Butterfly Fauna
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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2018; 6(2): 975-981 E-ISSN: 2320-7078 P-ISSN: 2349-6800 Butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) of JEZS 2018; 6(2): 975-981 © 2018 JEZS Lembucherra, West Tripura, Tripura, India Received: 17-01-2018 Accepted: 18-02-2018 Navendu Nair Navendu Nair, U Giri, MR Debnath and SK Shah Department of Agril. Entomology, College of Abstract Agriculture, Tripura, India A study on the diversity of butterflies was carried out in the campus of College of Agriculture and its U Giri vicinity, Lembucherra, West Tripura district, Tripura, India from April, 2016 to March, 2017. A total of Department of Agronomy, 118 species of butterflies belonging to 77 genera and five families were recorded. Among the five College of Agriculture, Tripura, families, Nymphalidae (represented by 25 genera and 45 species) was the most dominant followed by India Lycaenidae (22 genera, 26 species), Hesperiidae (16 genera, 20 species), Pieridae (10 genera, 17 species) and Papilionidae (4 genera, 10 species). Out of total 118 butterfly species 20 (16.95%), 29 (24.58%), 27 MR Debnath (22.88%), 37 (31.36%) and 5 (4.24%) species are Very common, Common, Not rare, Rare and Very rare, Horticulture Research Centre, respectively in occurrence. Eighteen species of butterflies are reported here as new records for the state Nagicherra, Tripura, India of Tripura. Among the 118 species of butterflies recorded 25 are schedule species under Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Though the area is rich in butterfly diversity, it needs a conservation plan in order SK Shah to protect the butterfly fauna since it harbours some of the schedule species under IWPA and 31.36 and Zoological Survey of India, 4.24 % of recorded species are of rare and very rare categories, respectively. Kolkata, West Bengal, India Keywords: butterflies, bio diversity, college of agriculture, Lembucherra, West Tripura 1. Introduction Insects comprise more than half of world’s bio diversity of species [38] and perform important roles in ecosystem function contributing to the productivity and stability of ecosystem [31, 40, 60]. Lepidoptera, which contains the butterflies (Rhopalocera) and moths (Heterocera), is the [8] second largest insect order with approximately 1,80,000 identified species in 126 families . Butterflies are taxonomically well studied insects [14, 53] and are considered as good indicators of habitat quality and environmental changes as they are sensitive to habitat degradation and climate change [15, 22, 27, 46]. The butterflies are distributed in every suitable environment, from forests to deserts and plains to valleys and hills [36]. They are good pollinators of several wild [2, and cultivated plant species. Some butterfly species are well known pest of cultivated crops 3, 9, 42, 43, 57, 58] and agroforestry [67] while very few known species are carnivorous acting as predators and parasitoids on other insects [45, 66]. Biological diversity is being considered as a vital parameter to assess global and local [35] environmental changes and sustainability of developmental activities . Because of habitat destruction for developmental activities and unscientific management of natural resources, most of the butterfly species are disappearing and their survival is under threat [10]. The geographical location of any area, its climatic conditions and vegetative composition are essential requisites for supporting a rich diversity of butterflies [7]. More than 18,000 butterfly [19, 28, 37] [21] species worldwide and 1501 species from India have been documented. The checklist of any region or part of a country is of great importance in order to update existing butterflies regarding their diversity and status that may be helpful for their conservation. In India diversity of butterfly species at regional or local levels have been studied by many workers [4, 16, 20, 24, 39, 41, 55, 56, 62, 63, 64, 65]. North-eastern part of India is one of the major biodiversity hotspots and the Tripura province of North-eastern India is rich in forests and is [32] dominated by semi-evergreen to moist deciduous plants and secondary bamboo brakes . Limited works have been done so far on butterfly fauna of Tripura [1, 29, 30, 33, 34, 54]. Moreover, the butterfly fauna of Lembucherra area of West Tripura district, Tripura has not been studied Correspondence so far. So the present study on the diversity of butterfly in the campus of College of Navendu Nair Department of Agril. Agriculture, Tripura and its vicinity at Lembucherra, West Tripura district, Tripura was carried Entomology, College of out with an objective to prepare a checklist of existing butterflies that may be supportive for Agriculture, Tripura, India creating a