Shorea (Meranti) Nuts - Winged fruits

Photos of Shorea matured nuts. The nuts is also known locally as buah Engkabang or Mengkabang. In Bidayuh, it is called Buah Bekawang. Above: Look like a nipple fruit. Shorea is a genus of about 196 species of mainly rainforest trees in the family Dipterocarpaceae, from the type genus Dipterocarpus. Dipterocarpus, is derived from Greek (di = two, pteron = wing and karpos = fruit) and refers to the two-winged fruit. The genus is named after Sir John Shore, the Governor-General of the British East India Company, 1793-1798. They are native to southeast Asia, from Northern India to Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Above: Four wings fruit Many economically important timber trees belong to Shorea. They are sold under various trade names including "Meranti", "Lauan" (or "Luan"), "Seraya", "Balau", and "Bangkirai". Other products from Shorea spp. include Dammar and Illepe. Dammar is a resin collected from a variety of species. It varies in colour among the different taxonomic groups. Shorea wiesneri is listed in many website as an important source of dammar. Note: The Shorea nuts was collected from 13th Mile Kuching Serian road. Recommended reading: * Photo of Green Grapes in the Tropic * Rambutan - Nephelium lappaceum * Barbados cherry in Borneo * Freak papaya from Borneo SEO: Buah engkabang | bekawang | mengkabang | buah meranti

Tropical White-breasted Waterhen

Photo of a tropical Waterhen with a bounty making a dash to the bushes. About White-breasted Waterhen The White-breasted Waterhen (Amaurornis phoenicurus) is a waterbird of the rail and crake family Rallidae that is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They are somewhat bolder than most other rails and are often seen stepping slowly with their tail cocked upright in open marshes or even drains near busy roads. They are largely crepuscular in activity and during the breeding season after the first rains make loud and persistent croaky calls. In Sri Lanka, this bird is known as Korawakka in Sinhala Language. In Sarawak Borneo, this Waterhen is known as Manuk Keruak in Bidayuh Language.

Freshwater Puffer Fish - Ikan Buntal

Photo of live tropical freshwater Puffer Fish (Ikan Buntal). The Ikan Buntal was caught at the muddy Siar Beach, Lundu. Ikan Buntal probably belong to Tetraodontidae family. The small Ikan Buntal actually feel like a frog with soft tissue. Closer shot of Ikan Buntal. Tetraodontidae is a family of primarily marine and estuarine fish. The family includes many familiar species which are variously called puffers, balloonfish, blowfish, bubblefish, globefish, swellfish, toadfish, toadies, honey toads, fugu and sea squab. Recommended reading: * Photo of Pristella maxillaris - X-ray fish - Series #2 * Tropical Transparent Fish - Glass Fish - X-Ray Fish * Snake head fish photo * Animal Oddity - Photo of Twin Tilapia Fish * Animal Oddity - Photo of Barreleye Fish - Macropinna microstoma

Photo of Siar Beach Resort

Photo of Siar Beach, next to the Siar Beach Resort Lundu which is about one hour drive from Kuching. Beach view facing a mountain shrouded with morning mists. Siar beach at low tide. Fresh water from the mountain flowing unto the beach at low tide. A distance view of the mountain from Siar Beach. The sea at the far end of the beach. About Siar Beach Resort. Siar Beach Resort occupies a secluded, peaceful and tranquility beach front with self contained bungalows units and basic facilities. Unfortunately, there is no white sand but sandy and muddy beach. Link to Siar Beach Resort home page. Be sure to bring enough drinking water because when I stayed there, water supply (which is from the mountain source) was cut off during the night during a heavy storm. I suppose water supply is not an issue during fine weather. Bring your food rations as well as unless you prepared to drive back to Lundu town for a meal. As for the beach, probably a one-star rating due to the fact that the main sea water body is far from the beach (approximately 500 meters away during low tide) in addition to the unsightly debris. And I cut my toe when I accidentally kick a submerged rock which was unseen due to the murky water. Recommended reading: * Photo of Sematan Palm Beach Resort

Brown Praying Mantis of Borneo

Photo of brown praying mantis. Common praying mantis that I came across are usually green mantis. The mantis below is probably the Chinese mantis (Tenodera sinensis). Mantodea or mantises is an order of insects that contains approximately 2,200 species in 9 families worldwide in temperate and tropical habitats. Most of the species are in the family Mantidae. Historically, the term "mantid" was used to refer to any member of the order because for most of the past century, only one family was recognized within the order; technically, however, the term only refers to this one family, meaning the species in the other eight recently-established families are not mantids, by definition (i.e., they are empusids, or hymenopodids, etc.), and the term "mantises" should be used when referring to the entire order. A colloquial name for the order is "praying mantises", because of the typical "prayer-like" stance, although the term is often misspelled as "preying mantis" since mantises are predatory. In Europe, the name "praying mantis" refers to Mantis religiosa. The closest relatives of mantises are the orders Isoptera (termites) and Blattodea (cockroaches), and these three groups together are sometimes ranked as an order rather than a superorder. They are sometimes confused with phasmids (stick/leaf insects) and other elongated insects such as grasshoppers and crickets. Brown Praying Mantis video clip

Giant Caterpillar - Series #19

A close up photo of a giant tropical caterpillar. I short of calling it fat caterpillar. Look at those spikes. Photo shot at Jalan Stakan, Kuching. Related posts: * Furry caterpillar - Series #18 * Two caterpillars - Series #17 * Furry caterpillar - Series #16

Furry caterpillar - Series #18

This photo is the 18th series on caterpillar. This subject is furry with lumps of yellow brushes (yellow markers) on its body. This could be the Tussock Moth larvae. Related posts: * Two caterpillars - Series #17 * Furry caterpillar - Series #16 * Black caterpillar with white stripes and blue spikes - Series #15 SEO: Tussock Moth caterpillar | Tussock Moth larvae

Bintulu Port Quay Crane Accident

Photo of a newly acquired Quay Crane buckled under its own weight in an accident at Bintulu Port. The RM21 million quay crane was supplied by peninsular based company IMPSA (M) Sdn. Bhd and about to be transported from a barge to Berth No.4 when it suddenly collapsed around 10.30a.m on Thursday. The lower part of the crane structure was badly damaged in the incident. No injuries were reported in the mishap and operation on Berth No.4 will be temporarily closed according to the port authority in a statement on Thursday. Photo source: UDN / Voon Siang Pin More photos of Bintulu Port