BUTTERFLY DIVERSITY in RELATION to a RELATIVE ABUNDANCE and STATUS in SELOO CITY, WARDHA MAHARASHTRA, CENTRAL INDIA Ashish Tiple
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IJRBAT, Special Issue, May, 2018 ISSN No. 2347-517X (Online) BUTTERFLY DIVERSITY IN RELATION TO A RELATIVE ABUNDANCE AND STATUS IN SELOO CITY, WARDHA MAHARASHTRA, CENTRAL INDIA Ashish Tiple Dept of Zoology, Vidhyabharti College, Seloo, Wardha, Maharshtra- 442 104, India. E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT:- A survey was conducted to record the butterfly diversity and the status and occurrence of butterfly species in and around Seloo city, Central India from 2011 to 2018. A total of 91 species of butterflies belonging to Papilionidae (07 species), Pieridae (14 species), Nymphalidae (29 species), Lycaenidae (28 species), Hesperiidae (12 species) and 01 species was recorded from the Riodinidae. Of all the total 91 species, 29% were commonly occurring, 46% were very common, 9% were not rare, 13% were rare and 3% were very rarely occurring. About 06 species of the recorded ones come under the protection category of the Indian Wild Life protection Act 1972. The observations support the value of the Seloo city area in providing valuable resources for butterflies. Keywords: India, Lepidoptera, diversity, Seloo city, Maharashtra INTRODUCTION (December–January) up to the end of summer Butterflies are the most beautiful (Tiple and Khurad 2009). and colourful creatures on the earth and have Butterflies have been studied a great aesthetic value. Butterflies have always systematically since the early 18th century and been a subject of interest and they are probably about 19,238 species are documented worldwide next only to birds in their universal popularity by 1998 (Heppner, 1998). This figure is not evoking curiosity and fondness among children, constant because of the continuous addition of naturalists and scientist alike. This is partly new butterflies and also due to ongoing attributable to the great variety and beauty of disagreements between taxonomists over the their colour patterns and partly to their aromatic status of many species. transformation during mimicry and migration The Indian subcontinent a diverse (Kunte, 2000). They constitute one of the most terrain, climate and vegetation hosts about important links in ecological pyramids of food 1,504 species of butterflies (Tiple 2011) of which chain i.e. a link between plants and other Peninsular India hosts 351, and the Western predators like birds, reptiles and spiders; Ghats 336. In Central India, the butterfly transforming and transmitting energy from diversity was reported earlier by Forsayeth, green plants to the animal. Amongst the (1884); Swinhoe, (1886); Betham, (1890, 1891) & invertebrates, butterflies are becoming Witt, (1909). D’Abreeu, (1931) documented a sufficiently well studied for them to be used for total of 177 species occurring in the erstwhile general conservation planning in some parts of Central Provinces (now Madhya Pradesh and the tropics as a representative insect group Vidarbha). In the recent past, several workers (Thomas, 1992). have studied butterflies from urban, rural and Butterflies are very sensitive biota to protected areas of Vidarbha. 65 species environment and are directly affected by belonging to 52 genera representing 7 families changes in the habitats, atmospheric from Pench Tiger Reserve, (Maharashtra) temperature and the weather conditions; they (Sharma & Radhakrishnan, 2005); 68 species of can be good indicators of environment changes butterflies of 50 genera were recorded from (Tiple et al., 2006). Most of the butterflies are Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve (Sharma & seasonal in their occurrence, they are abundant Radhakrishnan, 2006) and 103 species of only from beginning of monsoon (June–July) till butterflies were recorded from Melghat Tiger the early winter (August–November) and decline Reserve (Wadatkar, 2008). Tiple & Khurad, in species abundance from late winter (2009) reported 145 species of butterflies recorded, of which 62 species were new records 1 IJRBAT, Special Issue, May, 2018 ISSN No. 2347-517X (Online) for Nagpur city. Recently, Tiple, 2010 (42) species were very common, 9% (08) were not documented 111 species of butterflies in Tadoba rare, 13% (12) were rare, and 3% (03) were very National Park. rare (i.e. Graphium nomius, Ixias pyrene, The present study was started with a Jamides bochus). The observed and identified view to examine the diversity of butterfly from species, their status in and around of Seloo city Seloo city. Since there is no published checklist are listed in Table 1. of butterfly from Seloo city prior to this, the Among the 91 butterflies recorded, 05 present work can form the baseline for further species come under the protection category of research. the Indian Wild Life (protection) Act 