Saturday, May 2, 2009

Panti Forest


Location:
Panti Forest, Kota Tinggi, Malaysia
Species seen:
Anisoptera--Dragonflies
Gomphidae
  • Heliogomphus kelantanensis (?)
  • Macrogomphus parallelogramma (?)

  • Libellulidae
  • Lyriothemis biappendiculata
  • Rhyothemis obsolescens

  • Zygoptera--Damselflies
    Calopterygidae
  • Vestalis gracilis/amoena/amethystina

  • Chlorocyphidae
  • Heliocypha biforata
  • Libellago stigmatizans
  • Sundacypha petiolata

  • Megapodagrionidae
  • Rhinagrion mima

  • Euphaeidae
  • Dysphaea dimidiata
  • Euphaea impar

  • Protoneuridae
  • Prodasineura laidlawii



  • This few weeks, Professor M. H. visited Singapore. We took the chance to go up to Kota Tinggi in Johor with him and Mr. Tang on Labour Day.
    We went into a stream in Panti Forest. The sand banks on this stream made it a good breeding spot for Gomphids, in fact, we spotted a few zooming up and down the river, however, we were unable to identify it as Prof. M.H. was not with us at that time. However, my brother found a teneral Leptogomphus species.

    The few odonata species I saw today were all new to me. I also learned to identify a few species.
    Prodasineura laidlawii can be differed from the other Prodasineura species as the end of the abdomen is almost totally blue, and the blue marks on the thorax are thin as compared to the other P. species.

    There were many Heliocypha biforata flying around the place. There is a obvious pink patch above the light blue thorax, completed by a black abdomen with slight blue markings.

    We also observed quite a few Libellago stigmatizans male species flying about. They generally prefer to perch near the water surface, not unlike the Libellago aurantiaca. There were two males engaged in territorial fights, and we also found a dead one in a spider web. A female was ovipositing, with the male flying over it as protection. The white legs of the male were clearly seen to be extended when it was circling.

    When we branched off into another side stream, this one with water not as clear and more underwater growth, we found several species of Sundacypha petiolata, including two males engaged in territorial fights and a mating pair.

    Drepanosticta quadrata was collected at this stream when Prof M. H., Mr. Tang and my father visited it last week. It is therefore not endemic to only Singapore, as previously thought, but also to Southern Johor.

    We visited 陈伯伯果园 to clean up and also visit the dogs and cats :)
    There were 3 baby kittens! (opened eyes already haha.)
    There were also two young dogs. The puppies from the previous visit have all grown up and none seem to recognize us except for the king, which we've known since it was very young (and far from the king position).

    A fruitful trip!