Ailurus fulgens (Red panda) - Sikkim Mammal

Ailurus fulgens (Red panda)

Venue: Himalayan Zoological Park  Gangtok,  East Sikkim

Date: June 28, 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Ailurus fulgens (Red panda)

Venue: Himalayan Zoological Park  Gangtok,  East Sikkim

Date: June 28, 2014

Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Chordata

Class:              Mammalia

Order:             Carnivora

Family:           Ailuridae

Genus:            Ailurus

Species:           A. fulgens

Binomial name: Ailurus fulgens F. Cuvier, 1825

Other Names:  red panda, lesser panda and red cat-bear

Bhalu Biralo/ Habre (Nepali), Saknam (Lepcha) , Kaala (Limbu), ye niglva ponva/wah donka (Sherpa)

Special feature: It is native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China that has been classified as vulnerable by IUCN as its wild population is estimated at less than 10,000 mature individuals.

The red panda is the only living species of the genus Ailurus and the family Ailuridae.

An anthropomorphic red panda was featured as Master Shifu, the Kung Fu teacher, in the 2008 film Kung Fu Panda and its 2011 sequel Kung Fu Panda 2.

Ailurus is adopted from the ancient Greek word αἴλουρος (ailouros), meaning "cat".[53] The specific epithet fulgens is Latin for "shining, bright".[54] Panda is the French name for the Roman goddess of peace and travelers, who was called upon before starting a difficult journey.(Source: Wikipedia)

Spirama retorta (Indian Owlet-moth) - Sikkim Moth

Spirama retorta (Indian Owlet-moth)

Place : Dalapchand, Rongli, East Sikkim,

Date:March 15,  2013
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:            Animalia

Phylum:               Arthropoda

Class:                   Insecta

Order:                 Lepidoptera

Family:                Noctuidea

Genus:                 Spirama

Species:                S. retorta

Binomial name:    Spirama retorta (Clerck, 1764))

Other Names:

Special feature:

Nyctemera muelleri - Sikkim Moth

Nyctemera muelleri 

Place : Shantinagar, Singtam, East Sikkim,

Date:March 15,  2013
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:            Animalia

Phylum:               Arthropoda

Class:                    Insecta

Order:                  Lepidoptera

Family:                Arctiidae

Genus:                 Nyctemera

Species:                N. muelleri

Binomial name:    Nyctemera muelleri ((Vollenhoven, 1863)

Other Names:

Special feature:

Scolopendra subspinipes ( Red Headed Centipede) - Sikkim Insect

Scolopendra subspinipes ( Red Headed Centipede)

Place : Shantinagar, Singtam, East Sikkim,

Date: May 28, 2012
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Arthropoda

Class:              Chilopoda

Order:            Scolopendromorpha

Family:           Scolopendridae

Genus:            Scolopendra

Species:           S. subspinipes

Binomial name: Scolopendra subspinipes Leach, 1815

Other Names:  Chinese Red Head, Giant Centipede, Jungle Centipede, Orange Legged Centipede, Red Headed Centipede and Vietnamese Centipede.

Special feature: It is among the largest centipedes with a maximum length of 20 cm.

Bites from this species are very painful and may cause severe swelling, weakness or fever. S. subspinipes is the only species of centipede that is reputed to have a human death attributed to it. The reported fatal case was in Philippines in which the centipede bit a seven-year old girl on her head and she lived for another 29 hours. (Source: Wikipedia)

Coridius chinensis (Stink Bug) - Sikkim Insect

Coridius chinensis (Stink Bug)

Place : Dalapchand, Rongli, East Sikkim,

Date: January 2, 2012
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Animalia

Phylum:          Arthropoda

Class:              Insecta

Order:            Hemiptera (bugs)

Family:           Dinidoridae

Genus:            Coridius

Species:          C. chinensis

Binomial name: Coridius chinensis (Dallas, 1851).

Other Names:  Stink Bug

Special feature: "Coridius chinensis (Dallas) is eaten by one or more Assamese tribes." (Hoffmann, 1947).

"This species is very commonly used in China in an aphrodisiacal medicine and is on sale in Chinese medicine shops throughout China.  It is called 'Chu Shan Chung' or 'Hai Tao Chung' and was written about in 1590 by Li Shih chen and in 1890 by Fang Shui." (Hoffmann, 1947). (Source: ndsu.nodak.edu)

Hydrangea macrophylla (Big leaf hydrangea) - Sikkim Flora

Hydrangea macrophylla (Big leaf hydrangea)

Place : Khechuperi Lake ,  West Sikkim
Date: May 25, 2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Hydrangea macrophylla (Big leaf hydrangea)

Place : Khechuperi Lake ,  West Sikkim
Date: May 25, 2014
Pic: Shital Pradhan

Scientific classification

Kingdom:       Plantae

Phylum:         

Class:             

Order:             Cornales

Family:           Hydrangeaceae

Genus:            Hydrangea

Species:           H. macrophylla

Binomial name: Euphorbia milii Des Moul.

Other Names:  bigleaf hydrangea, French hydrangea, lacecap hydrangea, mophead hydrangea, penny mac and hortensia

Special feature: It is a native to China and Japan.

“H. macrophylla blooms can be blue, red, pink, light purple, or dark purple. The color is affected by soil pH. An acidic soil (pH below 7) will usually produce flower color closer to blue, whereas an alkaline soil (pH above 7) will produce flowers more pink. This is caused by a color change of the flower pigments in the presence of aluminum ions which can be taken up into hyper accumulating plants”. (Source: Wikipedia)