Chien C. Lee

  • Select Portfolio
  • About
  • Connect
    • Contact
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
  • Events
    • Guided Trips
    • Exhibitions
    • Talks & Workshops
  • Full Image Library
    • All Galleries
    • Search
    • Cart
    • Lightbox
    • Client Area
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
x

Search Results

Refine Search
Match all words
Match any word
Prints
Personal Use
Royalty-Free
Rights-Managed
(leave unchecked to
search all images)
27 images found
twitterlinkedinfacebook

Loading ()...

  • Closeup portrait of a Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko). Uthai Thani, Thailand.
    cld1102465.jpg
  • Like other small animals of the forest understory, this Borneo Forest Dragon (Gonocephalus bornensis) must juggle his attention between searching for prey (insects and spiders) while keeping a watchful eye out for larger predators. Although this species is unable to glide like the closely-related Dracos, it is nevertheless an agile climber and can move swiftly up and down trees. The impressive mane on the back of this male signifies his maturity - we will readily defend his territory against rival males. Danum Valley, Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1928123.jpg
  • Transforming into an extravagant bouquet of colors and shapes, a male Magnificent Bird-of-paradise (Diphyllodes magnificus) puts on his best show in the hopes of impressing a female visitor to his courting ground. She has a critical eye for imperfections as she will be selecting him based on the merits of his display alone – a testament to his overall fitness and desirable genes. This selective pressure is the driving force behind the evolution of some of the most incredible avian spectacles in the world.
    cld1820800.jpg
  • An adult male Silvered Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus cristatus) keeps a watchful eye out for any threats to his harem of females. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld10112345.jpg
  • A Small-toothed Sportive Lemur (Lepilemur microdon) peers curiously from its tree hole in the montane forest of Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Usually emerging only at night, sportive lemurs frequently wake to keep a watchful eye out for intruders into their territory. Not long ago only 8 species of Lepilemur were known from Madagascar, but recent molecular work has resulted in at least 26 distinct species now being recognized, with more sure to follow.
    cld1622654.jpg
  • A large male O'Shaughnessy's Chameleon (Calumma oshaughnessyi) stalks up a forest liana, keeping an eye out for both prey and predator alike. With 360-degree vision, remarkable image acuity, and monocular depth perception, chameleons can detect insects that might be well out of reach, judge their distance accurately, and even distinguishing them from their surroundings when the insect is completely still. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
    cld1901994.jpg
  • File-eared Tree Frog (Polypedates otilophus). One of the largest tree frogs in Borneo, this species is named for the sharp ridge behind its eye, the function of which is unknown. It breeds in stagnant pools in lowland rainforest. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1704447.jpg
  • An adult Common Butterfly Lizard (Leiolepis belliana) keeps a watchful eye out for predators whilst her young remain at the entrance of the nest burrow.  Nine species of butterfly lizards are known from the drier sandy regions of Southeast Asia, but their life-history is poorly documented. Uthai Thani, Thailand.
    cld1102294.jpg
  • This male hammer-headed fruit fly (Themara sp., family Tephritidae) sports unusually long eye stalks, superficially resembling the true stalk-eyed flies (family Diopsidae). The males are highly territorial, each staking out a small favorable patch on the surface of a fallen log near the rainforest floor. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1501253.jpg
  • A bird's eye view of one of the most unusual pitcher plants in Borneo: Nepenthes veitchii. Whilst most other Nepenthes utilize their looping tendrils to climb higher into vegetation, this species is unique in its 'tree-hugging' growth habit. Starting from the ground up, the thick leathery leaves wrap snugly around the side of the host tree, enabling the plant to reach high into the bright canopy. The beautiful hairy pitchers can reach over 20cm in length and with their slippery wide peristome (toothed rim) they are efficient insect traps. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1105892.jpg
  • This large moth caterpillar (Phyllodes sp.) gives the threatening appearance of a snake head, which may help to ward off potential predators. The eye-spots are patches of color on the body of the caterpillar, with its real head curled beneath. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld10082114.jpg
  • A nocturnal Net-casting Spider (Asianopis sp.) lies in wait for an insect to venture beneath. Between its front legs it holds an expandable sticky white web which it will use to fling over its prey, ensnaring it.  These are sometimes referred to as 'Ogre-faced Spiders' because of the extremely large posterior median eyes which allow them to see in darkness. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1106215.jpg
  • Few creatures possess a mastery of camouflage the way Madagascar’s leaf-tailed geckos do. This Mossy Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus sikorae) sleeps by day on a rainforest liana, its outline obscured by frilled dermal flaps that line its body. By always resting in a downward-facing position they may be able to quickly catch unsuspecting insects that climb up from the ground and also conceal their reflective lidless eyes from predators lurking above. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
    cld1835877.jpg
  • Distinguished by its green/yellow eyes, Hose's Bush Frog (Philautus hosii) is endemic to Borneo and considered Near Threatened due to severe habitat loss. Adults are usually found perched on vegetation over streams in lowland rainforest. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1704736.jpg
  • With night vision hundreds of times more sensitive than ours and the ability to discern color even in near total darkness, Madagascar’s leaf-tailed geckos (Uroplatus spp.) are superbly adapted as nocturnal insect hunters. Large eyes, however, demand special maintenance. Like most geckos, Uroplatus have no eyelids and cannot blink; instead, they utilize their long tongues like windshield wipers, keeping their eyes moist and clean. This is a young male Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko (U. phantasticus), a denizen of the island’s rainforest zone and a superb mimic of dead foliage. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
