL (28.2-33 in males and 26.9-29.1 in females)
34.3-37.5%SL of males and 33-36.7in females
35.6 -40% SL in males and 33.3-36.8 % SL in females
Size
Male – 23.9-29.8mm Female – 22.1 – 25.5mm
Males 26.2 – 30.2 Female – 26.5 – 27.3mm
Up to 24.6 mm SL (males 21.5-24.6 and females 20.2- 20.7)
Up to 35.5mm SL (Males 25.3-35.5 and Females 23-30.8)
Scales on transverse line on the body
½ 8 ½
½ 8 ½
½ 6 ½ or ½ 7 ½  ( ½ 6[3] or 7 ½ [12] )
½ 8 ½
Scales on caudal peduncle
½ 4 ½
½ 4 ½
½ 3 ½
½ 4 ½
Predorsal scales
10[2],11[6],12[2]
11[4] or 12[6]
10[7],11[5],12[3]
11[5],12[6],13[4]
Prevental scales
15[2] or 16[8]
14[2], 15[7], 16[3]
13[7],14[4],15[2]
14[3],15[9],16[3]
Abdominal vertebrae
12[1] or 13[1]
12
11[4], 12[1], 13[1]
12
Caudal vertebrae
16[1] or 17[1]
16
16[2] or 17[4]
17
Total vertebrae
29
28
28-29
29
Scales on lateral series on body
21[2],22[1],23[1],24[5],25[1]
23[1],24[1],25[7],26[2],27[1]
 20[1], 21[1], 22[7],23[0],24[6]
25[3],26[8],27[1],28[3]
Perforated scales arterially
4[3],5[2],6[5]
1[1],2[5],3[7]
1[11] or 2[4]
1[6],2[3],3[5]
Lateral processes to the kinethmoid


2
1
Female eye diameter


39 – 40% HL
29-34 % HL
Pharyngeal-teeth formula
5,4,3-3,4,5
5,4,3-3,4,5
5,4,3-3,4,5
5,4,2 -2,4,5
Dorsal fin rays
3 unbranched and 7 ½  bracnched
3 unbranched and 7 ½  bracnched
3 unbranched and 7 ½  bracnched
3 unbranched and 7 ½  bracnched
Anal fin rays
3 unbranched and 5 ½ [2] or 6 ½[8] branched
3 unbranched and 6 ½ branched
3 unbranched and 6 ½ branched
3 unbranched and 6 ½ branched
Caudal fin rays
17 branched rays 9 on upper and 8 on lower lobes
17 branched rays 9 on upper and 8 on lower lobes
17 branched rays 9 on upper and 8 on lower lobes
17 branched rays 9 on upper and 8 on lower lobes
Pectoral fin rays
1 unbranched and 11 ½ [4] or 12 ½ [6] branched
1 unbranched and 11 ½  branched
1 unbranched and 11 ½  branched
1 unbranched and 11 ½  branched
Pelvic fin rays
1 unbranched and 6 ½ [3] or 7 ½ [7] branched
1 unbranched and 6 ½  branched
1 unbranched and 6 ½  branched
1 unbranched and 6 ½  branched
Lateral line
Incomplete
Incomplete
Incomplete
Incomplete
Distribution
Restricted to Kalu basin. Small shaded streams and rivulets in and around Gilimale. Type locality – Ilukwaththa ferry of Kalu river at Gilimale

Restricted to the Athwelthota of Kalu basin
Shallow slow flowing densely shaded low land rain forest streams with sandy silt substrates of Kalu (Mahakalupahana, Yagirala), Benthara(Bambaravana), Gin (Kottawa-Kombala FR)Polathu-Modara (Kottawa-Kombala FR), Nilvala (Dediyagala FR) basins.
Suriyakanda in Walawe river basin. Shallow slow flowing shady streams with a sandy-silt substrates and dense leaf litter in submontane forests.

Literature Cited
Batuwita S., de Silva M. and Edrisinghe U., 2013.        A review of the danionine genera Rasboroides and Horadandia (Pisces: Cyprinidae), with description of a new species from Sri Lanka Ichthyol. Exploe. Freshwaters, Vol. 24, No. 2, 121-140 pp.

Chamikara S., 2012. පාට වර්ණ කොහි ගියාද හල්මල් දන්ඩියනේ? - සදාහරිත වෙළුම 1 කලාපය 9

Deraniyagala, P.E.P.1958. Three new cyprinoids, a new catfish and variation among some cyprinoids and an anabantoid of Ceylon. Spolia Zeylanica, 28: 129-138.

Meinken, H. 1957. Rabora nigromarginata n. spec. die "Rote rasbora". Die Aquarien - und Terrarien Zeitschrift, 10: 65-68.

Pethiyagoda, R. 1991. Freshwater fishes of Sri Lanka. Wildlife Heritage Trust, Colombo, xiii+362pp.