Cleora sp. - Sikkim Moth

Scientific Classification

Kingdom:        Animalia

Class:               Insecta
Order:              Lepidoptera
Family:            Geometridae
Subfamily:       Ennominae
Tribe:               Boarmiini
Genus:             Cleora

Identified at: The Moth And Butterfly Identification Forum ( Facebook Page)

Cyrtophora moluccensis (Tent Spider) - Sikkim Spider

Scientific classification

Kingdom:  Animalia

Phylum:     Arthropoda

Class:         Arachnida

Order:       Araneae

Suborder: Araneomorphae

Family:     Araneidae

Genus:      Cyrtophora

Species:    C. moluccensis

Binomial name: Cyrtophora moluccensis (Doleschall, 1857)

Other Names:  Tent Spider or Dome-Web Spider

Special feature:  The abdomen is high and the anterior end overhangs the cephalothorax. It can be distinguished from similar species by the two tubercles on its abdomen, its elaborate pattern, and, in females, the shape of the median septum of the epigyne. In males, the embolus of the pedipalp is enclosed within the conductor. Females and immature spiders are yellow to green in color.

Cyrtophora, the tent-web spiders, although technically orb-web spiders (family Araneidae), do not build orb webs. Their tent-like, highly complex non-sticky web is sometimes considered a precursor of the simplified orb web. These webs are aligned horizontally, with a network of supporting threads above them. These spiders often live in colonies. Females have a body length of mostly about 10 mm. (Source: Wikipedia)

Asiatic water snake (Xenochrophis piscator)

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SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Colubridae

Genus: Xenochrophis

Species: X. piscator

Binomial name: Xenochrophis piscator (Schneider, 1799)

Other name : Checkered Keelback, Doodhe Saap (Nepali)

Special Feature :  It is a common species of nonvenomous snake. This snake is found in or near freshwater lakes or rivers. It feeds mainly on small fish and water frogs

Yellow-bellied fantail (Chelidorhynx hypoxantha) - Sikkim Bird

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Chordata

Class:              Aves

Order:            Passeriformes

Family:           Stenostiridae

Genus:            Chelidorhynx Hodgson, 1844

Species:           C. hypoxantha

Binomial name: Chelidorhynx hypoxantha Blyth, 1843

Other Names:  yellow-bellied fairy-fantail

Special feature:  It is yellow below and has a black eye-stripe, white wing-bar and broad black tail tipped white.

It used to be placed in the family of the fantails (Rhipiduridae), but DNA analysis has shown it to be a close relative of the fairy flycatcher and it has therefore been transferred to the Stenostiridae (IOC World Bird List), in the re-validated monotypic genus Chelidorhynx. (Wikipedia)