Archives
v1i2.13ISSN: 1800-427X (print)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i2.13
Published date: 22 November 2009
Pp. 78–79
EDITORIAL
Colin Groves
Section Editor: Taprobanica, the journal of Asian Biodiversity
Considering that Sri Lanka is not a large island, about the size of Tasmania, its biological wealth is simply astonishing. Although the reptiles and amphibians of the island are increasingly well studied, our understanding of the mammals is lagging behind. In the days when Sri Lanka was a British colony, part of British India, there were a few British biologists who paid some attention to the mammals: notably Edward Blyth, curator of mammals in the Indian Museum in Calcutta, and a few taxonomists based in the British Museum (Natural History) in London: Oldfield Thomas, Martin Hinton, Robert Wroughton and Reginald Pocock. As far as I know, none of these scientists had ever actually visited Sri Lanka. Overwhelmingly, however, the basis for our understanding of the mammalian biodiversity of Sri Lanka is due to four people: Kelaart, Phillips, Osman Hill and Deraniyagala. These four had actually lived in Sri Lanka, and Deraniyagala of course was a native of the country. Whereas the outsiders were mainly concerned with differentiating Sri Lankan mammals from those of India, the four "insiders" were alive to the diversity of mammals within Sri Lanka itself, a reality which has imposed itself more and more on our consciousness over the years.
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i2.13
Published date: 22 November 2009
Pp. 78–79
EDITORIAL
Colin Groves
Section Editor: Taprobanica, the journal of Asian Biodiversity
Considering that Sri Lanka is not a large island, about the size of Tasmania, its biological wealth is simply astonishing. Although the reptiles and amphibians of the island are increasingly well studied, our understanding of the mammals is lagging behind. In the days when Sri Lanka was a British colony, part of British India, there were a few British biologists who paid some attention to the mammals: notably Edward Blyth, curator of mammals in the Indian Museum in Calcutta, and a few taxonomists based in the British Museum (Natural History) in London: Oldfield Thomas, Martin Hinton, Robert Wroughton and Reginald Pocock. As far as I know, none of these scientists had ever actually visited Sri Lanka. Overwhelmingly, however, the basis for our understanding of the mammalian biodiversity of Sri Lanka is due to four people: Kelaart, Phillips, Osman Hill and Deraniyagala. These four had actually lived in Sri Lanka, and Deraniyagala of course was a native of the country. Whereas the outsiders were mainly concerned with differentiating Sri Lankan mammals from those of India, the four "insiders" were alive to the diversity of mammals within Sri Lanka itself, a reality which has imposed itself more and more on our consciousness over the years.
v1i1.12ISSN: 1800-427X (print)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i1.12
Submitted date: 08 January 2009
Accepted date: 11 January 2009
Published date: 06 April 2009
Pp. 66–73.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOURS OF CAPTIVE Trachypithecus cristatus (MAMMALIA: CERCOPITHECIDAE) IN THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF SRI LANKA
A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe*, W. Madhava S. Botejue & Lee E. Harding
*Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun.taprobanica@gmail.com
Abstract
Trachypithecus cristatus (Silvered Leaf Monkey or Silvered Lutung) occur on the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and nearby islands and live mainly in uni-male, female-bonded groups. This study presents preliminary data on social behaviours for Silvered Leaf Monkey in captivity. Behavioural observations were conducted on one group (one adult male, four adult females, three juvenile males and four juvenile females). Data were collected on 30 of the 60 calendar days at the National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala, Sri Lanka. All behaviours including agonistic and dominance-related, locomotion, feeding and infant-related behaviours were included in the analysis. Unlike in wild populations, we found a clear dominance hierarchy among females.
Key words : captive behaviour, dominance, hierarchy, langur, Sri Lanka, Trachypithecus cristatus
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i1.12
Submitted date: 08 January 2009
Accepted date: 11 January 2009
Published date: 06 April 2009
Pp. 66–73.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOURS OF CAPTIVE Trachypithecus cristatus (MAMMALIA: CERCOPITHECIDAE) IN THE NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS OF SRI LANKA
A.A. Thasun Amarasinghe*, W. Madhava S. Botejue & Lee E. Harding
*Corresponding author. E-mail: thasun.taprobanica@gmail.com
Abstract
Trachypithecus cristatus (Silvered Leaf Monkey or Silvered Lutung) occur on the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo and nearby islands and live mainly in uni-male, female-bonded groups. This study presents preliminary data on social behaviours for Silvered Leaf Monkey in captivity. Behavioural observations were conducted on one group (one adult male, four adult females, three juvenile males and four juvenile females). Data were collected on 30 of the 60 calendar days at the National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala, Sri Lanka. All behaviours including agonistic and dominance-related, locomotion, feeding and infant-related behaviours were included in the analysis. Unlike in wild populations, we found a clear dominance hierarchy among females.
