# Peruvian Amazon -- Allpahuayo Mishana



## moloch (Mar 11, 2010)

My friends and I arrived in Iquitos four days before the start of the Margarita Tour.  We also stayed an extra day after the completion of the tour.  We spent most of these extra days out in the white sand forests of the Allpahuayo Mishana Reserve. This reserve was approximately 45 minutes by taxi from Iquitos and was along the Nauta Road.  Allpahuayo Mishana was one of the few places near Iquitos that supported primary forest although this was stunted due to the nutrient deficient sands.

While the trees may not have been all that impressive, the bird life was superb and quite different to what we found at Madre Selva or Santa Cruz.  The reserve was particularly good for forest birds and many of these were white sand specialists.  Some of the birding highlights included our first Paradise Tanagers, Swallow Tanagers, Swallow-wings, Black Caracaras, Gould's Jewelfront, Brown-banded Puffbirds, Yellow-billed Nunbird, White-necked Puffbirds, Paradise Jacamar, Yellow-billed Jacamar, Ancient Antwren, Yellow-browed Antbird, Plain-throated Antwren, Zimmer's Antwren, Dwarf Tyrant Manakin, Sulphur-bellied Tyrant Manakin, Spangled Cotinga and many more.  Especially memorable to me was the incredible call of Screaming Pihas.  We heard them repeatedly but never actually saw the drably coloured birds.  For those of you unfamiliar with this amazing sound, have a listen to the recording by Don Jones at this site.  To me, it is one of the defining bird songs of South America.

http://www.xeno-canto.org/browse.php?query=screaming+piha


If any of you decide to visit this reserve, watch on the right for the km 25 roadside marker.   Near this marker was a trail that headed into the white sand forest.  This trail was about a kilometer or so before the main entrance to the reserve.  We walked it several times but found it to be the best for birds soon after sunrise.  

Vegetation along the trail included many myrmecophytic melastomes.  Ants that lived within the melastomes were tiny but they could sting!  I experienced their stings a few times when I was careless about where I walked while chasing antbirds. 






















The sand forests were the home of an absolutely stunning amphibian, the Red-backed Poison Frog (_Dendrobates reticulatus_).  These frogs were usually seen as they sat atop leaves or fallen logs.  They were tiny animals that also were wary.  I was surprised at how far they could jump and I lost them often when then jumped a time or two and then plunged beneath the leaf litter.  One afternoon, Ted spotted one of these several meters up in a tree.  The frog hopped downwards from leaf to leaf and soon reached the leaf litter.  These little frogs could obviously ascend into the canopy when they so desired.






























There were several side trails off the main trail from km 25.  We always had a guide here and I think that one would be important since there was a maze of trails.  The forest was dense, the sky overcast and I soon became completely confused as to the direction that we were travelling.  

The habitat along the side trails was rich with orchids and bromeliads.  Our guide, Percy, mentioned the name for this stunted, epiphyte laden forest but I cannot remember it now.
1) Orchid
2) Orchid
3) flowering bromeliad
















Ted and Percy, our Peruvian bird guide, in the stunted forest:






... terrestrial bromeliad:







We found an impressive beetle while we walked here.  It crashed down from the canopy and thumped onto the trail in front of us.  I was told that this is a Ceiba Borer, an enorums Buprestid.







Steams in the forest were heavily stained with tannins:







I found a damselfly with a red-banded wings that matched the colour of the flowering bromeliads:







Cocha Whiptail (_Kentropyx altamazonica_):







After returning to the road from the km 25 trail, we walked to the main entrance to the reserve.  Birding along the road was always good and we saw species such as Gilded Barbets, Yellow-naped Woodpeckers, Chestnut-bellied Seed-Finch, White-winged Parakeets, Cobalt-winged Parakeets, White-necked Puffbirds, Greyish Saltators and others.

Photo of our guide, Percy, and a ranger from the reserve (photo compliments of Ed):






Roadside insects were also interesting:
1) beautiful Chrysomelid
2) enormous hemipteran
3) dragonfly
4) rainbow grasshopper
























These roadside trees had huge leaves:







... interesting flowers.  The second one was a nice passion flower.












Scarlet Peacocks and Tropical Buckeyes were numerous on roadside flowers.












