Painted lady

Painted lady

The Cynthia group of colourful butterflies, commonly called painted ladies, comprises a subgenus of the genus Vanessa in the Family Nymphalidae. They are well known throughout most of the world.

It is a large butterfly (wing span 5–9 cm (2.0–3.5 in)) identified by the black and white corners of its mainly deep orange, black-spotted wings. It has five white spots in the black forewing tips and while the orange areas may be pale here and there, there are no clean white dots in them. The hindwings carry four small submarginal eyespots on dorsal and ventral sides. In Europe it migrates annually between North Africa, including Morocco, and northern Europe, using a sun compass for orientation. Its also found in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Painted lady on lantana camara plant. Lantana camara is a necter plant.

Mystus tengara

Common Name: Tengara Catfish, Guinea Catfish, Pyjama Catfish.

Mystus tengara

Fishes of the genus Mystus Scopoli are small to medium-sized bagrid catfishes occurring in South Asia. Roberts (1994) recognized Mystus to have an elongate cranial fontanel reaching up to the base of the occipital process, long maxillary barbel, very long adipose fin, 11–30 gill rakers on the first gill arch and 37–46 total vertebrae, about equally divided between abdominal and caudal regions. He included only eight species under the genus. Mo (1991) characterized the genus to have a thin needle-like first infraorbital, twisted and thickened metapterygoid loosely attached to the quadrate by means of ligament or a small extent of cartilage. Jayaram & Sanyal (2003) and Ferraris (2007) respectively listed 44 and 33 species of Mystus as valid.  This species is easily distinguished by its small size, golden yellow color, and small adipose fin.

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Festival of Biodiversity news

Festival of Biodiversity
13 and 14 July
10:00am to 10:10pm
VivoCity, Central Atrium B & West Boulevard

• Exhibition
• Free Children's art and Craft Workshops
• Other free activities

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given species, ecosystem, biome, or planet. Terrestrial biodiversity tends to be highest at low latitudes near the equator,which seems to be the result of the warm climate and high primary productivity.Marine biodiversity tends to be highest along coasts in the Western Pacific, where sea surface temperature is highest and in mid-latitudinal band in all oceans.Biodiversity generally tends to cluster in hotspots, and has been increasing through time but will be likely to slow in the future.Rapid environmental changes typically cause mass extinctions. One estimate is that <1%-3% of the species that have existed on Earth are extant.

Colisa fasciata

Colisa fasciata

Additional names: Banded Gourami, Indian Giant Gourami, Rainbow Gourami, Striped Gourami.

Description: A medium-sized Gourami that is often seen in several colour morphs. All have a long and high, almost rectangular, body. They all have several coloured vertical bands down the body. 
Body elongate and strongly compressed. Mouth small, slightly protrusible; upper lip papillose, especially in old males. Preorbital serrate in young specimen. Color greenish with oblique orange or bluish bars descending downwards and backwards from the back to the anal fin. Vertical fins with alternating dark and pale spots or bars; the anal fin often with a red margin.

Diet

Omnivore therefore will indulge in everything from flakes to frozen foods and live foods. However they can live on flakes only, with an occasional bloodworm meal.

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Checkered keelback

The checkered keelback or Asiatic water snake (Xenochrophis piscator) is a common species of non venomous snake found in Buriganga river, Dhaka, Bangladesh.This snake is found in or near freshwater lakes or rivers. It feeds mainly on small fish and water frogs. This snake's eyes are rather small, and shorter than its distance from the nostril in the adult.

Fig. Checkered keelback

Trithemis kirbyi

Trithemis kirbyi is a species of dragonfly in family Libellulidae.  It is also known as the Kirby's Dropwing.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, dry savanna, moist savanna, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical moist shrubland, rivers, and inland karsts.

