tiwane's Favourites

A very tenacious spider. It had already brought the grass into its burrow after the initial tickle but I didn't have my camera handy.

I gently pulled out the grass, tickled again, and the spider grabbed onto it once more. So cool.

ID for the possible ectoparasite. Not sure which phylum to place this in, but the white mark on tip could be distinctive for a species or genus ID if an expert had a look. Leaning towards polyclad flatworms or maybe it is a mollusk.

My first attempt at diatoms cleaning.

Three specimens observed, from the same sample of my previous observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/141202070 taken on 2022-11-05.

Stria density: 7-8 per 10 μm (center), 10-11 (extremities).
Puncta density: 11 per 10 μm.
Length 213-225 µm, width 41-44 µm.

Stigmata visible near the central nodule.

According to Diatoms of Europe vol.3 by Kurt Krammer, 2002, it looks like Cymbella peraspera:
“Valves moderately to distinctly dorsiventral, dorsal margin rather evenly arched, ventral margin with a slightly gibbous central portion. Valve ends not protracted and broadly rounded. Length (130)154-320 µm, breadth 44-52 µm, maximal length/breadth ratio about 6. Axial area moderately wide, linear, widening at mid-valve to form a shallow central area, about ¼ to nearly ⅓ of the valve breadth. Raphe slightly lateral, tape ring near proximal and distal ends, becoming filiform near the proximal and the distal ends. Proximal raphe ends with moderately large roundish central pores which are slightly ventrally deflected; terminal fissures sickle-shaped and dorsally bent. Striae throughout radiate. Puncta distinctly and more or less roundish in focus high and low. A large number of stigmata on the ventral side of the central nodule, in focus low differently shaped from the puncta, commonly distant from the middle ventral striae. Striae 5-8/10 µm, becoming up to 10/10 µm near the extremities. Puncta 7-10(11) in 10 µm.”

Came to UV light.
Symmerista female locked in copulation with a Large Aspen Tortrix (Choristoneura conflictana)! See https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/125107828.
Journal description: https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/68003-a-confused-match

Observed during a night walk led by staff from the Rainforest Discovery Center. This individual was spotted and identified as a Hose's Pygmy Flying Squirrel (Petaurillus hosei) by our guide. It did not seem bothered by our presence as it stayed for a minute or two before slowly walking away on a branch into the forest.

This species is re-discovered after 136 years of presumed extinction, after a single (holotype) specimen was collected in 1885 (Natura Croatia, 2022;31(2):217-224, https://hrcak.srce.hr/en/clanak/417209 and Linzer biol. Beitr 2022:54(1):251-256; https://www.zobodat.at/pdf/LBB_0054_1_0251-0256.pdf). The main feature of the species is the black marking on the male clypeus. Females were firstly observed and described from this location. Currently considered endemic to Croatian coast, including the Mosor, Kozjak and Dinara Mountains.

Stream edge around 1000m.
Vaginant lamina around 1/2 length of dorsal lamina. Leaves apiculate, and finely and evenly serrulate. Costa ends just before apex. Elimbate. All stems <2cm (averaging ~1.5).

If I'm to guess, this shrimp mimics Pagurixus nomurai hermit crab. At least, that's what it fooled me for. Pretty cool!

Thor leptochelus
Fig. 5

This moth, first time for me, was spotted at Karzi-Mangnam, West Sikkim, one of the remotest villages in our state. I'd taken my family to show them how does it feel like reaching there (adventurous roads, first road came in 2004), living there and experiencing their lives.
The trip indeed was fruitful, despite the back-breaking journey, I managed to photograph some extraordinary moths, like this one.

Do you sometimes feel like you're being watched while out in the yard? I'm pretty sure every time I go out there to take pictures there are thousands of eyes on me. Actually, this little guy may get up to that number in those compound eyes just by himself.