Main entrance sign along the highway:























We followed a trail that eventually reached a fruit orchard:







I found several of these amazing parasol-like fungi:








1) flower -- any ideas as to the family?
2) giant armoured millipede











I was told that this flower has the name "Hot Lips".  I wonder why?







These butterflies with translucent wings were abundant.  We saw them often as they flitted low across the trail.








Although not dazzling like the _Dendrobates_, I still liked the colour pattern of these Spotted-thighed Poison Frog (_Epipedobates femoralis_)





















Ted took this photo of Cam, Ed and me:








Dick examined my photo and suggested that this may be an Ucayali Rocket Frog (_Colostethus (Allobates) marchesianus_).  I only saw this single individual.







Crested Forest Toads (_Bufo margaritifer_ complex) were encountered from time to time.














Bridled Forest Gecko (_Gonatodes humeralis_):  We saw a few usually low on the trunks of trees.














I stopped to photograph this spider on the trail:







... and then spotted this adult Blue-lipped Forest Anole (_Anolis bombiceps_).  The lizard that was almost invisible as it stood in the leaf litter.  Its colouration was remarkable ... so cryptic.












... juvenile that was climbing in a small shrub.
















_Anolis chrysolepis_? 







_Anolis sp_:  Any ideas?







Western Leaf Lizard (_Stenocercus fimbiratus_):  These lizards also blended well with the leaf litter.  We saw a few but no doubt walked by others.   
















Common Swamp Snake (_Liophis reginae_):  Unfortunately, I only have these bad photos of the snake.  We had a ranger from the reserve with us and I did not know whether he would allow me to pose the snake.  Later on the walk, the range was caught frogs for me to photo so handling the snake would have been okay.













Birding in the fruit orchard was very productive.  We saw some lovely sights here including:  Spangled Cotinga, Lettered Aracari, Black-headed Parrot, Magpie Tanagers, Black-tailed Tityras, Yellow-tufted Woodpeckers and Red-stained Woodpeckers.  Swallow-wings were common on posts within the clearing as were Smooth-billed Anis.  We also tried all sorts of strange, exotic fruits.  Most were nice although completely different to our normal western fruits.













We also visited Allpahuayo Mishana at night with some of the other members of the Margarita Tour group.  


We only found a single snake and this was a DOR juvenile Common Mussurana (_Clelia clelia_):







I like the eyes of this frog.  Dick suggested its identity to be an _Osteocephalis sp. cf fuscifacies_.







Turnip-tailed Geckos (_Thecadactylus rapicauda_) were seen on structures near the headquarters.







Tropical House Gecko (_Hemidactylus mabouia_):  We also saw a few of these on buildings at the headquarters.







We found this sleeping Morpho on a branch that was overhanging a creek.  It inner wings were partially black and then a shimmering blue.








Plant Hopper (_Lystra lanata_, a fulgorid):  Carl Olson of the Univ of Arizona has kindly helped Young and I with the identifications of a number of unusual insects.







Wax-tailed Plant Hopper (_Lystra pulverulenta_, a fulgorid):  I think this to be an incredible insect.  Carl and one of his colleagues supplied the following information:


> The females produce waxes in many species to cover the oviposition site or even the eggs to repel water, protect from temps, etc. They were saying this wax reflects UV which insects can see, and this may be a recognition for mating, etc., too. The eye thing is bizarre. I noticed that too, and will see what more Lois O'Brien can tell me about it. Apparently they have pores all over that allow secretion of wax, and some specialized structures for some of the fancy waxes produces. That is why they even cover the wings in Lystra. A relative the whitefly actually breaks off pieces with legs and spreads over body after emergence as adult.


... and


> in some species both sexes produce "wax", in others, only the female and nymphs ever seem to have any.  My theory is that somehow the wax glands developed (lots of steps there!) and females often use the stuff to cover eggs, as it seems to deflect some parasites and predators.  So it would be helpful to some nymphs, too.  Sometimes there is even wax on the wings-I've never tried to look for the wax glands there-but we have a couple of species that are all male, and some that are all female, and one of the differences is where the wax is produced, producing a color pattern (in species in Lystra?) so maybe if we ever see a pair together or even on the same tree, we can associate them.  It is reported to help some species slip out of spider webs.  It is supposed to reflect sunlight, so when Cerogenes fly above the treetops in the evening they remind people on the ground of large snowflakes flashing.


