Chien C. Lee

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Central & South America 222 images Created 10 Jun 2016

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  • Looking like a cross between a dragonfly and a butterfly, owlflies (family Ascalaphidae) are in fact more closely related to ant lions and lacewings. These nocturnal predators feed on small insects that they catch on the wing. By day, they sleep concealed on twigs, or in this unusual case (Cordulecerus sp.), as a group together on a root hanging above a stream. Sleeping in an aggregation with their antennae held outstretched in a perimeter may help to better detect the approach of predators, keeping the group safer than sleeping alone. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • An infrared camera trap captures a male Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis) on his daily hunt for prey in the Chocóan cloud forest of western Ecuador. One of six species of wild cats in this region, the shy and seldom-seen Ocelot is a predator of small animals including birds, rodents, and reptiles. Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Ecuador.
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  • In a habitat that would be deadly to most other insects, the freezing temperatures high on the slopes of Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador are home to a very unusual walkingstick: Monticomorpha flavolimbata. Feeding on páramo vegetation that is frequently crusted over with frost, this species has been recorded at altitudes of up to 5000m, making it the highest elevation known for any stick insect. Presumably its dark coloration helps it to more efficiently absorb the sun’s fleeting warmth.
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  • With their vertical pupils and opposable thumbs, Phyllomedusa are easily some of the most distinguishable of all tree frogs. However, it is their peculiar form of locomotion that is perhaps their most striking feature: when seen walking slowly down a branch with their bodies raised, they appear decidedly ‘un-froglike’. Studies into their anatomy reveal that they possess a specialized musculature that not only allows them to move their limbs independently (as opposed to the simultaneous bilateral hopping motions of most other frogs), but also gives them a ‘precision grip’ which enables steady movement over thin branches. This grasping ability is rare among animals and is shared predominantly with higher primates, hence leading to one of their common names: ‘Monkey Frogs’. Coca, Ecuador.
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  • A master of camouflage, this rare stick insect (Trychopeplus laciniatus) is perfectly suited for its arboreal lifestyle in the mossy forests of Central America. It feeds exclusively on the foliage of several epiphytic orchid species. Cartago, Costa Rica.
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  • Jumping spider-mimicking caddisfly (Nectopsyche tuanis). Cartago, Costa Rica.
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  • Ghost Glass Frog (Sachatamia ilex) with freshly laid eggs. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Jawed sawyer (Macrodontia batesi). Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
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  • With colors that seem to glow with an unearthly radiance, a male Osa Anole (Anolis osa) betrays his normally cryptic appearance to briefly flash his extended dewlap. Anole lizards are famous for these flamboyant visual signals – they are used to attract mates, ward off rivals, and even sometimes dissuade potential predators. A 2015 study found that the translucent quality of anole dewlaps was a crucial component in their ability to transmit these color signals effectively, particularly in shady environments; under the right conditions they possess an almost unnatural luminance. This species, which is endemic to Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula, spends most of its time on perches near ground level in the dappled light of the rainforest understory. Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
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  • Eyelash Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii). Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
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  • Sylvia's Tree Frog (Cruziohyla sylviae). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • With its fearsome appearance, the Spiny Devil (Panacanthus cuspidatus) surely ranks as one of the most impressive of all katydids. Endemic to the upper Amazon Basin, this large insect uses its prickly front legs in self-defense and also to capture prey – it feeds both on vegetation and other insects. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Although the blooms of this rare mangrove tree (Pelliciera rhizophorae) are visited by hummingbirds in the day, the flowers remain open at night and exude a strong musty odor to attract an entirely different animal. Captured by an infrared camera trigger, a Leaf-nosed Bat (Glossophaga soricina) approaches an open flower to partake of the rich source of nectar. Nectar-feeding bats are common in the tropics and are responsible for the pollination of a great number of tree species. Choco, Colombia.
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  • A nesting Common Potoo (Nyctibius griseus) in the dense mangrove forest of Colombia’s Utría National Park. Rather than construct a nest, the bird deposits its single egg in a small depression along a branch. Active only by night, potoos sit motionless during the day, using their incredible camouflage to remain hidden. Choco, Colombia.
