Date: 15th Feb 08
Group: Matthew Lim and me
Equipment(s): a book (A Guide to Common Singapore Spiders), camera (Nikon Coolpix from Mr Siva)
List of spiders identified:
Family: Araneidae (Orb web-Spiders)
1. Cyclosa sp., juvenile, on the hedge along the linkway.
Cannot really identify the species due to its size, distinguished via the spiral pattern on web.
Likes to pretend to be one of the debris (insect carcasses) on the web
2. Araneus mitificus (Kidney Garden Spider), 3 spotted, on the hedge.
Identified by the green underparts and a black and white pattern on the upperpart of abdomen.
Likes to built a retreat on curled up leaf.
3. Gasteracantha kuhli (Black and white Spiney Spider), 2 spotted on the hedge.
Family: Salticidae (Jumping Spider)
4. Plexippus petersi (Common Housefly Catcher), 1 juvenile, 1 female and 1 male, along the linkway hidden in the pillar crevices.
Identified easily by the 2 pairs of false eyes on the abdomen.
5.Viciria praemandibularis (Wide Jaw Viciria), 1 female, 1 male on the hedge.
6.Cosmophasis sp. (not found in the book)
A genus which Matthew worked on, with some iridescent colouration on its back.
7. An ant look-alike spider found in crevice on the pillar of the linkway.
Suspected to be from the Myrmarachne spiders (Ant-mimicking Spiders).
Picture not uploaded yet.
Family: Lycosidae (Wolf Spiders)
8: Hippasa Holmerae (Lawn Wolf Spider), many on the slope adjacent to the soccer field near the linkway.
Possible follow-up: do a 1m by 1m survey.
Many thanks to Matthew Lim for firstly lending me the guidebook to start off with, and generously agreeing to come along for this enlightening trip to the neighbouring bus stop.
Matthew Lim Lek Min is currently a Research Assistant to Navjot Sodhi of the Conservation Ecology Lab, and an instructor in NUS, Faculty of Science, teaching Animal Behaviour, Ecology & Environmental Processes and Behavioural Biology.
Reference:
Joseph K H Koh, A Guide to Common Singapore Spiders,1989.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Friday, February 15, 2008
Spiders anyone?
Had an eventful day today!
The bad: I left the camera's battery at home today; had to take the freaking expensive cab to school to meet Matthew Lim, a researcher working on 'visual' ecology.
The good: I learn that I need not be afraid of spiders, as they are quite harmless.
With beautiful front eyes, jumping spiders are more readily recognizable to me now that I took crash course SP(iders)1101E with Matthew today. Males are generally unnoticed due to their small sizes. This is because they moult less times as compared to the females, like a ration of 3 to 8. Juveniles males are normally very different morphologically from their adult appearance. Males and females are differentiated easily by the swollen palps or lack of, respectively.
Orb weavers spin webs, but never generalize.This is because most spiders do, just not the same as the large webs with elaborate details like the orb-weavers, for the sheer purpose of a retreat, usually with a female within the "cocoon" with eggs that require some form of parental pheromones for growth and development. Then, there are the 3D web weavers which are easily encountered on the slope adjacent to the soccer field known as the Wolf spiders, with a spiral spun web of certain depth that functions like a retreat.
Photos will be updated another time. Till then, my non-existent readers!
The bad: I left the camera's battery at home today; had to take the freaking expensive cab to school to meet Matthew Lim, a researcher working on 'visual' ecology.
The good: I learn that I need not be afraid of spiders, as they are quite harmless.
With beautiful front eyes, jumping spiders are more readily recognizable to me now that I took crash course SP(iders)1101E with Matthew today. Males are generally unnoticed due to their small sizes. This is because they moult less times as compared to the females, like a ration of 3 to 8. Juveniles males are normally very different morphologically from their adult appearance. Males and females are differentiated easily by the swollen palps or lack of, respectively.