... and, when I asked about the "double" compound eyes:


> I did learn about the eyes though. The upper red object is indeed the compound eye, but the lower red bulb is part of the antenna. Fulgoroids have a round bulbous first segment with a little hair projecting from it. Also there is some red below on the front of head but that is just pattern.










tail-less whip scorpion







_Micrathena sp_.







Tropical House Gecko (_Hemidactylus mabouia_):  We saw a few of these on the walls of the inner courtyard of our hotel, _Hospedaje de Pascana_, in Iquitos:







Common Whipsnake (_Chironius exoletus_):  I was jet-lagged when I first arrived in Peru so I was usually up and about at 4am.  I had also talked with the hotel staff about the Margarita Tours.  Early one morning before sunrise, I heard a knock on the door.  The manager was distressed about finding a snake in his garden and he asked me to catch it.  After a little searching, I found this beautiful Whipsnake.  It certainly was responsive.  It reminded me of a Leptophis the way that it would gape.



















Regards,
David


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## tarcan (Mar 11, 2010)

these are sweet pictures, thank you for sharing, really enjoyed all the dendrobatids!

Martin


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## skippy (Mar 11, 2010)

great trip and pics! love that last snake shot


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## John Apple (Mar 11, 2010)

love the orchid [brassavola sp] the other looks like a prismatocarpum...been some years since I did orchids...brings back memories


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## moloch (Mar 12, 2010)

Thanks, all.

Also, it is great have names for the orchids.  Thanks for that, John.  Our guide said that the Brassavola flowers only lasted for a day.  Was that correct?

Regards,
David


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## Terry D (Mar 12, 2010)

*Had yourself one good time!*

Moloch, I'm incredibly envious! Peru must be amazing..... LSU Ornithology does alot of work there. Zenocanto is an awesome bird voc. site as well. Wonderful pics!
  Heck, if I could even make it to Gomez Farias I'd have it made. So far I've been to LRGV and hill country of Texas and that's about it. I've pretty much stayed home in nw La. for my birding but eventually want to expand. PM me if you're ever in n Louisiana and I'll at least put you on some birds- if not take you to them.

Terry


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## moloch (Mar 13, 2010)

Hello Terry,

It sounds like you are a student at LSU?  Do you know Van Remsen?  Back in the mid-70s, I met him while he was doing some BLM work in Riverside.  A friend of mine who worked with him introduced me.  Van Remsen is the one who first told me about Screaming Pihas and others in the basin.  He did his work on the sympatric kingfishers near Leticia.

Thanks kindly for your offer to go birding ... never know, maybe someday!  I did my master's research at the Welder Wildlife Foundation near Sinton, Texas, in the late 70s and always enjoyed spring migration.  It was great to see all of the warblers in their nuptials.

Regards,
David


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## Terry D (Mar 13, 2010)

*Birding and Van Remsen*

David, I'm not a student nor do I have a degree. I'm just a field birder- out there looking quite a bit when work is slow for past 15 years or so. I do know Van fairly well but only through e-mail correspondence. He's an amazing birder and ornithologist. I've learned alot from him and would like to meet him in person one of these days. I've been wanting to take a trip down to have a look at the collection at Foster Hall for the past 12 years or better but something pressing always comes up. I WILL make it one of these days..... Well, I won't clutter your pic thread any longer. I thoroughly enjoy the threads. Terry


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## PrimalTaunt (Mar 15, 2010)

Great pics and commentary!


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## patotxiki (Mar 16, 2010)

Beautiful trip and pics 

.....Who killed the snake ? (Clelia clelia):


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## moloch (Mar 16, 2010)

Thanks, all.

patotxiki,
The snake was dead on the road.  It had been hit by a car.  Unfortunately, that was the only Clelia that we saw on the trip although we did see many other species.

Regards,
David


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## mitchnast (Mar 29, 2010)

That "hot lips" flower, I believe is a psychotria.  A member of the coffee family, and an important ingrediant of the psychadellic drink "ayahuascha"
It is high in the chemical DMT "dimethyltryptamine" and is orally active when combined with a MAO inhibitor as part of the afformentioned beverage.

There's alot of stuff like that in peru


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## Edd Eskimo (Mar 29, 2010)

I love the Pics. of the Orchids you took! I hope during my life time I get a chance to travel To all these amazing places everyone travels too...Great Pics.!


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