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  • Smallest of all the anteaters, the Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) is seldom seen because it spends much of its life high in the rainforest canopy, often curled up as an indistinguishable ball of fluff. They have no teeth and can only defend themselves by means of their razor sharp sickle-like fore-claws, which are usually used for tearing open ant nests. Females bear a single youngster at a time, which is carried on their back until large enough to feed on its own. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • The shady understory of the Ecuadorian rainforest hosts a great diversity of butterflies that are adapted specifically for this dimly lit ecosystem. Although we often rank butterflies on how gaudy and beautiful their wings patterns are, among the most remarkable of the understory are those that bear transparent wings, such as this Glasswing Butterfly (Dulcedo polita). When perched under the right conditions they can appear almost invisible. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Illuminated by a stray beam of sunlight, a Hognosed Viper (Porthidium nasutum) lies in wait on the forest floor, providing a reminder of why hikers are advised to wear high boots when walking in the Chocó rainforest off trails. These habitats are some of the richest in all South America, with a high number of endemic reptiles that are separated from their Amazonian relatives by the Andes mountain range. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Hidden in the dense leaf litter of the rainforest floor, an Amazonian Horned Frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) lies in wait for its next meal. With a mouth wider than the length of its body, and a voracious appetite to boot, these frogs can consume prey as large as small reptiles and rodents. This species is widely distributed in the Amazon Basin, but nowhere particularly abundant. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Although cryptically disguised as a dead leaf when at rest, the Peacock Katydid (Pterochroza ocellata) packs a big surprise for its secondary defense. When disturbed, it raises its wings to expose strikingly colored eyespots, which can be enough to startle a potential predator away. This large katydid exhibits a great deal of intraspecific variation such that the wings patterns and camouflage of no two individuals are ever the same, and entomologists at one time had described over a dozen species that are now attributed to P. ocellata. These variations in coloration help to prevent any predator from learning a search pattern to recognize this species and its defense. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Hidden in the dense leaf litter of the rainforest floor, an Amazonian Horned Frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) lies in wait for its next meal. With a mouth wider than the length of its body, and a voracious appetite to boot, these frogs can consume prey as large as small reptiles and rodents. This species is widely distributed in the Amazon Basin, but nowhere particularly abundant. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Cloud forest is a widespread biome in mountains of Central and South America, where hot humid equatorial air rises into the cool mountains.  Here the humidity and precipitation are so high that the trees frequently become covered with epiphytic bromeliads and orchids. Henri Pittier National Park, Venezuela.
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  • Ptari Tepui, one of a large number of sandstone tabletop mountains in Venezuela. The isolated summit plateaus host their own biota of endemic species of plants and animals. Canaima National Park, Venezuela.
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  • Heliamphora pulchella, a carnivorous pitcher plant endemic to the summits of only a few remote tepuis (tabletop mountains) in southeastern Venezuela. Insects which fall inside are prevented from escaping by the downward-pointing bristles and quickly drown. Canaima National Park, Venezuela.
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  • At nightfall, a Tepui Tree Frog (Tepuihyla obscura) emerges from the folds of a carnivorous bromeliad (Brocchinia reducta) in which it has sheltered for the day. Although receiving rain almost daily, the summits of Venezuela’s tepui mountains are exposed to volatile weather patterns, with mist often giving way to brutally intense sunlight over a span of a few minutes. A lack of shade-providing trees means that there is little to protect delicate animals such as amphibians, hence these water-filled bromeliads provide an ideal refuge from the harsh climate fluctuations. The slippery wax-coated leaves, which are designed to trap insects, are no hindrance to the frogs. Canaima National Park, Venezuela.
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  • Terciopelo (Bothrops asper). Cartago, Costa Rica.
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  • Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Coronated Tree Frog (Triprion spinosus). Cartago, Costa Rica.
