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Diversity and Distribution of Butterflies in Pakistan

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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2016; 4(5): 579-585 E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 Diversity and distribution of butterflies in JEZS 2016; 4(5): 579-585 © 2016 JEZS Pakistan: A review Received: 22-07-2016 Accepted: 23-08-2016 Salma Batool Salma Batool and Dr. Mubashar Hussain Department of Zoology, University of Gujrat Hafiz Abstract Hayat Campus, Gujrat, Pakistan The main purpose of this review paper is to check the diversity and distribution of butterflies in different Dr. Mubashar Hussain areas of Pakistan. The main study areas included Bhawalpur, Multan, Tolipir national park, Azad and Assistant Professor, University Jamu Kashmir, Union Council Koaz Bahram Dheri Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisalabad, Districts (Kotli, of Gujrat Hafiz Hayat Campus, Mirpur and Bhimber) of Azad Kashmir, Sindh, Jamshoro district(Sindh), District Muzaffarabad, Azad Gujrat, Pakistan Kashmir, Karachi, Lahore, West Pakistan, Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Northwest Himalaya (Galgit and Azad Kashmir), Islamabad and Murree, Poonch division of Azad Kashmir, Kabal, Swat, Tehsil Tangi (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Hazara University(garden campus, Mansehra), Kohat (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa), Murree, Chitral. The highest diversity of butterflies present in Bhawalpur. The total number of 4397 specimens, which were recognized into 19 families and 70 species from Bhawalpur. The areas rich in plant diversity show high butterfly diversity. Keywords: Diversity, butterfly, Pakistan, distribution Introduction Butterflies belong to Order Lepidoptera which is the second-largest order of insects. Lepidoptera is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect order in the world [1]. More than 28,000 species of butterflies present worldwide and about 80% found in tropical regions. More than 5,000 species of insects including 400 species of butterflies and moths [19] have been reported from Pakistan. Butterflies exist in every continent except Antarctica . The distribution of butterflies depends upon the availability of host plants. The area with undisturbed vegetation and high floral diversity support large butterfly communities. Butterflies and their caterpillars are dependent on specific host plants for foliage, nectar and pollen as their food. Butterflies are often deliberated opportunistic foragers, which visit a wide [3] variety of available flowers. So plant diversity reflects overall butterfly diversity . Diversity and distribution of butterflies in different localities of Pakistan Bhawalpur The research was conducted to check the biodiversity of butterflies in cropped and forest areas from August to October, 2004 at the Lal Sohanra National Park, Bahawalpur. The overall number of 4397 specimens, which were recognized into 19 families and 70 species. The maximum specimens were obtained for the family Noctuidae which had no major difference with Pyralidae. The least specimens were achieved in the family Bombycidae, which was [9] statistically comparable to most of other families . Multan The overall number of 456 specimens, which were recognized into 5 families and 14 species. The most abundant species of butterflies in Multan are Danaus chrysippus, Polyommatus eros and Anaphaeis aurota [8]. Correspondence Tolipir national park, Azad and Jamu Kashmir Salma Batool A total of 3017 specimens of 22 butterfly species belonging to two Nymphalidae and Pieridae Department of Zoology, families were recorded. Family Nymphalidae have highest number of species. And University of Gujrat Hafiz Junoniaorithya species have more number of specimens as compared to other species [4]. Hayat Campus, Gujrat, Pakistan ~ 579 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies Sr. No Family Total number of specimens Azanus ubaldus 7 Family Nymphalidae Heliophous bakeri 6 Argyreus hyperbius 9 Aphnaeus ictis 10 1 Nymphalis xanthomolus 10 Family Danaidae Junonia hierta 16 12 Danaus chrysippus 44 Vanessa indica 19 Danaus genutia 6 Family Papilionidae