Thursday 19 December 2013

Long-tailed Shrike in Discovery Bay on 19 December 2013

Species: Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

Date: 19 December 2013. 

Location: Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong.


Common Tailorbird in Discovery Bay on 19 December 2013

Species: Common Tailorbird (Orthotomus sutorius)

Date: 19 December 2013. 

Location: Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong.


Japanese White-eye in Nim Shue Wan on 19 December 2013

Species: Japanese White-eye (Zosterops japonica)

Date: 19 December 2013. 

Location: Nim Shue Wan, Lantau, Hong Kong.


Chinese Bulbul enjoying berries for breakfast on 15 December 2013

Species: Chinese Bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis)

Date: 15 December 2013. 

Location: Sam Pak Wan, Lantau, Hong Kong.


Red-whiskered Bulbul enjoying berries for breakfast on 15 December 2013

Species: Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus)

Date: 15 December 2013. 

Location: Sam Pak Wan, Lantau, Hong Kong.


Friday 13 December 2013

Spadenose sharks on sale in Tai Po Hui market on 13 December 2013

Species: Spadenose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus)

Location: Tai Po Hui Market, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong.

Date: 13 December 2013

Comment: This is a small shark species – these are adults. 


Spadenose shark on sale in Luen Wo Hui market on 13 December 2013

Species: Spadenose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus)

Location: Luen Wo Hui Market, Fanling, New Territories, Hong Kong.

Date: 13 December 2013

Comment: This is a small shark species – this is an adult. 


Sunday 8 December 2013

Daurian Redstart in Nim Shue Wan on 8 December 2013

Species: Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreas)

Date: 8 December 2013

Location: Nim Shue Wan, Lantau, Hong Kong.



Saturday 7 December 2013

Daurian Redstart at Num Shue Wan on 5 December 2013

Species: Daurian Redstart (Phoenicurus auroreas)

Date: 5 December 2013 

Location: Nim Shue Wan, Lantau, Hong Kong.



Scaly-breasted Munia feeding at Nim Shue Wan on 5 December 2013.

Species: Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)

Date: 5 December 2013

Location: Nim Shue Wan, Lantau, Hong Kong.








Kestrel over Discovery Bay on 5 December 2013

Species: Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Date: 5 December 2013 

Location: Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong.





Kestrel over Discovery Bay on 6 December 2013

Species: Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)

Date: 6 December 2013

Location: Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong.





Long-tailed Shrike with stick insect for breakfast on 7 December 2013

Species: Long-tailed Shrike (Lanius schach)

Date: 7 December 2013 

Location: Nim Shue Wan, Lantau, Hong Kong.


Thursday 5 December 2013

Spadenose sharks in Chai Wan market on 5 December 2013

Species: Spadenose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus)

Location: Chai Wan market, 338 Chai Wan Road, Chai Wan, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong.

Date: 5 December 2013. 

Comment: This is a small shark – these are adults.


Wednesday 4 December 2013

Spadenose shark in San Hui Market, Tuen Mun, Hong Kong on 2 December 2013.

Species: Spadenose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus)

Location: San Hui Market, Tuen Mun, New Territories, Hong Kong.

Date: 2 December 2013 

Comment: This is a small shark – these are adults.






Spadenose shark in Yeung Uk Road Market, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong on 2 December 2013.

Species: Spadenose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus)

Location: Yeung Uk Road Market, Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong.

Date: 2 December 2013 

Comment: This is a small shark – these are adults.




Friday 22 November 2013

Spadenose sharks in Tai Po Hui Market, Hong Kong on 22 November 2013

Species: Spadenose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus)

Location: Tai Po Hui Market, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong.

Date: 22 November 2013

Comment: These are about 2 feet long. This is a small shark – these are adults.


Hammerhead Shark in Yeung Uk Road Market, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong on 15 November 2013

Species: Hammerhead Shark (Sphyrna spp)

Location: Yeung Uk Road Market, Tsuen Wan, New Territories, Hong Kong.

Date: 15 November 2013


Wednesday 6 November 2013

Seahorse caught near Discovery Bay, Lantau on 29 October 2013.

Species: Hippocampus spp., possibly H. Kuda

Date/Time: Early morning. 29 October 2013

Location: At a location near Discovery Bay, Lantau, Hong Kong.

Circumstances of capture: A local fisherman caught the seahorse using a net at a regular fishing location of his. He has previously caught seahorses at the same location, suggesting there is a colony living there.

Comment: Fishermen are an invaluable but underutilized source of information on marine biodiversity in Hong Kong and surprisingly conservation minded when you get to know them.






Friday 11 October 2013

Mating pair of Tachypleus tridentatus caught at Ha Pak Nai, Deep Bay, Hong Kong on 8 October 2013.

Date: 8 October 2013
Location: Ha Pak Nai, Deep Bay, Hong Kong.
Comment: Mating pair of Tachypleus tridentatus caught by a local fisherman close to the shore at Ha Pak Nai, Deep Bay, Hong Kong.
Female: 33 cms across prosoma. 67 cms long.
Male: 25 cms across prosoma. Length not measured because of broken tail.  



The fisherman donated the pair to the horseshoe crab breed and release programme being run by City University and Ocean Park in Hong Kong. This is them in their new home.


Male and female together


Male on the right.


Female


In T. tridentatus, sexual dimorphism is shown by the presence of notches on the anterior margin of the male prosoma (head shield) and these are a secondary sexual characteristic – they are not apparent in the juveniles. These notches assist the male in attaching to the female during mating and are only present in male T. tridentatus – this is one of the distinguishing features of the male of this species.




The scars on the female opisthoma caused by prolonged attachment of the male. This female was carrying no eggs, suggesting this marked the end of a successful spawning season for the pair.