The Tailed Jay (Graphium agamemnon) is a predominantly green and black tropical butterfly that belongs to the swallowtail family. The butterfly is also called Green-spotted Triangle, Tailed Green Jay, or the Green Triangle. It is a common, nonthreatened species native to India, Sri Lanka through Southeast Asia and Australia. Several geographic races are recognized.
Image: by Bimal Roy
This is the Red and Yellow Barbet (Trachyphonus erythrocephalus), which is constantly mistaken for a woodpecker. Not that you can really blame everyone, for that strong red bill is long, thick, and pointed - just like a woodpecker’s. The spotted pattern and flush of red also make it seem a bit woodpecker-esque.
Unlike a woodpecker, though, these birds aren’t interested in poking at trees. They mainly deal with termite mounds for food, as well as for a nesting site. The birds will tunnel about 40 cm into one of the mounds where they will then make a small chamber which they fill with grass and several Barbet feathers.
Read more @ A Case of Mistaken Identity, Barbet Style
I’m warning you right now: this is a seriously cool amphibian. It’s called the Marbled Tree Frog (Dendropsophus marmoratus) and it’s pretty hard to pick a side to check out first. I mean, its belly is absolutely wild looking with a cheetah-ish print whereas its top is the side really living up to its name. Look how well its marbled back blends in with its surroundings!
This super cool mammal is the Ring-tailed Mongoose (Galidia elegans) that is only found on Madagascar - where all the amazing animals hang out. This creature reaches lengths of 12.5 to 15 in. and weighs around 24 to 32 oz. But of course the snazzy part of this guy is the bushy red and black ringed tail.
Ring-tailed Mongooses are active during the day and superb climbers. You’ll find them frolicking in the trees hunting for small mammals, invertebrates, fish, reptiles and eggs.
Red-crested Turacos (Tauraco erythrolophus) have some pretty cool characteristics:
(Source: thefeaturedcreature.com)
Marbled Tree Frog (Dendropsophus marmoratus)
This species occurs in southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and the Amazon basin in Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia. In Ecuador, it occurs at elevations of up to 1,000m asl.
It has been found on leaves and branches of primary and secondary tropical rainforest and in clearings near forest (Duellman, 1978). It is a nocturnal and arboreal species, usually in trees, but after heavy rains males call from the ground, grasses, herbaceous vegetation, or bushes around temporary ponds (Rodríguez and Duellman, 1994). The eggs are laid in water and the tadpoles develop there also.
It is locally common in Suriname, and is considered stable although populations are threatened due to habitat destruction. Its range extends to conservation units within Ecuador.
(photo by Lars K Photography)
