Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2017; 5(4): 273-276

E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 JEZS 2017; 5(4): 273-276 Taxonomic update of hardwickii Gray © 2017 JEZS (: Papilionidae: ) from Received: 03-05-2017 Accepted: 04-06-2017 Hattu (Narkanda) of Western Himalaya Romila Devi Himalayan Forest Research (Himachal Pradesh) Institute Panthaghati, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India

Romila Devi, Pawan Kumar and VK Mattu Pawan Kumar Himalayan Forest Research Abstract Institute Panthaghati, Shimla, The aim of the present study was to examine the taxonomic status of the species Parnassius hardwickii Himachal Pradesh, India Gray, 1831 from Hattu (Narkanda) of Himachal Pradesh. The species Parnassius hardwickii Gray, 1831 VK Mattu was collected from Hattu (Narkanda) of Himachal Pradesh during September 2013. The species Sociobiology and Behavioral Parnassius hardwickii Gray, 1831 belonging to the superfamily Papilionoidea, family Papilionidae, Ecology Research Laboratory, subfamily Parnassiinae and tribe Parnassiini of the order lepidoptera. The fore and hind wings of the Himachal Pradesh University, species were transparent, commonly known as “Common Blue ”. The species were examined on Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, the basis of external morphology, structure of compound eyes, antennae, shapes of external male India genitalia like uncus, tegumen, valva, vinculum, saccus and aedeagus. The male genitalic attributes of the species were illustrated and described in details.

Keywords: Parnassius hardwickii Gray, papilionidae, lepidoptera, Himachal Pradesh, external genitalia

1. Introduction The genus Parnassius is an alpine and Himalayan usually known as “Apollos” or “Snow Apollos”. They show an adaptation to high altitudes, sub-alpine and alpine region. The species Parnassius hardwickii Gray (Common blue Apollo) occur high in the Himalayan region above 3,000-3500m. The species Parnassius hardwickii Gray, 1831 belong to the

subfamily Parnassiinae of the swallowtail family Papilionidae. The genus Parnassius (Latreille, 1804) attract both museum taxonomists and amateur collectors because of their geographic variability and rarity of some species that occur in the remote alpine areas of the Himalayas, Central Asia, Tibet and other parts of Northern Eurasia [1]. The genus Parnassius has a Holarctic distribution with the highest diversity in the Himalayas [2-6]. The genus

Parnassius has about fifty species known to occur mostly in high altitude areas of Central Asia, [7]. the Himalayas, and Western China The subfamily Parnassiinae has about 74 currently recognized species in 8 genera, with a largely Holarctic distribution [8]. A few species of the genus Parnassius constitute the only representatives of the subfamily in the Western Hemisphere, where they occur in the Nearctic region [9]. The subfamily Parnassiinae has been [10-13] [14] studied by many research investigators from Indian subcontinent. Kunte in his publication on “The Butterflies of the Peninsular India” made descriptions of 107 Papilionidae from India, of which Parnassiinae (Apollo butterflies) with approximately 50 species. Smetacek [15] in his publication on the ‘Papilionid butterflies of the Indian subcontinent” stated about the distribution of the species Parnassius (Lingamius) hardwickii Gray, 1831 from Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (Baltistan) to Arunachal Pradesh from 2000 to over 5250 m

elevation, Himachal Pradesh (also in the outer range at Narkanda and Kufri). The genitalia of male butterflies have highly modified sclerites of the 9th and 10th body segments. Genital morphology, particularly of the male, is one of the principal characters used in most taxonomic studies of lepidoptera and in some studies it is the only character used [16]. Therefore, the aim of the present study is to examine the taxonomic status of this high altitude species Parnassius

Correspondence hardwickii Gray by describing their morphology of antennae, compound eyes, genitalia etc. Romila Devi Besides describing their morphology and also identified their food plant resources Himalayan Forest Research from Hattu (Narkanda) of Himachal Pradesh. Institute Panthaghati, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India ~ 273 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