Family Epipyropidae 13 Papilio polyctor 8 Epipyrope melanoleuca 31 Papilio demoleus 51 Family Arctiidae 2 14 Papilio polytes 54 Amsacta moorei 3 Papilio Macham 5 Family Plutellidae 15 Atrophaneura philoxenus 4 Plutella xylostella 44 Family Hesperiidae Family Bombycidae Parnara guttata 24 16 Bombyx mori 3 3 Badamia excelamatonis 30 Eupterote fabia 1 Gomalia albofasciata 21 Family Saturniidae 17 Hasoraalexis 28 Attacus atlas 4 Family Pieridae Family Geometridae 18 Pieris canidia 35 Acontia groelsi 10 Catopsilia femora 18 Family Styridae 19 Pieris brassicae 82 Aulocera padma 4 4 Pieris napi 41 Colias crocea 18 Sr. No Family/species Total # of specimens Colias erate 44 Family: Pieridae Catopsilia crocale 12 Colitis amata 7 Pieris rapae 12 Colitis vestalis 16 Family Gelechiidae 1 Anaphaeis aurota 64 Anarsia melanoplecta 2 Eurema hecabe 18 5 Pectinophora gossypiella 15 Colitis etrida 13 Anarsia melanochropa 7 Pieris brassicae 28 Anarsia idioptela 9 Family Lycaenidae Family Lymantriidae Tarucussp 26 Pericallia ricini 17 2 6 Polyommatus eros 81 Cosmophila erosa 15 Lampides boeticus 52 Euproctis fraternae 14 Family Nymphalidae Family Sphingidae 3 Junonia almanac 12 Acherontia atropos 11 7 Vanessa cardui 1 Acherontia sytx 5 Family Danadidae Agrius convolvuli 6 4 Danaus chrysippus 102 Family Tineidae Danaus genutia 1 8 Tinea pellionella 8 Family Papilionidae 5 Tineola bisselliella 11 Papilio demoleus 35 Family Noctudiae 9 Agrotis flammatra 35 Sr. No Family Total # of specimens Agrotis ipsilon 44 Family Nymphalidae Agrotis segetum 31 Argynnishyperbius 175 Helicoverpa armigera 35 Danausgenutia 180 Sopdoptera litura 44 Danauschrysippus 161 Autographa nigrisigna 20 Junoniaorithya 183 Plusia orichalcea 27 Lethe rohria 118 Sylepta dercogata 13 Melanitesleda 99 Earis insulana 95 1 Neptishylas 122 Sesmia inferens 9 Papiliophiloxenus 134 Euproctis lunata 14 Papiliopolytes 146 Trache notabilis 16 Papiliodemoleus 123 Earis vitella 45 Precis almanac 104 Family Pyralidae Vanessa cardui 123 Ostrinia nubilalis 4 Danauschrysippus 119 Cnaphalocrosis medinlis 3 Junoniaorithya 173 Syleptra derogate 2 Family Pieridae 10 Scirpophaga novel 7 Coliaserate 99 Chilo partellus 9 Coliasfeldi 73 Chilo infuscatellus 24 Euremahecabe 175 Emmalocera depressella 28 2 Gonepteryxrhamni 145 Acigona steniella 18 Pierisbrassicae 99 Family Lycaenidae Pierisrapae 138 Virachola isocrates 81 11 Pieriscanidia 153 Zizeerea knysna 4 Pontiadaplidice 175 Zizeerea maha 2 ~ 580 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies Union Council Koaz Bahram Dheri Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Districts Kotli, Mirpur and Bhimber, Azad Kashmir A Total of 232 butterflies were collected which belonged to A total of 16 species from Kotli, 20 species from Mirpur and 13 species and 3 families. The family Nymphalidae comprises 19 species from Bhimber belonging to 7 families and 30 largest number (49%) followed by Pieridae (37%) and genera were collected [12] Papilionidae (14%) [6]. Sr. No Species/ name of taxa Total.# of specimens Sr. No Species Total # of specimens 1 Pieris brassicae 229 1 Danaus chrysippus 72 2 Papilio philoxenus 173 2 Eurema hecabe 39 3 Gonepteryx rhamni 113 3 Papilio demoleus 32 4 Argynnis kamala 79 4 Catopsilia pyranthe 16 5 Argynnis hyperbius, 67 5 Junonia orithya 15 6 Colias erate 64 6 Catopsilia ponoma 12 7 Pontia daplidice 47 7 Pieris canidia 12 8 Vanessa cardui 43 8 Cynthia cardui 11 9 Papilio machaon 41 9 Junonia almana 5 10 Danaus chrysippus 31 10 Catopsilia pomona, 8 11 Catopsilia crocale 26 11 Colias croceus 5 12 Colias electo 19 12 Phalantha phalantha 3 13 Colias fieldi 17 13 Colitis amata 2 14 Aglais urticae 12 15 Phalantha phalantha 6 Faisalabad 16 Papilio polyctor 2 A total of 2811 specimens belonging to 14 species and 6 families were recorded. Sindh Pieris brassicae (29%) was the dominant species followed by Among collected specimens, 67 species belonging to 41 Trichoplusia ni (19%), Helicoverpa zea (11%), Helicoverpa genera of 16 subfamilies falling in 6 families were identified. armigera (11%), Spodoptera exigua (6%), Pseudoplusia Results showed that Lycaenidae was the richest family; includens (5%), Spodoptera litura (3%), Agrotis ipsilon (4%), comprising 19 species [16]. Plutella xylostella (2%), Lymantria dispar (2%), Pieris rapae (0.92%), Galleria mellonella (0.71%), Evergestis rimosalis Sr. No Family Total.