Reprodctive Strategies

It's been a cold "winter" in the tropics. No freezing temperatures at Kuranda but many nights around 10C or lower. I am told that this "cold" weather usually only last a few weeks but this year it has been continual since May.

A few things have been showing up at the lights, especially if there is some moisture in the air and if is a bit windy. With the orthopteroid insects, there have not been many but those that have been see are worth noting.

Many orthopteroids have a single generation per year. In the tropics there are some that have continual generations, others that are very seasonal and still others that hang on during the winter months. It is the latter, the rainforest crickets and katydids that overwinter as adults that are dealt with here. A study of seasonality of insect species in Panama revealed that some 37% occurred throughout the year and the others have distinct seasonal periods of adult activity. It is too soon to offer a figure for the orthopteroid insects for this site in Kuranda.

This is not an exhaustive list, nor is it complete. It is just an observation based on this winter. I maintain a database of all the orthopteroid insects ( and earwigs) that I see at this site in the Kuranda rainforest. I keep a log of the dates they are seen.

It is peculiar on another note that some katydids and crickets that might be commonly seen one year may go unseen for several years hence. Just what it is that influences this type of phenomenon requires some very detailed work. Could it be some host plant that comes and goes? Are there climatic conditions that affect these species? For example, could fungus attack these species more voraciously during wet periods and thereby reduce their numbers?

Here are a few examples noted this year of orthopteroids that overwinter as adults, at least in the Kuranda rainforest.

Crickets

Metioche vittaticollis (Gryllidae; Trigonidiinae; Trigonidiini)

This little leaf-running cricket seems especially common this year. It has been found in the mixed eucalypt forests in the Mareeba area.
Homoeoxipha lycoiodes (Walker) (Gryllidae: Trigonidiinae; Trigonidiini)

This species is widespread throughout the Pacific and Asia. Its incessant chirping calls have been reported before in this blog. They seem to sing most warm days and evenings throughout the year.
Amusurgus tinka Otte and Alexander (Gryllidae; Trigonidiinae; Trigonidiini)

This is one of many "silent" crickets. These will be the subject of a future blog. This is the commonest of five species in the genus found at this site. It lives on the ground in leaf litter and has been found at the lights every month of the year and usually each night.

Katydids

Paraphisis (Tapangiphisis) alumba Rentz (Tettigoniidae; Listroscelidinae; Phisisdini) - Yungaburra Spider Katydid

This species has only recently been discovered in Kuranda. It is known from the Atherton Tableland to Mt Lewis, Qld., so it is not really surprising to find it around Kuranda. It is a predator and matures throughout the winter with adults appearing in early spring. It has been recorded each month of the year. This species is nocturnal and feeds on a variety of small insects. It can be observed nervously searching leaves of rainforest shrubs and trees after dark.

Caedicia goobita Rentz, Su, Ueshima (Phaneropterinae; Group Ephippithytae)

This katydid is known only from the rainforests in Kuranda where adults have been observed every month of the year.

Acauloplacella (Acauloplacella) queenslandica (Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae; Phyllomimini)- The Chirping Leaf-mimic

The chirping calls of this katydid can be heard most nights of the year when the nocturnal temperatures are warm-about 25C. This species is a leaf eater and exists with at least two others in the genus in the Kuranda rainforests. It is not know if the other species share the same biological characteristics.

Cockroaches
Platyzosteria (Melanozosteria) sp. (Blattidae; Polyzosteriinae)

Cockroaches are the most diverse of the orthopteroid insects in the rainforest. At my place I have recorded over 90 species. This is almost unbelievable but the records prove it. They occur is all habitats from treetops to the soil and in decaying wood etc. This female is carrying an ootheca (egg case) which she will deposit in a crack in some decaying wood when it is ready. Records suggest that this cockroach occurs as an adult throughout the year.

Johnrehnia tibrogargana Roth (Ectobiidae; Blattellinae)

The ectobiines (formerly the family Blattellidae) are the most diverse group in terms of species in this rainforest. There are literally dozens and dozens of species. Most are nocturnal and graze on the fallout from the canopy on leaf surfaces after dark. During the day they hide in the leaf litter. There myriads of nymphs and adults of many species can be found. They are important decomposers.

Neolaxta mackerrasae Roth (Blaberidae; Perisphaeriinae)

This flattened cockroach spends the day under bark or in accumulations of twigs and debris in the forks or crotches of large trees. At night males frequently come to lights. Females are wingless and resemble little trilobites. Adults have been observed during the wet season and well into the dry (Jan-Aug.).

Mantids
It's quite unexpected to find any mantid during the winter (dry season). Adult
Kongobatha diametata Hebard (Iridopterygidae: Tropidomantinae; Tropidomantini)-Snake Mantid

The most common mantid at lights in the Kuranda rainforest. This species has been recorded every month of the year and can be seen almost anytime a light sheet is in operation. It spends the daytime in the canopy sheltering on the undersides of leaves.

Metoxypilus australis Westwood (Amorphoscelidae; Paraoxyplinae; Paraoxypilini)

This little tree-running mantid has been recorded as an adult every month of the year.

Nice Aquatics

One of the nice things for an aquarist about living in the tropics is the chance to experience the diversity of decapod stream life.

Freshwater crabs occur is several places around Australia and we have some in the streams and lakes here in the north. This little fellow is probably in the genus Holthusiana. It was found in a temporary pond during the wet season.