1972 (Tiple, MATERIAL AND METHOD 2011; Gupta & Mondal, 2005) (i.e. Pachliopta The Seloo city (20083’73’’N; 78070’70’’E; hector, Euploea core, Hypolimnas misippus, 265 m) is situated nearer to Bor Wildlife Euchrysops cnejus, Lampides boeticus). As Sanctuary at the bank of river Bor along with reported by Kunte (2000), an objective revision the dense shrub, natural vegetation and tree of the scheduled list is necessary in providing vegetation which are the major attraction to the appropriate and adequate legal protection to butterflies. It has tropical wet and dry climate Indian butterflies. with dry conditions, an annual rainfall of about In India we have two peak seasons, 1,205 mm (June to September); temperature March-April and October-November for butterfly raises up to 48.9°C during summer (March- abundance (Wynter-Blyth (1957). The June) and falls up to 10°C to 6.9°C in winter abundances of diverse species were positively (November-January). Annual relative humidity affected by approaching summer, high relative varies in between 22% to 80% (Tiple 2011). humidity and more rainfall. In the present The findings presented here are based investigation most butterfly species were on field surveys carried out on weekly basis from observed from the monsoon (hot/wet season) to 2011 to 2018 at in and around Seloo city. early winter (cool/wet season) but subsequently Butterfly were surveyed in Seloo city and declined in early summer (March). Among the 91 surrounding areas. Identification of the species of butterflies, Papilio demoleus, butterflies was primarily made directly in the Pachliopta aristolochiae, Catopsilia pomona, field. In critical condition specimens were Eurema hecabe, Danaus chrysippus, Tirumala collected only with handheld aerial sweep nets limniace, Acraea violae, Euploea core, Junonia and subsequently released without harm. Each lemonias, Catochrysops strabo, Chilades putli specimen was placed in plastic bottles and were occurred throughout the year (January– carried them to the laboratory for further December), whereas remaining 80 species of identification with the help of field guide butterflies were prominently observed only after (Wynter–Blyth, 1957; Kunte, 2000). The June-July till the beginning of summer (April– observed butterflies were grouped in five May). Increasing species abundance from categories on the basis of number of sighting in beginning of monsoon (June–July) till the early the field. The butterflies were categorized as VC- winter (August–November) and decline in species Very common (> 100 sightings), C- Common (51– abundance from late winter (January – 100 sightings), NR- Not rare (16–50 sightings), February) up to the end of summer (Fig. 1) have R- Rare (2–15 sightings), VR- Very rare (< 2 also been reported by Tiple et al. (2007); Tiple sightings) (Tiple and Khurad 2009 ). and Khurad (2009) and Tiple 2012 in similar RESULTS AND DISCUSSION climatic conditions in this region of Central During the course of study 91 species of India. butterflies belonging to 6 families, were The findings of the present study recorded. The highest number of butterflies underline the importance of city as a preferred belongs to the family Nymphalidae (29 species). habitat for butterflies. If the landscaping and Followed by the Lycaenidae 28 species, 14 maintenance of gardens are carefully planned, species to Pieridae, 12 species to Hesperiidae, 07 the diversity of butterflies may increase in Seloo species to Papilionidae and 01 species was city providing a rich ground for butterfly recorded from the Riodinidae. conservation as well as for research. This study Among the 112 species of butterflies will also add to our future attempts in about 29 % (26) were occurring common, 46% understanding the complex nature of 2 IJRBAT, Special Issue, May, 2018 ISSN No. 2347-517X (Online) mutualistic interaction between butterflies and Distribution in and around Nagpur City, Central flowering plants that is essential for continuity India. World Journal of Zoology, 4(3): 153-162. of ecosystem services. The present list of 13. Tiple A. D., 2010. Butterfly Fauna of Tadoba butterfly species is not conclusive and National Park and Surroundings, Chandrapur, exhaustive and future exploration will be Maharashtra (Central India). Hislopia, 3(1):1-9. continued to update this checklist. 14. Tiple A. D., 2011. Butterflies of Vidarbha region, REFERENCES Maharashtra State, central India. Journal of 1. Betham J. A. 1890. The butterflies of the Central Threatened Taxa, 3(1): 1469-1477. Provinces. Journal of the Bombay Natural 15. Tiple A.D. 2012. Butterfly species diversity, History Society, 5: 19-28; 151-161; 279-286. relative abundance and status in Tropical Forest 2. Betham J. A. 1891. The butterflies of the Central Research Institute, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, Provinces. Journal of the Bombay Natural central India.