Trithemis kirbyi

Classification:
Phylum : Arthopoda
Class : Insecta
Order : Odonata
Family : Libellulidae
Genus : Trithemis
Species: Trithemis kirbyi

Location : Buriganga river, Dhaka
Date : 10.04.13

Calotes versicolor

The Oriental Garden Lizard, Eastern Garden Lizard or Changeable Lizard (Calotes versicolor) is an agamid lizard found widely distributed in Asia. It has also been introduced in many other parts of the world. It is an insectivore and the male gets a bright red throat in the breeding season leading to a common incorrect name of "Bloodsucker" .

 Fig.Calotes versicolor

English Name : Common Garden Lizard
Scientific Name : Calotes versicolor
Location : Moddhochor, Buriganga river, Dhaka

Date : 24.03.2013

Scientific Classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Iguania
Family:	Agamidae
Genus:	Calotes
Species:	C. versicolor

Generally broad brown bands across the back, interrupted by a yellowish lateral band. Black streaks radiate from the eye, and some of them are continued over the throat, running obliquely backwards, belly frequently with greyish longitudinal stripes, one along the median line being the most distinct; young and half-grown specimens have a dark, black-edged band across the inter-orbital region.The ground-colour is generally a light brownish olive, but the lizard can change it to bright red, to black, and to a mixture of both. This change is sometimes confined to the head, at other times diffused over the whole body and tail.  

Indian Pond Heron

The Indian Pond Heron or Paddybird (Ardeola grayii) is a small heron. It is of Old World origins, breeding in southern Iran and east to India,Burma, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. They are widespread and common but can be easily missed when they stalk prey at the edge of small water-bodies or even when they roost close to human habitations. They are however distinctive when they take off with bright white wings flashing in contrast to the cryptic streaked olive and brown colours of the body. Their camouflage is so excellent that they will close approach before taking to flight, a behaviour which has resulted in folk names and beliefs that the birds are short-sighted or blind

Fig. Indian Pond Heron

English Name :  Indian Pond Heron

Scientific Name: Ardeola grayii

Location : Buriganga river, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Date : 24.03.2013

Food and feeding

The Indian Pond Heron's feeding habitat is marshy wetlands. They usually feed at the edge of ponds but make extensive use of floating vegetation such as Water hyacinth to access deeper water. They may also on occasion swim on water or fish from the air and land in deeper waters.They have also been observed to fly and capture fishes leaping out of water.The primary food of these birds includes crustaceans, aquatic insects, fishes, tadpoles and       

                                                                                       sometimes leeches (Herpobdelloides sp.)

                                                                                  

Danaus chrysippus

  Fig. Danaus chrysippus

 English name : Plain tiger
 Scientific name: Danaus chrysippus
 Location : Bosila, Buriganga river, Dhaka,
 Date: 24.03.13  
 Capture by Muzammel Hossain
      

Danaus chrysippus, known as the Plain Tiger or African Monarch, is a common butterfly which is widespread in Asia and Africa. It belongs to the Danainae ("Milkweed butterflies") subfamily of the brush-footed butterfly family, Nymphalidae. It is a medium-sized, non-edible butterfly, which is mimicked by multiple species.    

                   

The Plain Tiger is believed to be one of the first butterflies to be used in art. A 3500 year old Egyptian fresco in Luxor features the oldest illustration of this species.

Chinese mantis

English Name : Chinese mantis

Scientific Name : Tenodera sinensis

Location: Ramna Park, Dhaka

Date: 28.03.13

Capture by Muzammel Hossain

 Fig: Chinese mantis

The Chinese Mantis (Tenodera sinensis) is a species of praying mantis. Originating from China, they were first introduced to North America around 1895 as a source of pest control. Since then, the species has spread throughout much of southern New England, and the Northeast United States, and ootheca can be purchased from plant nurseries nationwide. This species is often erroneously given the taxonomic name of Tenodera aridifolia sinensis; when first classified, T. sinensis was a subspecies of T. aridifolia but T. sinensis is a species now.