Key words : captive behaviour, dominance, hierarchy, langur, Sri Lanka, Trachypithecus cristatus
v1i1.11ISSN: 1800-427X (print)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i1.11
Submitted date: 03 January 2009
Accepted date: 05 January 2009
Published date: 06 April 2009
Pp. 63–65
NOTES ON EX-SITU INCUBATION AND HATCHLINGS OF Eutropis carinata (SCHNEIDER, 1801) (REPTILIA : SCINCIDAE) FROM SRI LANKA
Thilina P. Walikanna & D.M.S. Suranjan Karunarathna*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: dmsameera@gmail.com
Eutropis carinata is widely distributed skink in Sri Lanka. This observation describes ex-situ incubation and hatching of this species at Colombo district in Sri Lanka. In total, 25 eggs with two adults of E. carinata were located from a termite mound while some villagers where trying to kill a cobra (Naja naja) living in the mound. Of these skink eggs, 20 were successfully incubated. The incubation period was 30 days from the date eggs were collected. The average incubation temperature varied from 26–28°C. Mean egg length was 15.6 mm and mean egg width 10.4 mm. Mean hatchling SVL was 28.5 mm and mean TL is 41.3 mm. The mean weight of hatchlings was ~3 g and the mean total length is 69.8 mm. After about five days, hatchlings were released at the original place of the clutch.
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i1.11
Submitted date: 03 January 2009
Accepted date: 05 January 2009
Published date: 06 April 2009
Pp. 63–65
NOTES ON EX-SITU INCUBATION AND HATCHLINGS OF Eutropis carinata (SCHNEIDER, 1801) (REPTILIA : SCINCIDAE) FROM SRI LANKA
Thilina P. Walikanna & D.M.S. Suranjan Karunarathna*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: dmsameera@gmail.com
Eutropis carinata is widely distributed skink in Sri Lanka. This observation describes ex-situ incubation and hatching of this species at Colombo district in Sri Lanka. In total, 25 eggs with two adults of E. carinata were located from a termite mound while some villagers where trying to kill a cobra (Naja naja) living in the mound. Of these skink eggs, 20 were successfully incubated. The incubation period was 30 days from the date eggs were collected. The average incubation temperature varied from 26–28°C. Mean egg length was 15.6 mm and mean egg width 10.4 mm. Mean hatchling SVL was 28.5 mm and mean TL is 41.3 mm. The mean weight of hatchlings was ~3 g and the mean total length is 69.8 mm. After about five days, hatchlings were released at the original place of the clutch.
v1i1.10ISSN: 1800-427X (print)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i1.10
Submitted date: 20 February 2009
Accepted date: 26 February 2009
Published date: 06 April 2009
Pp. 55–62, pls. 10–17.
THE WILD BUFFALO OF SRI LANKA
Colin Groves* & Jayantha Jayawardene
*Corresponding author. E-mail: colin.groves@anu.edu.au
Abstract
Buffaloes live wild in many areas in Sri Lanka, but it is controversial whether any of them are genuinely wild, or whether they are all feral. We investigated this question by observation of living buffaloes in Yala National Park, and measurement of available cranial material. We conclude that there is indeed an indigenous wild buffalo in Sri Lanka. Steps should be taken to ensure its genetic integrity.
Key words : Bubalus arnee migona, buffalo, cranial capacity, Sri Lanka, Yala
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i1.10
Submitted date: 20 February 2009
Accepted date: 26 February 2009
Published date: 06 April 2009
Pp. 55–62, pls. 10–17.
THE WILD BUFFALO OF SRI LANKA
Colin Groves* & Jayantha Jayawardene
*Corresponding author. E-mail: colin.groves@anu.edu.au
Abstract
Buffaloes live wild in many areas in Sri Lanka, but it is controversial whether any of them are genuinely wild, or whether they are all feral. We investigated this question by observation of living buffaloes in Yala National Park, and measurement of available cranial material. We conclude that there is indeed an indigenous wild buffalo in Sri Lanka. Steps should be taken to ensure its genetic integrity.
Key words : Bubalus arnee migona, buffalo, cranial capacity, Sri Lanka, Yala
v1i1.9ISSN: 1800-427X (print)
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i1.9
Submitted date: 12 November 2008
Accepted date: 15 January 2009
Published date: 06 April 2009
Pp. 43–54, pls. 7–9.
AN OVERVIEW OF SRI LANKAN SEA SNAKES WITH AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST AND A FIELD KEY
Ruchira Somaweera* & Nilusha Somaweera
*Corresponding author. E-mail: ruchira.somaweera@gmail.com
Abstract
Sea snakes of Sri Lanka has not received much attention and the last few decades did not see any unprecedented increase in interest in these largely ignored (in Sri Lanka) snakes, despite heavy attention has been made on certain other groups of herpetofauna. Hence, a new checklist and an overview in ‘general literature’ are much needed. This contribution provides an enumeration of the recorded species, together with an overview of the natural history of the group and a set of field keys for species found in Sri Lankan waters.
Key words : distribution, identification key, natural history, sea kraits, sea snakes, Sri Lanka
eISSN: 1800-427X (online)
DOI:10.47605/tapro.v1i1.9
Submitted date: 12 November 2008
Accepted date: 15 January 2009
Published date: 06 April 2009
Pp. 43–54, pls. 7–9.
AN OVERVIEW OF SRI LANKAN SEA SNAKES WITH AN ANNOTATED CHECKLIST AND A FIELD KEY
Ruchira Somaweera* & Nilusha Somaweera
*Corresponding author. E-mail: ruchira.somaweera@gmail.com
Abstract
Sea snakes of Sri Lanka has not received much attention and the last few decades did not see any unprecedented increase in interest in these largely ignored (in Sri Lanka) snakes, despite heavy attention has been made on certain other groups of herpetofauna. Hence, a new checklist and an overview in ‘general literature’ are much needed. This contribution provides an enumeration of the recorded species, together with an overview of the natural history of the group and a set of field keys for species found in Sri Lankan waters.
Key words : distribution, identification key, natural history, sea kraits, sea snakes, Sri Lanka
Hubungi Kami
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