2. Materials and Methods The present study was conducted during September 2013 2.1 Study area from Hattu (Narkanda) of District Shimla of Himachal Himachal Pradesh is a mountainous state in the Western Pradesh which is located at 31˚14̍ 37.80"N and 77˚30 ̍ Himalayas (30°22′40″-33°12′40″ N to 75°45′55″- 79°04′20″ 05ꞌ.31"E and situated at an elevation of 3400m (Fig 1). Hattu E) includes parts of the Trans and Northwest Himalaya (Narkanda) lies on the Shimla-Rampur Highway and has covering an area of 55,673 square kilometres (21,495 sq mi). forests of spruce and fir. It is about 8 Km from Narkanda.

Fig 1: Satellite image showing GPS coordinates of Butterfly collection sites of Hattu (Narkanda).

2.1.1 Collection, preservation and identification: The Subfamily Parnassiinae Duponchel, 1835 specimens of butterfly fauna were collected from Hattu Tribe Parnassiini Duponchel, 1835 (Narkanda) of Himachal Pradesh during September 2013. The Genus: Parnassius Latreille, 1804 collected specimens were killed with the help of Ethyl acetate 1804. Parnassius Latreille, Nouv. Dict. Hist. Nat., 24: 185, vapours. Then pinned by entomological pins of 38mm length, 199 nos. 3 and 5 for large and 20 for small specimens. The collected specimens of butterflies were preserved in air tight 3.1 Parnassius hardwickii Gray-Common Blue Apollo boxes. The photographs of the adults were taken with Paranassius hardwickei Gray, Zool. Misc. 1831; 1: 32. the help of digital camera Nikon (D200) DSLR camera. The Parnassius hardwickii Gray, Kehimkar, 2008; The Book of specimens of butterflies were identified with the help of Indian Butterflies, p.114 literature and by comparison with reference collections lying in Entomology museum of Forest Research Institute, 3.1.1 Adult (Plate 1): Head black, eyes dark brown, antennae Dehradun. black, labial palpi creamish white. Thorax black with creamish feathers. Forewing creamish white with two black 2.1.2 Genitalia preparation: For the preparation of slides of bands at basal and discal area with two orange spots with external male genitalia the abdomen of butterfly specimen black ring; prominent curved discal series of dusky black was detached. The detached abdomen was then put into 10% spots ; termen black. Hindwing tailless, creamy white with KOH solution for 10-12 hours in order to soften the chitin and two red spots with black ring at the basal and discal area; five to dissolve away the muscles. The material was then washed black ringed spots at terminal end. Prominent ochereous white with distilled water. After proper washing, material was tuft of hairs at the base of the thorax upto the outer region of dissected in 10% alcohol and genitalia were removed the wing. Abdomen black. Legs black with greyish scales. carefully with the help of fine needles, watching under Nikon SMZ trinocular zoom stereomicroscope. The genitalia were 3.1.2 Male genitalia (Plate 1): Uncus bilobed, broad, curved, cleared in clove oil and then mounted in Canada balsam on sclerotized; tegumen broad, sclerotized; vinculum well cavity slides. The Genital terminology was used given by [17] sclerotized, straight; valva broad, elongate; apex of valva and [18]. The photography of external male genitalia was done arched; harpe well developed, sclerotized; juxta V-shaped, with the help with the help of Digital shot DS-Fi2 frame sclerotized; saccus slightly rounded. Aedeagus broad, straight, grabber and Digital sight DS-L3 stand-alone image well sclerotized; apex pointed with teeth; ductus ejaculatorius processing unit at Himalayan Forest Research Institute, entering dorsally. Shimla. 3.1.3 Habit, habitat, distribution, GPS coordinates & 3. Results altitude: Reported from Hattu (Narkanda) upto the elevation Superfamily Papilionoidea Latreille, 1809 of 3000m to 3500m, N 31˚14̍ 37.80" E 77˚30̍ 05ꞌ.31", 3184m, Family Papilionidae Latreille, 1809 N 31˚14̍ 40.92" E 77˚30̍ 03ꞌ.49", 3163m. ~ 274 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

