Chien C. Lee

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  • Competition for mates can be fierce at choice breeding sites, especially when the season to raise young may be limited. Here, among the ferns over an ephemeral forest pool, a male Black-dotted Tree Frog (Litoria nigropunctata) (on the left) uses his hind legs to kick an amplexing rival male in an attempt to dislodge him from the back of the female. Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Two Giant Forest Ants (Dinomyrmex gigas) from different colonies confront each other in a territorial dispute.  Rather than engage in full combat, this species usually resolves such conflict in a series of ritualistc fights. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Horned Flying Lizard (Draco cornutus), male using his dewlap to display for courtship and territorial aggression. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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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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  • Sumatran Flying Dragon (Draco sumatranus), male performing territorial display. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Two male stag beetles (Cyclommatus montanellus magnificus) attempting to overpower one another using their formidable mandibles. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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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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  • Tug of war: a Giant Huntsman Spider (Heteropoda sp.) struggles to keep a hold on her precious egg sac as a hungry Banded Forest Gecko (Cyrtodactylus consobrinus) attempts to steal it away. With sometimes over 200 eggs within the papery sac, the female spider guards her eggs ferociously, carrying the bundle in her jaws for several weeks until they hatch. Fortunately for the gecko, this spider seems more concerned with maintaining her grip with her mandibles rather than risking a quick release to bite the offending gecko. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • With his crop full of food and water, a male Plain-pouched Hornbill (Rhyticeros subruficollis) returns to his nest in the cavity of a tree wherein the female waits sealed inside. During the nesting period, which can last several months, his mate will be completely dependent on his regular visits to provide her with everything she needs while she incubates the young and raises the chicks. Unfortunately, his duties on this day have been complicated by the annoying attentions of a Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) which has perhaps also been nesting nearby. Although much smaller than the hornbill, drongos are known for their bold and aggressive behavior, especially towards other birds that could be potential predators of their nests. Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand.
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  • You might think that an animal with an excessively long neck would be predisposed to unfortunate injuries, but such eccentricities in body form can become justified in the competitive arena of sexual selection. This tiny Bornean weevil (Cycnotrachelus satelles), closely related to the famous Giraffe Weevil of Madagascar, uses his lengthy neck in wrestling matches to dislodge rival males off their food plants during mating season. Having intimidating physical attributes can sometimes mean combat is not even necessary: males have been observed facing off, nodding their heads (the necks are hinged in the middle) before one makes a retreat. The females, which are not thus pressured by competition, have much shorter necks. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Madagascar’s largest land predator, the Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox). This receptive female has climbed a tall tree where she waits for a male who is able to join her on one of the upper branches. Reaching her isn’t always an easy task for the males, which are considerably larger and heavier, and they often face fierce competition when attempting to do so. Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar.
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  • Restricted to the Atherton Tablelands, the Coppery Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus johnstonii) is one of several species nocturnal possums that together inhabit the same montane rainforests in far north Queensland. Although all are folivorous and feed on a wide variety of trees, these sympatric species are able to co-exist without direct competition by partitioning their diets; each has its own specific combination of food plants. Queensland, Australia.
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  • One of Borneo’s most elusive and enigmatic amphibians: the Bornean Lungless Frog (Barbourula kalimantanensis). Looking like the prize-winning stone from a rock-skipping competition, albeit with four webbed feet, this frog’s bizarre appearance is an adaptation for its aquatic life in fast-flowing rocky streams. Despite numerous expeditions to the region, less than twenty specimens have ever been found by biologists, making it one of the least known of all frogs. It is also the only frog in the world to be completely lungless, and is believed to absorb oxygen directly through its skin like the similarly-adapted lungless salamanders. West Kalimantan, Indonesia (Borneo).
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  • A Giant Forest Ant (Dinomyrmex gigas) receives a droplet of sweet honeydew from the abdomen of a juvenile leaf-footed bug (Notobitus sp.). The bugs, which obtain more sugar than they need from the plant juices they feed on, are fiercely guarded by the ants in return. Mutually beneficial trophobiotic relationships such as this are very advantageous in the competitive ecosystem of the rainforest. Danum Valley Conservation Area, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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