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  • Heliconia wagneriana. Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
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  • Bark Scorpion (Centruroides bicolor). Osa Peninsula, Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
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  • Ghost Glass Frog (Sachatamia ilex). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Lemur Leaf Frog (Agalychnis lemur). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Red-thighed Bromeliad Spider (Cupiennius coccineus), with prey. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • The size of your gun doesn’t matter when you’re outnumbered. Although in possession of one of the most powerful stings of all insects, this giant Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata) is easily overcome by far smaller leafcutter ants (Atta cephalotes) after it inadvertently wandered too close to their nest. Leafcutters are not predatory, but their sharp mandibles, which are designed for slicing leaves, are so powerful that they make quick work of the intruder, dismembering it in a matter of minutes. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Yellow-flecked Glassfrog (Sachatamia albomaculata). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Grainy Cochran Frog (Cochranella granulosa), egg mass suspended on leaf over stream. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Cloudy Snail-eating Snake (Sibon nebulatus). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Mossy stick insect (Taraxippus samarae), female. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas). Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • With its unique patterns and remarkably long front legs, the Harlequin Beetle (Acrocinus longimanus) is one of the most impressive and distinctive insects of the Neotropics. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Many-banded Aracari (Pteroglossus pluricinctus). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Although the ‘zombie ants’ are undoubtedly the most infamous, entomopathogenic fungi come in a great diversity of species, many of which specialize in a particular type of prey. Here, a weevil has been killed by Ophiocordyceps curculionum, and is now a host to three fruiting bodies that have been releasing new spores. Like the mind-controlling fungi in ants, this pathogen similarly manipulates the weevil like a puppeteer to position itself in the ideal spot before it dies. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • The dreaded Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata), in possession of the most painful sting on the planet, here has fallen prey to an even more sinister organism: a parasitoid fungus (Ophiocordycipitaceae). The ‘zombification’ of insects in tropical rainforests has been well documented, but the incredibly precise way that these fungi control the behavior of their hosts prior to consuming them is not yet fully understood. Recent research indicates that, rather than invading the brain which might kill the insect prematurely, the fungus may directly control the muscles of its host like a puppet. In this way it can lead the ant to a location where it is more likely to infect others. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Shag-carpet Caterpillar (Prothysana), one of two species that, aside from their curious appearance, exhibit a remarkable form of mimicry. Tiny parasitoid wasps are known for extracting a heavy toll on caterpillars: their larvae devour a caterpillar from inside out, emerging once they are ready to turn into adult wasps and leaving their distinctive white cocoons in the process. At a glance, the white dorsal hairs of Prothsyana look exactly like these wasp cocoons, so much so that the wasps themselves likely avoid laying their eggs in this caterpillar, believing that it has already been eaten. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Spiny orbweaver (Micrathena kirbyi), female putting the final touches of silk on her egg sac. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Tarantula (Pamphobeteus sp.). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • With a full palette of colorful wing scales at their disposal, butterflies are capable of pulling off some of the most convincing and complex mimicries in the insect world. At first glance this is a common clear-winged Ithomiid butterfly, which are known for their toxicity and unpalatability. However, it is actually a Clearwinged Mimic-white (Dismorphia theucharila), a non-toxic species of the family Pieridae. It can be distinguished from its toxic models (Oleria spp.) by counting the number of legs: Dismorphia has six, whereas Oleria stands on only four. Insectivorous birds don’t have time to stop and count the legs on every butterfly in the forest, so this mimicry is a highly successful one. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Although most people are familiar with the Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) in the scrublands and prairies of the southern US, it is originally an animal from tropical rainforests, including the Amazon Basin. This individual uses a fallen log to cross a stream during its nocturnal foray for insects and other tiny tasty morsels. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Assassin bug (Zelurus sp.) which mimics a spider wasp. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • A sleeping habit shared with many other solitary bee species that don't have a hive to return to at night, this Orchid Bee (Euglossa sp.) passes the night suspended in the air by biting into a leaf. In addition to their beautiful metallic colorations, Euglossine bees are remarkable for their mutually-dependent relationships with orchids from which they derive unique fragrances essential for their courtship. Utría National Natural Park, Choco, Colombia.
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  • In the dim understory of the forest floor the color of this poison dart frog (Oophaga solanensis) seem almost too fantastic to be real. Like other dendrobatid frogs, these colors serve as a warning signal of their toxicity. This species is endemic to the coastal rainforests of Colombia. Choco, Colombia.
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  • The Chocoan Rainforest along the Pacific coast of Panama, Colombia, and northern Ecuador is one of the world's most endangered rainforest habitats. It is separated from the Amazon rainforest by the Andes mountains, and is home to a great diversity of endemic species. Utría National Natural Park, Colombia.
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  • Although less pretentiously colored than its more gaudy cousins, the Kokoe Poison Frog (Phyllobates aurotaenia) nonetheless is recognized as one of the most lethally toxic in the family (perhaps second only to the legendary P. terribilis). Native to the Chocó forests of coastal Colombia, it is one of the few species that are actually utilized by indigenous people of the region to give their blowpipe darts a deadly potency. Choco, Colombia.
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  • Incredible camouflage of a neotropical epiphyll-mimicking katydid (Clepsydronotus deciduus). Ephiphylls are tiny plants and lichens that grow on the surfaces of leaves in tropical rainforests, usually being detrimental to their host because they block light to the leaves. Having selected such an epiphyll-ridden leaf, the katydid is able to blend with the mottled colors and rough texture to conceal itself despite being completely exposed on the upper surface. Notice also how the katydid has carefully folded its long threadlike antennae under itself – if they were to stick out then the insect could be much more easily discovered by sharp-eyed birds. Choco, Colombia.