Orb weavers spin webs, but never generalize.This is because most spiders do, just not the same as the large webs with elaborate details like the orb-weavers, for the sheer purpose of a retreat, usually with a female within the "cocoon" with eggs that require some form of parental pheromones for growth and development. Then, there are the 3D web weavers which are easily encountered on the slope adjacent to the soccer field known as the Wolf spiders, with a spiral spun web of certain depth that functions like a retreat.
Photos will be updated another time. Till then, my non-existent readers!
More publishings to read...
I met with Kelvin from RMBR yesterday afternoon and he gladly referred me to more publishings. Just in case I forget, The Pangolin, Avifauna of Singapore as well as the April 07 copy of the RBZ would be places to look through for more results aiding in my research on the fauna of Kent Ridge.
In addition, I've finally managed to request for Shirley Pottie's Master Thesis on the bats of Singapore for general reference.
Wish me luck, I need tons of it.
In addition, I've finally managed to request for Shirley Pottie's Master Thesis on the bats of Singapore for general reference.
Wish me luck, I need tons of it.
Prof Murphy's collection
I'm still alive, though almost cross eyed. I have almost concluded my insects data collection at RMBR with only a few more questions and orders of the undescribed to ask Ms Lua, the curator at the museum.
Something to note would be that Department of Zoology was shifted from the Bukit Timah campus to the present one at Kent Ridge in 1981. This affected my collection of results as "campus grounds" or "campus area" would indicate the one in Bukit Timah, with the year of collection as supporting evidence, prior to 1981.
Something to note would be that Department of Zoology was shifted from the Bukit Timah campus to the present one at Kent Ridge in 1981. This affected my collection of results as "campus grounds" or "campus area" would indicate the one in Bukit Timah, with the year of collection as supporting evidence, prior to 1981.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Kent Ridge with my sisters (12jan08)
Hohoho! Never have I thought I would include my sisters into my project. My younger sister is too bratty and my older sister is too grouchy. I don't think they will read my blog so never mind!
A little introduction to my older sister Maria would be a previous supervisor in Far East Flora, so she would know the names of ornamental plants well. My younger sister on the other hand is a student in Singapore Polytechnic undergoing a diploma course in Landscape Architect and she likes to go around putting names to plants and trees around Singapore, which actually irritates the hell out of me, previously.
We went up Kent Ridge Forest Area via the stairs at S2 and walked around with a lookout for different plant species. Acacia would be an indication of lousy soil type as it is a species commonly found along beaches, with distinct abscissed crescent-shaped leaves that are not degraded normally. Adinandra dumosa, more commonly known as tuip tuip would dominate the forest area, with other prominent plants like figs, simpoh air, fish tail palm, tembusu and sea apple.
There were two plots that are predominated by Acacia, behind Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), and the stretch behind National University Hospital (NUH) and the Brenner Centre. Obviously these plots are quite bare, with little or no fruit-bearing trees, other than the Simpoh air shrubs and small fig trees lining Kent Ridge Road. My suspicions are that these are planted. They look right out of place flanking the roads like that!
The fragments of forest area are mostly slopes that are quite steep which will pose problems during the survey, as I feel that it would be difficult to get insects or mammals on a slope. Well, I think Audrey and Dexiang would hope that I will be proven wrong. Till then.
A little introduction to my older sister Maria would be a previous supervisor in Far East Flora, so she would know the names of ornamental plants well. My younger sister on the other hand is a student in Singapore Polytechnic undergoing a diploma course in Landscape Architect and she likes to go around putting names to plants and trees around Singapore, which actually irritates the hell out of me, previously.
We went up Kent Ridge Forest Area via the stairs at S2 and walked around with a lookout for different plant species. Acacia would be an indication of lousy soil type as it is a species commonly found along beaches, with distinct abscissed crescent-shaped leaves that are not degraded normally. Adinandra dumosa, more commonly known as tuip tuip would dominate the forest area, with other prominent plants like figs, simpoh air, fish tail palm, tembusu and sea apple.