3.1.4 Old distribution: Jammu & Kashmir, Sikkim and Boisduval, Parnassius charltonius charltonius Gray, Himachal Pradesh. Parnassius imperator augustus Fruhstorfer, Parnassius maharaja Avinoff, Parnassius stoliczkanus stoliczkanus 3.1.5 Food plants (Fig. 2): Senecio spp. (Family: Asteraceae) Felder & Felder, Parnassius charltonius charltonius Gray. 3.1.6 Wingspan: ♂ 55-60 mm Talbot [22] reported that larva of Parnassius hardwickii feeds on Sexifrage sp. recorded from the Indian Himalayan region. [23] Similarly stated that caterpillars feed on Sexifrage sp. The morphological characters mainly used in the classification of the species and species-groups of the subfamily Parnassiinae and family Papilionindae include wing pattern, venation, male genitalia, fore-tibial epiphysis and sphragis, i.e. the attachment to the end of the female abdomen made by the male secretion during copulation [24]. Many research investigators reported that genus Parnassius are known to utilize host plants belonging to eight families; although most host-plant records are from two families [25-29] Parnassius are associated principally with two groups of plants: Fumariaceae-mainly Corydalis-and -Rhodiola, Sedum, Sempervivum and related genera [30]. Thus the morphological details of the shapes of the external male and female genitalia are important characteristics for the species identification.

5. Conclusion The present study described the taxonomic status of Parnassius hardwickii Gray. The species Parnassius hardwickii Gray was collected from Hattu (Narkanda) and this species was examined and described on the basis of morphological characters structure of compound eye, labial palpi, antennae, and external male genitalia. The most important characters of the male genitalia i.e. uncus, tegumen, valva, vinculum, saccus, aedeagus and their shapes have been described in details. External genitalial morphology, of the male, was one of the important characters that were used in taxonomic and systematic studies of butterflies. Conservation

of this high altitude species is important by studying their Plate 1: A. Adult dorsal side of Parnassius hardwickii Gray. B. taxonomic status. Taxonomical studies will be useful for the Ventral side of Parnassius hardwickii Gray. C & D. Compound eye, future research studies in such high altitude zone of Himachal antennae. E & F. Male genitalia, aedeagus. Pradesh.

6. Acknowledgement Authors would like to express thanks to Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change GOI, for providing financial help for the above research work and also grateful to the Director Himalayan Forest Research Institute Shimla for providing necessary research facilities.

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Fig 2: Parnassius hardwickii Gray feeding on Senecio spp. systematic and evolution of the 'Apollo' butterflies of the genus Parnassius (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) based on 4. Discussion mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Gene. 2004; 326:141- The genitalia of male butterflies have been the subject of 147. several detailed studies as its morphology can provide the 2. Bryk F. Parnassiidae, pars. II. Das Tierreich, Deutschen basis for work of taxonomy, systematic as well as Zoologische Gesellschaft im Auftrag der Preussischen phylogenetic analysis [19]. The present results are supported by Akademie der Wissensch. Berlin und Lepizig. 1935; earlier research studies pertaining to the taxonomy of male 65:I–XXVIII:1-790. and female genitalia of subfamily Parnassinae that have been 3. Weiss JC. The Parnassiinae of the world. Part 1. Sciences undertaken by many research investigators for example [20] Nat, Venette, France, 1991, 1-48. discussed the male genitalia of Parnassius hardwickii 4. Weiss JC. The Parnassiinae of the world. Part 2. Sciences hardwickii Gray. Subsequently [21] discussed and illustrated Nat, Venette, France, 1992, 49-136. the male and female genitalia of eight species of the genus 5. Weiss JC. The Parnassiinae of the world. Part 3. Sciences Parnassius from Indian Himalayas these species were Nat, Venette, France, 1999, 137-236. Parnassius hardwickii hardwickii Gray, Parnassius epaphus 6. Weiss JC. The Parnassiinae of the world. Part 4. Sciences hillensis Bang-Haas, Parnassius jacquemonti jacquemonti Nat, Venette, France, 2005, 237-4002.

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