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  • Similar to the Dendrobatid poison frogs, harlequin toads (Atelopus spp.) are also brightly colored, day-active, and highly toxic. They also comprise one of the most endangered groups of amphibians in the neotropics, with many species listed as Critically Endangered and others presumed extinct in the wild. Aside from habitat loss and threats from introduced species, they appear particularly susceptible to the amphibian-killing chytrid fungus, which has completely wiped out many wild populations. This Atelopus spurrelli is endemic to the Chocóan rainforest of coastal Colombia.
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  • Boulenger's Green Anole (Anolis chloris), male displaying. Choco, Colombia.
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  • Espeletia grandiflora. Bogota, Colombia.
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  • Click beetles (Semiotus regalis). Bogota, Colombia.
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  • Pristimantis bogotensis. Bogota, Colombia.
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  • Camouflaged fulgorid planthopper (Episcius sp.). Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Smallest of all the anteaters, the Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) is seldom seen because it spends much of its life high in the rainforest canopy, often curled up as an indistinguishable ball of fluff. They have no teeth and can only defend themselves by means of their razor sharp sickle-like fore-claws, which are usually used for tearing open ant nests. Females bear a single youngster at a time, which is carried on their back until large enough to feed on its own. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Smallest of all the anteaters, the Silky Anteater (Cyclopes didactylus) is seldom seen because it spends much of its life high in the rainforest canopy, often curled up as an indistinguishable ball of fluff. They have no teeth and can only defend themselves by means of their razor sharp sickle-like fore-claws, which are usually used for tearing open ant nests. Females bear a single youngster at a time, which is carried on their back until large enough to feed on its own. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • In possession of one of the most painful stings in the insect world, tarantula wasps (Pepsis spp.) are avoided by just about every animal in the forest. This makes them a great thing to be mistaken for, especially if you happen to be an otherwise defenseless katydid such as this (Aganacris velutina). The katydid not only mimics the wasp’s distinctive coloration of a shiny black body with bright orange wings and antennae, but also its quick and jerky movements, making it appear decidedly ‘un-katydidlike’. This is particularly amazing considering katydids are family of insects normally renowned for their remarkable camouflage colorations. Canandé Reserve, Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • The ghostly outline of a glass frog (Hyalinobatrachium aureoguttatum) shines through a leaf, the shadow of its heart and internal organs clearly visible. These small frogs are found near clear streams where the males typically call from the undersides of leaves. Threatened with habitat loss, H. aureoguttatum is restricted to the disappearing Chocó rainforest. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Sun Glass Frog (Hyalinobatrachium aureoguttatum), male hiding on the underside of a leaf. The pattern on the back of this species mimics a cluster of the frog's eggs, which help to deter attacks by predatory wasps. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Sun Glass Frog (Hyalinobatrachium aureoguttatum), male. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Endemic to the lowland Chocó rainforests of northwestern Ecuador and southwestern Colombia, the Little Devil Poison Frog (Oophaga sylvatica) is another species whose continued existence is dependent on the preservation of these dwindling habitats. Although it can occasionally be found in secondary forests and agricultural plantations, it can only survive where nearby intact rainforest provides the epiphytic water-filled bromeliads it needs to breed. Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
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  • Ecuadorian Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo), juvenile male. Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Ecuadorian Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo), female feeding juvenile female. Cotopaxi National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Cloud forest. Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • Purple Anole (Anolis purpurescens). Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • Dead-leaf moth (Oxytenis albilunulata). Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • Gold-Nugget Treefrog (Boana picturata), an endemic to the chocó pacific rainforests of Ecuador and Colombia. Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • Gold-Nugget Treefrog (Boana picturata), an endemic to the chocó pacific rainforests of Ecuador and Colombia. Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • Spiny katydid (Panacanthus varius), female. Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • Peruvian Shield Mantis (Choeradodis rhombicollis). Mashpi Amagusa Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • White-bellied Woodstar (Chaetocercus mulsant). Papallacta, Ecuador.