There were two plots that are predominated by Acacia, behind Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI), and the stretch behind National University Hospital (NUH) and the Brenner Centre. Obviously these plots are quite bare, with little or no fruit-bearing trees, other than the Simpoh air shrubs and small fig trees lining Kent Ridge Road. My suspicions are that these are planted. They look right out of place flanking the roads like that!
The fragments of forest area are mostly slopes that are quite steep which will pose problems during the survey, as I feel that it would be difficult to get insects or mammals on a slope. Well, I think Audrey and Dexiang would hope that I will be proven wrong. Till then.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The first trip up Kent Ridge (11jan08)
I was the bad girl who does not check her NUS webmail frequently enough. I did not appear for the first walk up Kent Ridge on Thursday . It sucked big time. I have no idea what happened and I wondered to the best of my ability what precious guidance Mr Siva gave to the rest.
I called Angela at almost 10 and begged her to go up the hill with me on Friday. I told her it was the 3.2km route + the 5km route. I quoted 2 hours of her time and said we're meeting early at like 8am. She said yes. Thank God for loyal friends! We met in our C0Curriculum Activities (Dragonboat) and we run these 2 routes quite often. I thought the sound of it would put her off. I might, if she asked me. Ewww. The 3.2km route is alright on foot but the 5km route is the one up Vigilante Drive! The map doesn't speak the steepness at all, neither does this photo.
Try sprinting up it. Don't if you have a weak knee.
Like on Kent Ridge Campus Forest Area, the forest area on Kent Ridge Park are slopes of varying steepness. That probably means nutrients run offs and thus a Adinandra belukar forest, where tuip tuip dominates on highly acidic and nutrient poor soils. A belukar is a low secondary forest on its was to recovery. Given enough time and space, succession may take place and eventually a primary forest will be formed.
My take is that it will never happen on Kent Ridge. Call me a pessimist but such a small area and including the fact that the plot of forest being so highly fragmented, it will be impossible to return Kent Ridge to its former glory of lush green.
I took my time to familiarize myself with the surroundings, explored the routes on the map I photocopied from the street directory (Mighty Minds). From S2, we walked down Kent Ridge Rd, turned into South Buona Vista Rd up the treacherous Vigilante Dr and down Science Park Dr. Stockport Rd results in a dead end due to some MINDEF building as it says on the map of Kent Ridge Park, well after the PUB building.
I enjoyed myself. Until Angela pointed out two skinks sunbathing along the forest edge of Kent Ridge Park. I admit I almost jumped out of my skin. I have never seen a skink before and besides, I have a genuine fear for lizards. It looked like one, with scales. Scary. I tried to take a photo of the fatter one and it jumped. I followed its motion. I satisfied myself with the skinnier one and left almost immediately. Wonder if I will have problem catching other stuff; need to do something about my courage levels. :P
We did not walk down the whole Kent Ridge Park as it was getting real warm. At 9.45am. Talk about global warming. We saw a few more birds that I could not put names to and a kingfisher at the pond and came out via Normanton Park and Science Park Drive.
I was actually proud of myself. Then I had to call Mr Siva. I was told that they went up Kent Ridge to view vegetation to figure out which plots were better for sampling depending on what plants grew on it. For example, acacia, a tree with the crescent shaped leaves that don't seem to decompose on sandy beaches is a plant indicator of soils with high salinity---not a good plot for sampling.
I was devastated. Will come back again tomorrow.
I called Angela at almost 10 and begged her to go up the hill with me on Friday. I told her it was the 3.2km route + the 5km route. I quoted 2 hours of her time and said we're meeting early at like 8am. She said yes. Thank God for loyal friends! We met in our C0Curriculum Activities (Dragonboat) and we run these 2 routes quite often. I thought the sound of it would put her off. I might, if she asked me. Ewww. The 3.2km route is alright on foot but the 5km route is the one up Vigilante Drive! The map doesn't speak the steepness at all, neither does this photo.