conservation strategy for their protection in this locality. ~ 975 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2. Materials and Methods namely, Cepora nerissa, Appias albina, Colotis amata, 2.1 Study area: The campus of College of Agriculture, Junonia orithya, Athyma selenophora, Ypthima inica, Tripura at Lembucherra, West Tripura is spread over an area Ypthima ceylonica, Ypthima chenu, Euripus consimilis, of about 60 hectares. The Lembucherra area contains different Zinaspa todara distorta, Catochrysops panormus, Everes types of land like agricultural and horticultural crop fields, lacturnus, Nacaduba pactolus, Suastus minuta, Pelopidas fallow lands with rich flora of wild vegetations, rubber assamensis, Pelopidas conjuncta, Pithauria stramineipennis, plantations, orchards, flower gardens, human settlements, Parnara apostata are recorded for the first time from the State water-bodies, etc. that form a unique habitat to support a rich of Tripura during the present study. diversity of various faunal groups. The college campus is also Out of 118 species of butterflies recorded 25 species (21.19%) housing a wide variety of cultivated and wild plants that come under the protection category of Indian Wildlife support a wide variety of animals including mammals, birds, (Protection) Act, 1972 (Table 3). Among them, six species amphibians, reptiles and invertebrates including butterflies. namely, Papilio clytia, Discophora sondaica, Neptis jumbah, Euploea midamus, Lethe europa and Castalius rosimon come 2.2 Methodology: Field survey for butterfly fauna was under schedule I of the act. Fourteen species, viz. Cepora conducted from April, 2016 to March, 2017, following nerissa, Appias albina, Appias lyncida, Tanaecia lepidea, Modified Pollard Walk Method [47]. Since some butterfly Euthalia aconthea, Charaxes athamas, Euripus consimilis, species are seasonal in occurrence, observations were taken Spindasis lohita, Zinaspa todara distorta, Lampides boeticus, throughout the year covering all the seasons. Three Permanent Euchrysops cnejus, Megisba malaya, Nacaduba pactolus and Line Transects (approximately 1 km long and 10 m wide) Remelana jangala come under schedule II of the act whereas, were laid in areas of rich vegetations and butterflies were five species, viz. Appias libythea, Euploea core, Euploea observed during sunny days in the fixed transects during mulciber, Pelopidas assamensis and Baoris farri come under morning hours at an interval of 10-12 days. schedule IV of the act. Butterflies were visually observed and numbers of individual species were counted. Butterfly species that could not be 4. Discussion identified on flight were captured using insect net. Captured It is evident from the study that the area supports a very good butterflies were identified using Field guides [17, 21, 27] and diversity of butterflies (118 species), which may be attributed released at the spot of capture without any harm. Butterfly to the rich flora of cultivated and wild vegetations that act as species that could not be identified in field level were suitable nectar source as well as larval hosts for this beautiful preserved and sent to Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata for group of insects. Diversity of butterflies found in an area identification. Based on number of sightings butterfly species indicates its over all plant diversity [5, 44]. Result also suggests were categorized into Very rare (< 2 sightings), Rare (2–15 that the family Nymaphalidae was the most dominant in terms sightings), Not rare (15–50 sightings), Common (50–100 of number of species in the study area followed by sightings) and Very common (more than 100 sightings) status Lycaenidae, Hesperiidae, Pieridae and Papilionidae. Similar groups [61]. pattern of dominance among the recorded butterfly families in Tripura has been reported by Lodh and Agarwala [29]. Antony 3. Results et al. [4], Tiple and Khurad [62], Bora and Meitei [6] have also During the present study, a total of 118 species of butterfly recorded similar pattern of dominance from other parts of belonging to 77 genera and five families were recorded (Table India. Since butterfly species are host specific [51, 52], it I). Among the five families, Nymphalidae (represented by 25 appears that the larval food plants present in this area support genera and 45 species) was the most dominant followed by the nymphalid ones to the largest extent. However, there are Lycaenidae (22 genera, 26 species), Hesperiidae (16 genera, some other assumptions regarding the reasons for their 20 species), Pieridae (10 genera, 17 species) and Papilionidae dominance like their polyphagous nature and strong flying (4 genera, 10 species). The proportionate dominance is ability [13, 50, 44, 33, 18]. Predominance of Nymphalidae has been depicted in the figure-1. Out of total