# of species (0.53%) and Manduca sexta (0.14%) [11]. 1 Danaidae 5 2 Pieridae 18 Sr. No Family Total # of specimens 3 Papilionidae 3 1 Noctuidae 1773 4 Nymphalidae 11 2 Pieridae 854 5 Lycaenidae 19 3 Pyralidae 19 6 Hesperiidae 11 4 Lymantridae 63 5 Plutellidae 82 Jamshoro district, Sindh: Diversity of Pieridae Family 6 Sphingidae 20 The total 655 specimens of Pierid butterflies were collected. Among these specimens, ten species of Pierid butterflies belonging to four genera (Anapheis, Catopsilia, Colitis and Eurema) of two subfamilies (Pierinae and Coliadinae) were [10] identified . Sr. No Species Jamshoro Kotri T. Bola khan Sehwan Manjh S.U Campus Total 1 Anapheis aurota 15 14 12 21 13 15 90 2 Catopsilia florella 13 4 14 11 5 12 59 3 Catopsilia pomona 9 12 10 6 14 10 61 4 Catopsilia pyranthe 6 10 1 8 2 9 36 5 Colitis amata 14 9 14 13 10 8 68 6 Colitis danae 5 0 2 9 6 5 27 7 Colitis etrida 17 13 14 8 3 14 69 8 Colitis protractus 10 3 13 12 10 16 64 9 Colitis vestalis 16 13 19 14 11 14 87 10 Eurema hecabe 24 14 21 10 13 12 94 11 Total 129 92 120 112 87 115 655 District Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir A total of 25 species belonging to 7 families were collected from district Muzarrarabad, Azad Kashmir [2]. Sr. No Species name Total # of specimens 1 Pieris brassicae 51 2 Catopsilia pyranthe 20 3 Colias erate 19 4 Papilio philoxenus 18 5 Colias fieldi 18 6 Junonia orithya 16 7 Pontia daplidice 14 8 Pieris canidia 13 ~ 581 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 9 Papilio polyoctor 12 10 Phlantha phlantha 12 11 Danuis chrysippus 11 12 Deudorys epijarbus 10 13 Catopsilia crocale 10 14 Celastrina ladonides 9 15 Genopteryx rhamni 8 16 Lampides boeticus 8 17 Papilio machaon 5 18 Terias hecabe 5 19 Danuis genutia 4 20 Catopsilia pomana 4 21 Aglais cashmirensis 3 22 Venessa cardui 2 23 Trimula linniace 1 24 Junonia almanac 1 25 Rapala selira 1 Karachi Northwest Himalaya (Galgit and Azad Kashmir) The total 46 species from 4 families were recorded from The total 71 species were identified from 9 families.
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  • Of District Kupwara from Jammu and Kashmir State (India) Aijaz Ahmad Qureshi*, R.C

    Of District Kupwara from Jammu and Kashmir State (India) Aijaz Ahmad Qureshi*, R.C

    Biological Forum – An International Journal 5(1): 100-106 (2013) ISSN No. (Print): 0975-1130 ISSN No. (Online): 2249-3239 Rhopalocera Diversity (Lepidoptera) of District Kupwara from Jammu and Kashmir State (India) Aijaz Ahmad Qureshi*, R.C. Bhagat** and P.C. Pathania*** *Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Pulwama, (J&K), India * *P.G. Department of Zoology, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, (J&K), India ***Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, (PB), India ABSTRACT: The survey-cum-collection tour were undertaken in the Kupwara district of J&K from 2007- 2009 to know the butterfly fauna of the area, highlighting their month wise distribution, seasonal distribution, and flight period and other bio-ecological components. Thirty six species of butterflies belongs to 8 families and 30 genera were collected. The butterfly activity was observed from March to November and the highest abundance was in summer season (June-August) whereas there was no butterfly activity in winter (December-February). The most dominant family was Nymphalidae followed by Pieridae, Satyridae and Lycaenidae. Highest distribution was observed in habitats like forests, hilly areas, gardens near forests in areas like Batpora (Magam), Drugmulla, Karnah, Langate, Lolab Valley, Mawar, Panzgam, Rajwar, Trehgam, and Villgam. The other floral and faunal elements of the area need to be studied so that the biodiversity of the area can be compiled and documented. Keywords: Abundance, butterflies, distribution, Kupwara INTRODUCTION census villages, comprising of two Municipal Committees, three Tehsils and eleven Community District Kupwara was in carved out as a separate Development Blocks with many areas like Machil, district from the erstwhile district Baramulla in July Teethwal, Keran, Karnah etc situated on Line of 1979.