Blue ring angelfish

English Name : Blue ring angelfish

Scientific Name : Pomacanthus annularis

Location : Bay of Bangle, near Sant-martin Island''s

Blue ring angelfish is an angelfish of the family Pomacanthidae

It is highly sought after and prized member of the Pomacanthus genus, composed of large marine angelfish. Bluering angelfish can reach up to 12 inches in the wild and often obtain lengths near that in captivity.

In the aquarium bluering angelfish are algae grazers but consume fish and coral flesh as well. They are known to eat shrimps and nibble on both large polyped stony and small polyped stony corals. Overall most seasoned reef aquarists do not recommend keeping this species in areef aquarium due to these habits.

Fig: Pomacanthus annularis

Classification:

Kingdom : Animalia

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Actinopterygii

Order : Perciformes

Family : Pomacanthidae

Genus : Pomacanthus

Species : P. annularis

Junonia atlites

he Gray Pansy or Grey Pansy (Junonia atlites) is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in Bangladesh. Upperside of both sexes pale lavender-brown, apical half of wings paler.The black-centred spots in the ovals in interspaces 2, 5, and 6 margined posteriorly with rich ochraceous yellow.

Scientific name : Junonia atlites

English name : Gray Pansy

Location : Bosila, Buriganga river side, Dhaka

Photography : Muzammel Hossain

            Fig: Junonia atlites

Junonia almana

The Peacock Pansy (Junonia almana) is a species of nymphalid butterfly found in Bangladesh. It exists in two distinct adult forms, which differ chiefly in the patterns on the underside of the wings; the dry-season form has few markings, while the wet-season form has additional eyespots and lines.

Scientific name: Junonia almana

English name : Peacock Pansy

Location : Buriganga river, mill barak area, Dhaka

Fig: Junonia almana , Uperside

                                                           

                                          

                                                     

                                       

                                     

                                               

                                             The adult butterfly has a wingspan of 54–62 mm (2.1–2.4 in), and exhibits seasonal polyphenism.

The caterpillars of Junonia almana feed on a variety of plants, including Hygrophila auriculata, Phyla nodiflora and species in the genera Acanthus, Barleria andGloxinia.

Leptosia nina

The Psyche is a small butterfly of the family Pieridae and is found in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent. The upper forewing has a black spot on a mainly white background.

Scientific name: Leptosia nina

English Name : Psyche
Location: Bosila, Buriganga river, Dhaka

Fig. Leptosia nina

Upperside: white; base of wings very slightly powdered with minute black scales. Forewing: costa speckled obscurely with black; apex black, the inner margin of this inwardly angulate; a very large somewhat pear-shaped post-discal spot also black. Hindwing white, uniform; in most specimens an obscure, extremely slender, terminal black line.

Fish conservation : Puntius conchonius

Fish conservation : Puntius conchonius: Local Name :  Kachon punti English name : Rosy barb Fig: Puntius conchonius T he rosy barb is a subtropical freshwater fish belongin...

Puntius conchonius

Local Name :  Kachon punti
English name : Rosy barb

Fig: Puntius conchonius

The rosy barb is a subtropical freshwater fish belonging to the minnow family. It originates in Bengal, India and other parts of Southeast Asia.
This pinkish fish is one of the larger species of Barbs growing up to 6 inches (14 cm) in length. Their color becomes bolder during their mating periods. The male has a brighter pinkish color and the female is slightly plumper. Also note that females do not have any B.L.A.C.K color in their fins while males do. They may weigh up to 12 oz when fully grown but can weigh much less during adolescence. They are mature at 2.5 inches

Trichogaster chuna

The Honey Gourami (Trichogaster chuna), is a tropical labyrinth fish of the suborder Anabantoidei often bred and kept for aquaria.