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  • Ecuador Poison Frog (Ameerega bilinguis). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Perez's Snouted Frog (Edalorhina perezi). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Spanning nearly 7 million square kilometers, it is difficult to conceptualize just how vast the Amazon rainforest is. Here, the Tiputini River winds its way through a tiny corner of the Amazon Basin in eastern Ecuador, eventually emptying its waters into Peru, Brazil, and then the Atlantic Ocean nearly 3 thousand kilometers away. Having lost nearly 20% of its forest cover in recent decades, the Basin is still under siege today from threats such as mining, oil drilling, and clearing for farming. Despite these losses, much still remains intact and just as imperative as ever to continue protective efforts for these invaluable forests. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • The incredible camouflage of the Amazonian Horned Frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) becomes even more apparent when viewed from above. It is no wonder that these frogs are not strong jumpers; they prefer to remain motionless even upon the approach of a potential predator. Being sit-and-wait predators, they can sometimes spend several days staked out in the same spot, moving only nights of heavy rainfall. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Stick grasshopper (Paraproscopia aberrans). Looking much like a typical walking stick (Phasmida), these grasshoppers exploit a similar defense strategy but with the added bonus that they can jump away from a predator if needed. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Endemic to the Amazon Basin, the Reticulated Poison Frog (Ranitomeya ventrimaculata) is a small species, reaching only 2cm in length. Adults live on the forest floor but venture up to 40m in the canopy to deposit their eggs in the water-filled bromeliads. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Although cryptically disguised as a dead leaf when at rest, the Peacock Katydid (Pterochroza ocellata) packs a big surprise for its secondary defense. When disturbed, it raises its wings to expose strikingly colored eyespots, which can be enough to startle a potential predator away. This large katydid exhibits a great deal of intraspecific variation such that the wing patterns and camouflage of no two individuals are ever the same, and entomologists at one time had described over a dozen species that are now attributed to P. ocellata. These variations in coloration help to prevent any predator from learning a search pattern to recognize this species and its defense. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Blunthead Tree Snake (Imantodes cenchoa), a lizard hunting specialist that due to its extremely slender body is able to seek out sleeping lizards on even the most delicate of branches. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Buthid scorpion (Tityus sp.) preying on a smaller scorpion. Yasuní National Park, Orellana, Ecuador.
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  • Glasswing Butterfly (Cithaerias cliftoni), male. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Warning colorations, such as those exhibited by these tiny fungus beetles (Corynomalus marginatus), which exude a foul chemical when disturbed, doesn’t always guarantee immunity from predators. To enhance their defense, many such insects often cluster in aggregations; not only is there greater safety in numbers but the combined colorations of all the individuals together results in an amplified warning signal that encourages even naive predators to get the message. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Hidden in the dense leaf litter of the rainforest floor, an Amazonian Horned Frog (Ceratophrys cornuta) lies in wait for its next meal. With a mouth wider than the length of its body, and a voracious appetite to boot, these frogs can consume prey as large as small reptiles and rodents. This species is widely distributed in the Amazon Basin, but nowhere particularly abundant. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Few warning signals in nature are as blatant as the colors of the Aquatic Coral Snake (Micrurus surinamensis), and for good reason: it possesses a highly potent neurotoxic venom. Unique among South American elapid snakes, its venom appears to be specialized for its favored prey of fish and eels, although can undoubtedly be fatal for mammals as well. They are, however, very non-aggressive and bite only when attacked or accidentally stepped on – the latter of which is rare thanks to their gaudy coloration. Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Striped Sharpnose Snake (Philodryas argentea). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Neotropical Snail-Eater (Dipsas indica). Yasuní National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Pale-striped Poison-Frog (Ameerega hahneli). Coca, Orellana, Ecuador.
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  • Ecuador Poison Frog (Ameerega bilinguis), male. Orellana, Ecuador.
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  • The Bullet Ant (Paraponera clavata), a big reason why hikers in the Amazonian rainforest always proceed with trepidation when stepping off the trail into thick vegetation. One of the largest ants in the world, this species is infamous for its ferocious sting which some (unfortunate) individuals consider equivalent in pain to being shot. The ant's sting contains a neurotoxic venom and has been rated by biologists as the only perfect "4+" on the Schmidt Sting Pain Index, making it the most painful of all insect stings. Coca, Ecuador.
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  • Pleasing fungus beetle (Erotylus incomparabilis). Orellana, Ecuador.
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  • Stick Grasshopper (family Proscopiidae). Looking much like a typical walking stick (Phasmida), these grasshoppers exploit a similar defense strategy but with the added bonus that they can jump away from a predator if needed. Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Walker's moth (Sosxetra grata). Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Ecuador.
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  • Looking like a bunch of trilobite sarcophagi, a cluster of tortoise beetle pupae remain huddled together as they wait to pupate into adults. Although blind, immobile and otherwise defenseless in this stage, each pupa is capable of flexing its body up and down when disturbed, and the combined motion of the entire group may serve to befuddle a potential predator or parasite. Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Napo, Ecuador.
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  • While the majority of katydids masquerade as leaves, this species (Anaphidna sp.) takes on a different strategy: it rests with its wings raised in the air to mimic a lichen-covered twig. The long filamentous antennae of many insects, which can sometimes betray their camouflage to a predator and are thus often kept tucked away for concealment, are in this species deceptively disguised with bends and kinks. Sumaco Napo-Galeras National Park, Ecuador.
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