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Blog Archives
Identification Challenge #9 Reveal
Kudos to all commenters on Identification Challenge #9. They all correctly determined that this was a closeup of an Onychophoran, commonly called a velvet worm.
January 18, 2011 | Gandoca-Manzanillo NWR, Limon Province, Costa Rica
These strange creatures have their own phylum, Onychophora, the name of which literally means “claw bearers”. You should be able to see those claws above, at the tips of their stubby little legs.
Wikipedia tells us there are only two surviving families, Peripatidae and Peripatopsidae, geographically separate. The range for Peripatidae includes Central America and tropical South America, making this a member of that family.
Posted in Identification Challenges
5 Comments
Nogodinid Planthopper
13mm | January 18, 2011 | Gandoca-Manzanillo NWR, Limon Province, Costa Rica
I saw these little planthoppers every day of my trip. They are a bit skittish though, and jump/fly away easily.
One of my references has a very similar looking Costa Rican planthopper identified as a Nogodina species. That at least makes me feel comfortable that I’ve gotten the right family here, Nogodinidae.
There doesn’t seem to be a lot known about this family. There’s not even a wikipedia page yet :). According to Marshall, it’s restricted to Central and South America.
Reference:
Posted in Featured Photos
5 Comments
Crypsis Challenge #9 Reveal
Looks like all commenters easily spotted the snake in this photo.
January 18, 2011 | Gandoca-Manzanillo NWR, Limon Province, Costa Rica
It’s about a third of the way from the top right. Here’s a closer shot from roughly the same angle.
Closeup of eyelash viper on tree trunk
As Andrea J determined, this is an eyelash viper, Bothriechis schlegelii. It’s difficult to pick up an ecotourism brochure in Costa Rica and not see a picture of the yellow variety of this species.
Look out for a separate post on this individual with many more photos.
Oh, and don’t worry, I kept a respectful distance. This encounter reminded me why I always carry around a teleconverter.
Posted in Crypsis Challenges
2 Comments
Identification Challenge #9
This challenge will be more like one of Ted MacRae’s Super Crop Challenges.
January 18, 2011 | Gandoca-Manzanillo NWR, Limon Province, Costa Rica
Can you figure out what this might be? Can anyone explain the relationship between what’s shown here and its name? You should be able to get to family here.
I’ll hold all comments in moderation for a while this time.
Posted in Identification Challenges
14 Comments
Crypsis Challenge #9
The last crypsis challenge was surprisingly difficult, but I think this one might be easier.
January 18, 2011 | Gandoca-Manzanillo NWR, Limon Province, Costa Rica
What has hidden itself here, just where an unsuspecting tourist might place their hand? A general description is fine, although I suspect someone will know exactly what this is.
Posted in Crypsis Challenges
12 Comments
Ant-mimicking Broad-headed Bug Nymphs
14mm | January 17, 2011 | Cahuita National Park, Limon Province, Costa Rica
At first glance you’d think that’s an ant rather than a true bug. Look closely though and the beak gives it away. These broad-headed bug nymphs (Family Alydidae) were easily found on the same foliage where I saw some Ectatomma ants. Perhaps those ants are the model for this mimic. The caption for this photo certainly suggests that’s the case.
Here’s a side by side comparison.
Mimic, feeding
Model?, waiting in ambush
Notice how the antenna tips are darker in the photo below. I wonder if that makes them appear shorter and closer in length to the model?
Posted in Featured Photos
1 Comment
Possible Hecale Longwings
January 17, 2011
Cahuita NP, Limon Province, Costa Rica
These butterflies were attracted to these white flowers. These might be Heliconius hecale zuleika, but I suspect there are probably lots of species that are difficult to tell apart.
Posted in Featured Photos
1 Comment
Large Wasp Nest
January 17, 2011 | Cahuita National Park, Limon Province, Costa Rica
I spotted this wasp nest way up in the canopy. I like how it’s open-ended at the bottom, exposing the comb inside.
It’s amazing to me the variety of forms that tropical wasp nests take. One day I’d like to do a compilation of all the ones I’ve photographed over the years.
Posted in Featured Photos
1 Comment
Alpaida species?
5mm | January 17, 2011 | Cahuita National Park, Limon Province, Costa Rica
One of my books (below) has a picture of a very similar looking spider identified as a spiny flag spider, Alpaida cornuta, also from Costa Rica. I wasn’t able to find anything online though using either the common name or the scientific name. The World Spider Catalog doesn’t seem to recognize that name at all, but I saw two species there from Costa Rica, A. bicornuta and A. championi. Perhaps this is one of those.
Here’s a similar looking unidentified Alpaida from Ecuador, so I think the genus is probably correct.
Posted in Featured Photos
2 Comments
Leafcutter Ants Nesting Above Ground
January 17, 2011
Cahuita NP, Limon Province, Costa Rica
I was watching some leafcutter ants and I noticed they disappeared inside the trunk of this tree palm(?). I thought perhaps they were just passing through, but another trail ended on the other side.
In the second photo you can see some leaves being carried along one of those stems. One of the nest entrances is about one third from the left and one third from the bottom.
I thought that leafcutter ants always had underground nests. Perhaps that’s the case here as well, with the majority of the nest still being underground. It’s a swampy area though, and the area behind the tree was submerged. It makes me wonder how leafcutter ants nest in areas that are often inundated with water.
Posted in Featured Photos
1 Comment