Distribution: The honey gourami is typically found in rivers and lakes in Asia. It originates from India and Bangladesh. It inhabits areas of thick vegetation in soft and poorly mineralised waters. This fish prefers the top and middle levels of the water

Kingdom: Animalia

Fig: Trichogaster chuna

Phylum : Chordata

Class : Actinopterygii

Order : Perciformes

Family : Osphronemidae

Genus : Trichogaster

Speices : T. chuna

Labeo rohita

Fig: Labeo rohita

Bengali name: রুই
Common English: Rohu 

Scientific name: Labeo rohita

Rohi or Rohu (Labeo rohita, Bengali: রুই) is a fish of the carp family Cyprinidae, found commonly in rivers and freshwater lakes in and around South Asia and South-East Asia. It is a herbivore. It is treated as a delicacy in Bangladesh, Nepal and the Indian states of Orissa, Assam, West Bengal, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. It is called rahu in Nepali.In Hindi it is called rehu (rawas is the Indian Salmon, which is quite different). It is called rohi in Oriya, rui in Bengali, rou in Assamese and Sylheti, rohu it self in Malayalam, and is reared in Kerala. It is popular in Thailand, Bangladesh, northern India and Pakistan. It is a non-oily/white fish. During the early stages of its lifecycle, it eats mainly zooplankton, but as it grows, it eats more and more phytoplankton, and as a juvenile or adult is a herbivorous column feeder, eating mainly phytoplankton and submerged vegetation. It has modified, thin hair-like gill rakers, suggesting that it feeds by sieving the water.

Zebra fish

The zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a tropical freshwater fish belonging to the minnow family (Cyprinidae) of order Cypriniformes. It is a popular aquarium fish, frequently sold under the trade name zebra danio, and is an important vertebrate model organism in scientific research. It is particularly notable for itsregenerative abilities, and has been modified to produce several transgenic strains.

Fig. Danio rerio

Distribution:

The zebrafish is native to the streams of the southeastern Himalayan region, and is found in parts of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Burma. The species arose in the Ganges region in eastern India, and commonly inhabits streams, canals, ditches, ponds, and slow-moving or stagnant water bodies, including rice fields. Zebrafish have been introduced to parts of the United States, presumably by deliberate release or by escape from fish farms.

Feeding :

The zebrafish is omnivorous. It primarily eats zooplankton, insects, insect larvae, and phytoplankton, although it can eat a variety of other foods, such as worms and small crustaceans, if its preferred sources are not readily available. Most zebrafish accept common food flakes and tubifex worms in the aquarium.

Bagarius bagarius

Bagarius bagarius, also known as the devil catfish, dwarf goonch or goonch (Bengali: বাঘাইর), is a species of catfish in the genus Bagarius. It is generally reported as being found in large and medium rivers in South and Southeast Asia, but considerable taxonomic confusion surrounds this species and B. yarrell.

Distribution: 

Bagarius species inhabit south and southeast Asia. They are distributed in the Indus drainage in Pakistan and India, east (including peninsular India) to the Red Riverdrainage in Vietnam and south throughout Indochina including the Malay Peninsula and Indonesia. B. bagarius is known from the Ganges River, Chao Phraya, and theMekong drainages, as well as the Malay Peninsula and the Salween and Mae Klong drainages and the Brahmaputra River and Ayeyarwady River. B. suchus originates from the Mekong and Chao Phraya basins. B. rutilus inhabits the Red River and Ma River in northern Vietnam. B. yarelli is widely distributed in southern and southeastern Asia.

Fig. Bagarius bagarius

Ecology:

B. bagarius inhabits rapid and rocky pools of large and medium-sized rivers. B. suchus is usually associated with rapids in the large rivers it inhabits. B. yarelli occurs in large rivers on the bottom, even with swift current, never entering small streams. It is found among boulders, often in the white water of the rapids where it apparently is indifferent to the strong current.

B. bagarius is primarily entomophagous. It also feeds on small fishes, frogs and shrimps.B. suchus, however, is a piscivore. B. yarelli feeds primarily on prawns but also eat small fishes and aquatic insects