Holthusiana sp.

Holthusiana sp. Appears to be a small female. it has moutled at least once and does not seem to bother the fish. It feeds on plant material and flake fish food.

Each stream and lake up this way seems to have a variety of shrimp of many species in several different families. Many are quite colourful like the one below. It breeds in the community tank with plenty of fish present. There is abundant plant life that must hide the immature shrimps.

An unidentified freshwater shrimp.

Riffle Shrimp, Atyidae

These shrimp live in the fast-flowing portions of rainforest streams where they can be found amongst rocks and debris.

This is a Riffle Shrimp, Australatya striolata

These shrimp feed by gathering plant material and detritus off rocks and plants using brush-like setae on the tips of the claws of the first and second pairs of legs.

They are fairly easy to keep in the tank. This species likes fast-flowing water and positions itself in the stream of the return flow from the filter.

Setae on the front legs used to collect small food items.

Thanks to Keith Martin for suggestions.

Yellow-spotted Honeyeater

The Yellow-spotted Honeyeater, Meliphaga notata, is one of three very similar species as common residents in the rainforests and gardens around Kuranda. All three have distinct calls. This species is distinguished by its fairly large size and the yellow patch behind the eye and the stripe that runs from the bill to below the eye. It is wide-ranging extending south to Victoria.

The other species are identified as follows:

Lewins Honeyeater, Meliphaga lewinii, has a crescentic earpatch, and a more rapid song. It is about the same size, maybe a little smaller than the Yellow-spotted

The Graceful Honeyeater, Meliphaga gracilis, is the smallest of the three, has an elongate bill and a larger more elongate earpatch.



The song of the Yellow-spotted Honeyeater is loud and easily recognised.

A Sad Situation

This little Striped Possum, Dactylopsila trivirgata, is a real cutie. It comes to the bird feeder night after night and enjoys hoeing into a couple of cut oranges. They are normally consider to be insectivorous but feed on fruit and leaves as opportunities arise.

But a closer look reveals something disturbing.

A closer look reveals that this little guy is missing his left eye and his ear is damaged as well. What could be the cause? Not a snake attack and surely not an attack from an owl. The owl would have won. Possums fight a lot amongst one another but I would doubt that a fight would cause such a seemingly debilitating injury. My friend Peter Shanahan feels this little possum was the victim of an attack from a feral cat. Seems logical.

Even with the loss of one eye, it is remarkable that the possum can make accurate jumps from tree to feeding tray and to the rather thin trunk of a tree fern without mishap. He seems to have compensated for the lack of perception caused by the loss of the eye quite nicely.

Canoodling Cassowaries

With the scuttling of this year's chicks, the cassowaries have developed other interests.

The other day while I was attacking our storeroom, the curious cassowaries showed up. After a bit of a look-see, their interests turned to other activities.

Talking things over.
Mrs Cassowary has ideas.
Mrs Cassowary laid down on the wet ground and Mr Cassowary approached. Both were silent.
Once atop, the male would use his left leg to "stroke" the side of the female. I use the term loosely. He actually scraped her fairly roughly and I expected to find feathers on the ground.

After a while they departed. I have no idea whether a successful copulation took place, but they will doubtlessly try again. This is the second time in a few years that they have mated in nearly the same place.

My friends Sue & Phil Gregory noted that the female made a rumbling sound when they observed mating in the past.

I apologise for the second-rate nature of the photos but with birds of that size and their notorious unpredictability, I did not want to venture too close. You understand!

An Odd Moth

The recent spate of wet warm weather has prompted an extraordinary emergence of moths.

This is Krananda extranotata Prout, family Geometridae; Ennominae. Some years ago when I first encountered it, I thought that the generic name was a annotation of "Kuranda" but since the type species of the genus was from Bengal, it has a different meaning. The generic name probably refers to an Asian word that means "tambourine", probably a reference to the translucent appearance of the moth.

Australia seems to have only one species in the genus and it seems uncommon around Kuranda.

The End of the Beginning

Each year around time, it is time for the male cassowary to desert his offspring.
Ever since the birth of his three chicks in late October the male has looked after the chicks, protecting them and initiating them into the rainforest world. If he has done his job properly, he has taught them where and what to eat and where to find it. Now in mid June the female is often in the presence of the male and this suggests that the mating season will be soon upon them and then nesting will occur.

But before that, last year's teeners must be dispensed with. Where days earlier, the male allowed the bubs to crawl all over him and seek refuge under his bulk at night, all of this suddenly changes.

One of three "teenage" Cassowaries

The male drives the bubs away like a mother hen with her clutch when it is time to send them on their way. He is quite insistent chasing the chicks off into the bush.

The bubs just stand there looking and crying their intense distress call. But to no avail. the male does not come to their rescue. This screaming continues for some days. It is a common sound in the rainforest this time of year.

But things can become worse. The male will drive the young teeners well out of his territory, using a great deal of force and bluff if necessary.

The bubs are most vulnerable at this time. They must be able to find food in the midst of the dry season which is the most stressful time of the year. They must also avoid dogs, dingos, pigs and vehicles. A big ask for young callow birds. But the most successful will survive.

It has been our experience that once the male drives away the bubs, after a short period of time, we never see the juveniles again. They just move away and establish their own territory. They eventually lose the ability to produce the distress call and live in a mostly silent, solitary world.