Chien C. Lee

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  • Juniper Haircap Moss (Polytrichum juniperinum) and lichens at the alpine zone of Cotopaxi volcano. Pichincha, Ecuador.
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  • This unidentified caterpillar which feeds on epiphytic moss, is camouflaged to look like its preferred substrate. Arfak Mountains, West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Helmet Orchid (Corybas crenulatus). This species is endemic to Borneo, where it grows in thick moss on limestone rocks. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Helmet Orchid (Corybas crenulatus). This species is endemic to Borneo, where it grows in thick moss on limestone rocks. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Mossy cloud forest occurs at higher elevations on nearly all of Borneo's mountains. These habitats are characterized by high rainfall, frequent fog, cooler temperatures, and small trees which are covered with moss and a myriad of epiphytic plants. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • At nearly 3000m elevation, this cold and wet montane cloud forest is completely draped with thick mosses. South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
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  • The trees in montane mossy forest are typically laden with epiphytic plants, such as on this mountain summit in Lore Lindu National Park. Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.
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  • Mossy stick insect (Neoclides laceratus), female. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo)
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  • Long antennae are an important sensory apparatus for many insects but they can be a hindrance when it comes to concealing yourself. Some species, such as this mossy stick insect (Antongilia lacinata), have given them up (having only short antenna) in favor of better camouflage, probably a good trade-off considering this insect isn't highly mobile anyway. Photographed exactly as found on a mossy tree trunk. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Ryabov's Bug-eyed Frog (Theloderma ryabovi), female. Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam.
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  • South-Vietnamese Bug-Eyed Frog (Theloderma vietnamense). Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam.
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  • Ryabov's Bug-eyed Frog (Theloderma ryabovi), female. Thua Thien Hue, Vietnam.
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  • The Warted Frog is a rare species in Borneo, known from only a handful of sightings in the northwest. It is presumably a tree-hole breeder as in other Theloderma. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Mossy masquerade: a young Moss Mimic Katydid (Championica montana) doing what it does best. If you specialize in eating moss it’s a big plus if you look like it as well. In the damp cloud forests of Costa Rica, every surface is covered with dripping wet bryophytes, such as the leaf this katydid is perched on. Although abundant, it’s not the most energy rich food in the world, so these insects conserve their energy by moving slowly while they graze. Faced with a potential threat, they simply lay flat against the mossy substrate and disappear. Limón, Costa Rica.
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  • Within the microcosm of a mossy tree stump, a tiny hidden predator lies patiently in wait. Still a juvenile, this praying mantis (Haania sp.) will eventually mature and shed most of its moss-like camouflage in favor of fully developed wings. Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • A moss-mimicking katydid from the rainforest of central Africa. Kibale National Park, Kabarole, Uganda.
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  • With a mouthful of dry moss, a Whitehead's Pygmy Squirrel (Exilisciurus whiteheadi) pauses cautiously to make sure nobody is watching before disappearing into its nest in a rock crevice. Endemic to the island of Borneo, this tiny squirrel lives only in cool montane rainforests.
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  • With over 320 described species and probably as many more yet awaiting discovery, New Guinea hosts a staggering diversity of frogs. This unidentified tree frog (Litoria sp.) was photographed in the moss forest of a remote mountain in the northern Jayawijaya Range. Highland Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • With half a dozen species, Borneo is famous for its horned frogs. These are denizens of the rainforest floor and as such are expertly camouflaged for hiding among leaf litter. Most species rely so much on crypsis to avoid detection they have neglected other adaptations to escape predators, such as having weak legs for jumping. This is the rarest of the Bornean species: the Mulu Horned Frog (Megophrys dringi) which has only been known from a handful of sightings. This paucity of records is undoubtedly due to the remote locality where it occurs: high-elevation moss forests adjacent to clear mountain streams. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • The mountains of Vietnam are home to several species of amphibians which are perfectly adapted for camouflage in the mossy cloud forests. Perched atop a small leaf, this Tiny Bubblenest Frog (Gracixalus supercornutus) can easily be mistaken for a clump of moss epiphylls. Bach Ma National Park, Vietnam.
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  • Remarkable moss mimicry of a Madagascan stick insect (Antongilia lacinata). Visual camouflage adaptations such as this are predominantly aimed at protection from diurnal predators, hence these insects usually conceal themselves by day on mossy tree trunks. At night they roam about on the understory vegetation completely exposed while foraging for fresh leaves to feed on; their extravagant crypsis inconsequential in total darkness. Andasibe, Madagascar.
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  • With half a dozen species, Borneo is famous for its horned frogs. These are denizens of the rainforest floor and as such are expertly camouflaged for hiding among leaf litter. Most species rely so much on crypsis to avoid detection they have neglected other adaptations to escape predators, such as having weak legs for jumping. This is the rarest of the Bornean species: the Mulu Horned Frog (Megophrys dringi) which has only been known from a handful of sightings. This paucity of records is undoubtedly due to the remote locality where it occurs: high-elevation moss forests adjacent to clear mountain streams. Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Bladderwort (Utricularia moniliformis). This small and delicate carnivorous plant is endemic to the mountains of central Sri Lanka. It grows among clumps of moss either as an epiphyte or adjacent to rocky streams. Horton Plains National Park, Sri Lanka.
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  • With a flair for home decor, the Vogelkop Bowerbird (Amblyornis inornata) produces perhaps the most artful creation of any animal, all in the name of romance. Here, a male bird shows off his collection of freshly collected flowers, fungi, beetle shells, and blue berries, neatly organized in piles laid out on a mat of meticulously cleaned moss. The twig hut in the back is not a nest - rather its construction is made entirely for the purpose of impressing a visiting female who will choose to mate with him only after a thorough inspection of his display. Arfak Mountains, West Papua, Indonesia (New Guinea).
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  • Orthostheneboea exotica, female (Previously Parastheneboea), a moss-mimicking stick insect endemic to Borneo. Sarawak, Malaysia.
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  • An undescribed species of moss-mimicking stick insect from the montane forest of Sulawesi. South Sulawesi, Indonesia.
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  • Blooming high in a moss-laden tree of Ranomafana’s montane forest, this epiphytic orchid (Aerangis fastuosa) exhales an alluring perfume at night to attract its desired pollinator: hawk moths. Madagascar has many such night-active orchids, most of which sport long tapered nectaries that can only be reached by the long tongues of their associated moths. With over a thousand species, the orchids of Madagascar are exceptionally diverse. Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar.
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  • Whitehead's Pigmy Squirrel (Exilisciurus whiteheadi), also known as the Tufted Pigmy Squirrel, is endemic to the mountains of Borneo.  It feeds almost entirely on the mosses and lichens growing on tree trunks. Sabah, Malaysia (Borneo).
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  • Few habitat transitions are as abrupt as that of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas: when approached from the inland side, one rises quickly through a parched savannah of deciduous trees and cacti into a rich evergreen forest. Finally, at the crest of the mountains where the cool moist air from the Pacific rises up the windward slopes, the forest is suddenly drenched in dense cloud; here, the tree branches are heavily laden with mosses, orchids, and other delicate epiphytes. This enchanting habitat is home to the Horned Guan, Resplendent Quetzal, and many other remarkable creatures that are dependent on the cool moist forests. El Triunfo Biosphere Reserve, Chiapas, Mexico.
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