Showing posts with label South Sikkim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Sikkim. Show all posts

Friday 8 January 2016

Euphorbia pulcherrima (Poinsettia) - Sikkim Flora



Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Plantae
Family:           Euphorbiaceae
Genus:            Euphorbia
Species:           E. pulcherrima

Binomial name: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ex Klotzsch



Other Names:  Poinsettia, Christmas plant, lobster flower and the flame-leaf flower

Lalupate (Nepali)

Special feature:  The colored bracts—which are most often flaming red but can be orange, pale green, cream, pink, white, or marbled—are often mistaken for flower petals because of their groupings and colors, but are actually leaves. (Wikipedia)

Poinsettias received their name in the United States in honor of Joel Roberts Poinsett, who introduced the plant into the country in 1828. Poinsett was a botanist, physician and the first United States Ambassador to Mexico. He sent cuttings of the plant he had discovered in Southern Mexico to his home in Charleston, South Carolina. The word Poinsettia is traditionally capitalized because it is named after a person. December 12th is Poinsettia Day, which marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett in 1851. (extension.illinois.edu/)

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Sunday 7 December 2014

Giant wood spider (Nephila pilipes) - Sikkim Spider

Nephila pilipes (Giant wood spider)
Venue: Sirwani, Singtam,  South Sikkim
Date: November 29, 2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan




Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia
Phylum:          Arthropoda
Class:             Arachnida
Order:            Araneae
Suborder:       Araneomorphae
Family:           Nephilidae
Genus:            Nephila
Species:           N. pilipes

Binomial name: Nephila pilipes (Fabricius, 1793)

Other Names: Giant Wood Spider, golden orb-weavers  or banana spiders.


Special feature:  Females are large and grow to a body size of 30–50 mm (overall size up to 20 cm), with males growing to 5–6 mm. It is one of the biggest spiders in the world.

The Nephila pilipes' web is vertical with a fine irregular mesh and not symmetrical, with the hub is usually nearer the top. Rather than egg sacks being hung in the web, a pit is dug which is then covered with plant debris or soil.

The first, second and fourth pairs of legs of juvenile females have dense hairy brushes, but as the spider matures these brushes disappear. (Source: Wikipedia)

Wednesday 3 December 2014

Cirrochroa aoris (Large Yeoman) - Sikkim Butterfly

Cirrochroa aoris (Large Yeoman)

Venue: Sirwani, Singtam,  South Sikkim

Date: November 29, 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan



Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia
Phylum:          Arthropoda
Class:              Insecta
Order:            Lepidoptera
Family:           Nymphalidae
Genus:            Cirrochroa
Species:           C. aoris
Binomial name: Cirrochroa aoris Doubleday, 1847

Other Names: Large Yeoman


Special feature:  The genus Cirrochroa comprises of 18 species, of which 15 occur in the Oriental region, plus 2 on Papua New Guinea, and one on the island of Biak. Cirrochroa aoris is found in India, Bhutan and Myanmar.

Saturday 29 November 2014

Actitis hypoleucos (Common Sandpiper) - Sikkim Bird

Actitis hypoleucos (Common Sandpiper)

Venue: Sirwani, Singtam,  South Sikkim

Date: February 16 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan





Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia
Phylum:          Chordata
Class:             Aves
Subclass:        Neornithes
Infraclass:      Neognathae
Superorder:   Neoaves
Order:            Charadriiformes
Superorder:   Neoaves
Family:           Scolopacidae
Genus:            Actitis
Species:           A. hypoleucos
Binomial name: Actitis hypoleucos (Linnaeus, 1758)

Other Names:  Common Sandpiper

Special feature:  This bird and its American sister species, the Spotted Sandpiper, make up the genus Actitis.

In the Nukumanu language of the Nukumanu Islands (Papua New Guinea), this species is usually called tiritavoi. Another Nukumanu name for it, matakakoni, exists, but this is considered somewhat taboo and not used when children and women are around. The reason for this is that matakakoni means "bird that walks a little, then copulates", in reference to the pumping tail and thrusting head movements the Actitis species characteristically perform during foraging. (Source: Wikipedia)