Try sprinting up it. Don't if you have a weak knee.
Like on Kent Ridge Campus Forest Area, the forest area on Kent Ridge Park are slopes of varying steepness. That probably means nutrients run offs and thus a Adinandra belukar forest, where tuip tuip dominates on highly acidic and nutrient poor soils. A belukar is a low secondary forest on its was to recovery. Given enough time and space, succession may take place and eventually a primary forest will be formed.
My take is that it will never happen on Kent Ridge. Call me a pessimist but such a small area and including the fact that the plot of forest being so highly fragmented, it will be impossible to return Kent Ridge to its former glory of lush green.
I took my time to familiarize myself with the surroundings, explored the routes on the map I photocopied from the street directory (Mighty Minds). From S2, we walked down Kent Ridge Rd, turned into South Buona Vista Rd up the treacherous Vigilante Dr and down Science Park Dr. Stockport Rd results in a dead end due to some MINDEF building as it says on the map of Kent Ridge Park, well after the PUB building.
I enjoyed myself. Until Angela pointed out two skinks sunbathing along the forest edge of Kent Ridge Park. I admit I almost jumped out of my skin. I have never seen a skink before and besides, I have a genuine fear for lizards. It looked like one, with scales. Scary. I tried to take a photo of the fatter one and it jumped. I followed its motion. I satisfied myself with the skinnier one and left almost immediately. Wonder if I will have problem catching other stuff; need to do something about my courage levels. :P
We did not walk down the whole Kent Ridge Park as it was getting real warm. At 9.45am. Talk about global warming. We saw a few more birds that I could not put names to and a kingfisher at the pond and came out via Normanton Park and Science Park Drive.
I was actually proud of myself. Then I had to call Mr Siva. I was told that they went up Kent Ridge to view vegetation to figure out which plots were better for sampling depending on what plants grew on it. For example, acacia, a tree with the crescent shaped leaves that don't seem to decompose on sandy beaches is a plant indicator of soils with high salinity---not a good plot for sampling.
I was devastated. Will come back again tomorrow.
A treasure find!
And then there was LIGHT!
I finally managed to get a piece of invaluable literature on the fauna of Kent Ridge. A thin, easily overlooked book on the shelves of Science Reference 6 in the Science Library titled, Kent Ridge Environs: A proposal for conserving nature at the National University of Singapore Campus (Briffett, C 1991).
Priceless.
Audrey and the rest should take a look at it. The best part comes in three pages worth of vertebrates (excluding fish) categorized into their faunal groups in the form of a checklist. I'm trying very hard to refrain using too many exclamation marks because of the excitement.
Mr Siva advised me about improving on the checklist. My thoughts are that it will shorten in length but who knows, I may well end up with a new discovery!
Actually, the bird checklist scares me. It is well over two pages. In addition, I am no ornithologist, other than the fact that I succeeded in getting the "I am a young ornithologist badge" in Primary 4. Its definitely not helping me with this.
I finally managed to get a piece of invaluable literature on the fauna of Kent Ridge. A thin, easily overlooked book on the shelves of Science Reference 6 in the Science Library titled, Kent Ridge Environs: A proposal for conserving nature at the National University of Singapore Campus (Briffett, C 1991).
Priceless.
Audrey and the rest should take a look at it. The best part comes in three pages worth of vertebrates (excluding fish) categorized into their faunal groups in the form of a checklist. I'm trying very hard to refrain using too many exclamation marks because of the excitement.
Mr Siva advised me about improving on the checklist. My thoughts are that it will shorten in length but who knows, I may well end up with a new discovery!
Actually, the bird checklist scares me. It is well over two pages. In addition, I am no ornithologist, other than the fact that I succeeded in getting the "I am a young ornithologist badge" in Primary 4. Its definitely not helping me with this.
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