CATALOGUE ZOOS' PRINT JOURNAL 20(8): 1955-1960 Fauna of Protected Areas - 23: INSECT FAUNA OF PEECHI-VAZHANI WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, KERALA, INDIA George Mathew 1,2, R.S.M. Shamsudeen 1 and Rashmi Chandran 1 1 Division of Forest Protection, Kerala Forest Research Institute, Peechi, Kerala 680653, India Email: 2
[email protected] ABSTRACT transition zone between moist deciduous and evergreen forests. In a study on the insect fauna of Peechi-Vazhani Wildlife The vegetation of moist deciduous forests is characteristic in Sanctuary, 374 species of insects mostly belonging to that the trees of the upper canopy shed their leaves during the Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Hemiptera were recorded. The fauna was rich and diverse and contained several rare and dry season from February to April. Xylia xylocarpa, Terminalia protected species. Among butterflies, of the 74 species bellerica, Terminalia tomentosa, Garuga pinnata, recorded, six species (Chilasa clytia, Appias lyncida, Appias Cinnamomum spp., Bridelia retusa, Grewia tiliaefolia and libythea, Mycalesis anaxias, Hypolimnas misippus and Haldina cordifolia are the common tree species. In the lower Castalius rosimon) are protected under the Indian Wildlife canopy, Ixora spp., Lantana camara and Clerodendrum spp. (Protection) Act. Similarly, four species of butterflies, Papilio buddha, Papilio polymnestor, Troides minos, and Cirrochroa occur as undergrowth. A considerable portion of the forest thais, recorded in this study are rare and restricted in area in this region has been converted to teak and eucalyptus distribution. The moth fauna is rich in arboreal feeding plantations by the Forest Department. A variety of wild animals forms indicating an undisturbed forest patch in the area.