    cld1917497.jpg
  • Cave crab (Stygothelphusa cranbrooki), endemic to a single limestone cave in western Borneo. Like other cave-adapted crabs it has elongated legs and has lost most of its pigment. However, although living in complete darkness it has not yet lost function of its eyes. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2102735.jpg
  • A Horsfield's Tarsier (Cephalopachus bancanus) on the prowl for food in the rainforest of western Borneo. These tiny primates are exclusively carnivorous, hunting insects, small lizards, and even snakes by leaping deftly through the thick forest understory and snatching prey with their long nimble fingers. Unlike most other nocturnal mammals which possess a reflective layer behind their retina to help with night vision, tarsiers instead compensate by having enormous eyes. In fact, this species sports the largest eyes in relation to its body size of any mammal in the world - these are locked in place and the animal is only able to shift its vision by rotating its head. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld2022751.jpg
  • With its gaudy appearance and bold stance on top of a leaf, one might think that this tiny metalmark moth (Brenthia sp.) would make easy prey for a small predator like a jumping spider. However, if you blur your eyes just a little, you might be able to see why jumping spiders hesitate before attacking these moths: their wing patterns look remarkably similar to another jumping spider. Note particularly the “fuzzy legs” (dark bands) held to the side and the eyespots with reflections at the top. Jumping spiders may not have as acute eyesight as we do, but they are nevertheless visually-oriented predators, and they also avoid risky conflicts with others of their kind. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1910629s.jpg
  • A nocturnal Net-casting Spider (Asianopis sp.) lies in wait for an insect to venture beneath. Between its front legs it holds an expandable sticky white web which it will use to fling over its prey, ensnaring it.  These are sometimes referred to as 'Ogre-faced Spiders' because of the extremely large posterior median eyes which allow them to see in darkness. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1106199.jpg
  • With uncanny precision, this grasshopper (Chorotypus sp.) displays its mimicry of a dead leaf down to the finest details. Why do some organisms go to such extreme lengths for their camouflage while others can get by with a much simpler appearance? The answer of course is largely due to what they are hiding from: there is a direct correlation between the detail of camouflage and the visual acuity of their specific predators. In this case, the sharp eyes of small insectivorous birds, like the hands of a master craftsman, provide the driving force to some of the most eccentric insect appearances. Batang Ai, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1311984.jpg
  • Like an eager fisherman, a Madagascan Net-casting Spider (Deinopis madagascariensis) waits patiently above the stem of a small bush, ready to ensnare a passing insect with its sticky web. Sometimes called ‘Ogre-faced Spiders’ due to their enormous front eyes, these nocturnal predators have highly acute vision and are able to detect small movements even in complete darkness. Their method of capturing prey is unique among all spiders: the web they spin for this purpose is composed of highly stretchable, sticky fibers – it is swept over an insect in a blindingly fast scooping motion of the front legs, with the resulting struggling prey quickly immobilized by a venomous bite. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
    cld1923693.jpg
  • Although masterful visual predators by day, chameleons lack light-sensitive rods in their eyes and thus have poor night vision. Because of this they typically retire at dusk to a sleeping perch, often returning to a favorite exposed branch which ideally puts them out of the reach of nocturnal snakes. This dozing Two-banded Chameleon (Furcifer balteatus) can be identified as a mature male by the two large rostral horns on his head, ornaments which are used to compete for mates. Endemic to only a small region of Madagascar’s southeastern rainforests, this species has become increasingly endangered and rare due to habitat loss and collection for the pet trade. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
    cld1721989.jpg
  • A Giant Green Jumping Spider (Mopsus mormon) from the tropical forests of Waigeo Island. With its bright green legs and distinctive hairstyle, this species (the only in its genus) is easily recognizable among the many hundreds of jumping spiders (family Salticidae) in New Guinea. An enormous pair of frontal eyes give this little predator excellent vision to locate and size-up potential prey, and six flanking eyes allow it to detect movement in virtually every direction. West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
    cld1611612.jpg
  • Fruit and nectar bats (family Pteropodidae) play an important role in the dispersal and pollination of many rainforest trees including figs, bananas, and durian. Over 17 species occur in Borneo, including the widespread Short-nosed Fruit Bat (Cynopterus brachyotis, pictured here). Unlike insectivorous bats, most Pteropodids do not echolocate and instead rely on their large eyes and keen sense of smell for nocturnal navigation. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld08021723.jpg
  • The rainforests of the remote Marojejy National Park in northern Madagascar are one of the best places to look for the island's unique leaf-tailed geckos. In addition to their superb camouflage, most species, like this Uroplatus giganteus, rest head downwards presumably to conceal the revealing reflections of their lidless eyes from arboreal predators.
    cld1621379.jpg
  • The rainforests of the remote Marojejy National Park in northern Madagascar are one of the best places to look for the island's unique leaf-tailed geckos. In addition to their superb camouflage, most species, like this Uroplatus giganteus, rest head downwards presumably to conceal the revealing reflections of their lidless eyes from arboreal predators.
    cld1621209.jpg
  • Like all cobras, this juvenile Equatorial Spitting Cobra (Naja sumatrana), also called the Black Spitting Cobra and Sumatran Spitting Cobra, inflates its hood when approached by a potential threat. As an additional defense this species is also capable of spitting venom at distances of up to 1 meter, which is typically aimed with great accuracy at the eyes of its adversary. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
    cld1411413.jpg