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Home , Ascotis, Ascotis selenaria, Biston suppressaria, Chiasmia, Geometer moth, Hydrelia ornata

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Diversity & Species richness of Family Geometridae (Lepidoptera: Insecta) in Veerangana Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary, Damoh, Madhya-Pradesh.

Roshni Pandey1*, S. Sambath 2 and Rita Bhandari 3 1 Govt. College Badwara, Katni, Madhya Pradesh, India 2 Zoological Survey of India, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India 3 OFK Govt. College, Khamriya, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India *Corresponding author Email: [email protected]

Received: 03/02/2020 Revised: 12/02/2020 Accepted: 07/03/2020

Abstract: The present study was been chosen as an important group in a conducted at Veerangana Durgawati number of environmental studies in Wildlife Sanctuary (VDWLS) Damoh tropical regions (Holloway et al. 1992, (M.P.) to evaluate the diversity of Moths Intachat et al., 1997, 1999; Kitching et al. (Lepidoptera). During field study, a total 2000, Schulze 2000, Beck et al. 2002), but of 69 Geometer moth specimens were also in Africa (Axmacher et al., 2004), and collected from various localities during in South America (Brehm, 2002). In spite different seasons which yielded 8 species of this Zheng et al. (2018) studied the and 7 genera under three subfamilies viz., complete mitochondrial genome of Biston Ennominae, Larentiinae and Sterrhinae. marginata (Geometridae), molecular The subfamily Ennominae represented as phylogeny of geometridae by L. Murillo- most diversed group as the Larentiinae and Ramos et al. (2019). Globally, the family Sterrhinae. The biological diversity was Geometridae represents 23,002 species and also calculated by using Biodiversity 2002 genera (Van Nieukerken et al., 2011) calculator software. Richness (S) is 8, whereas in India, a total of nearly 2041 Shannon’s diversity (H’) is 1.624, Berger- species under 7 subfamilies were recorded Parker dominance (BP) is 0.435 & (Kirti et al., 2019). This family is the Simpson’s diversity (D2) is 0.257. second largest family to the maximum recorded species after family Noctuidae of Keywords: Geometridae, Lepidoptera, Lepidoptera (Scoble, 1999). On subfamily Diversity, Moths, Veerangana Durgavati Larentiinae J. D. Holloway (1997) Wildlife Sanctuary, Damoh, Madhya published a volume named as ‘Moths of Pradesh. Borneo’. In this volume, Holloway described 199 species under 56 genera in INTRODUCTION which figures and details of their male and The family Geometridae is the second female genitalic attributes also published, most diverse family in the order out of which 37 species & 26 genera were Lepidoptera. Family Geometridae have reported from Indian Subcontinent. While

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International Journal of Global Science Research ISSN: 2348-8344 (Online) Vol. 7, Issue1, April 2020, pp. 1284-1290 DOI: 10.26540/ijgsr.v7.i1.2020.150 Available Online at www.ijgsr.com © Copyright 2014 | ijgsr.com | All Rights Reserved studying and reviewing the moths fauna of Parker index, are very useful in measuring Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh by biodiversity. (Magurran, 1988). The Chandra and Nema (2007), listed 313 present study deals with the species species of moths, which included 34 diversity at VDWLS by collecting, species of family Geometridae. Moth identifying and measuring the richness (S), fauna of Veerangana Durgawati Wildlife Shannon’s diversity (H’), Berger-Parker Sanctuary was also studied by Chandra dominance (BP), Simpson’s diversity (D2), and Sambath (2016), who studied 8 and Simpson’s evenness (E). species of moths of family Geometridae. The adult moths of family Geometridae MATERIALS AND METHODS are usually have slender bodies and Study Area: - The study was undertaken relatively small to medium-sized with in the Veerangana Durgavati Wildlife slender bodies and delicate wings (Minet Sanctuary, Damoh M.P. The wildlife and Scoble, 1999). The fore wings sanctuary is named after, ’Rani Durgavati’ generally broad, often crossed by thin ,the famous queen of Gond dynasty, the wavy lines. Proboscis usually present or area now coming under the sanctuary fell rarely absent and the antennae are thread- under her regime. The sanctuary was like, serrate or bipectinate. Fore wing with created in the year 1996 vide Government vein 1a forming a fork with 1b, 1c absent; of Madhya Pradesh Notification no. F- 14- vein 5 from or from above middle of the 33-94-(X)-2, dated 6-1-1997. It comes discocellulars, 7 rising from 8, 9. Hind under tehsil Jabera of district Damoh in the wing with the frenulum usually present, forest area of Sangrampur, presents a but absent in a few genera; vein 1a very mosaic of all kinds of habitat. The total short, apparently absent in some forms; area of the sanctuary is 24 Sq.Kms. The vein 1b running to anal angle; 1c absent; 8 sanctuary lies between 2330’9” and with a well developed precostal spur. 2435’N latitudes and between 7951’0” The diversity indices, sometimes referred & 7951’13”E longitudes (Tiwari, 2003). to as heterogeneity measures, distil the The topography of Veerangana Durgavati information contained in a species Wildlife Sanctuary is hilly. In VDWLS abundance distribution into a single there are various localities viz. statistic. Heterogeneity measures like Giridarshan, Sajtalya, Bhaisaghat, Danital, nonparametric measures, for example Tilgua, Sangrampur, Chota Chakkar, Simpson index, Shannon index, Berger- NidanKund, Kola-Nala etc. (Fig.1)

Figure 1. Veerangana Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary, Damoh: Location.

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Methodology: Majority of moths, being Statistical Analyses: We calculated nocturnal, are attracted to light, so that the richness (S), Shannon’s diversity (Shannon adults of moths were collected by using and Wiener, 1949), Berger-Parker the sheet trap, this trap consists of a light dominance (Berger and Parker, 1970) & source and a big white sheet. The sheet is Simpson’s diversity (Simpson, 1949) for hung between two trees, with the light each group. Abundance was quantified as (160-watt mercury bulb) placed in front of number of individuals. Shannon–Wiener & it. Insects attracted to the lamp will settle Simpson indices are the mathematical on the sheet while others will settle equations for the calculation of alpha nearby. Make sure the sheet is also spread diversity. Shannon – Wiener index on the ground to catch insects that fall. measures the species diversity within the Larger specimens can be taken in a killing community of an ecosystem. It will be jar in small numbers; smaller moths should zero if the sample in consideration has be collected individually in small glass only one species and would be maximal tubes. After collecting the moths from the when all species of the sample in field are killed in the killing bottle, which consideration have even abundances is filled with Benzene vapors as a killing (Sagar and Singh, 1999). Opposite to this, agent. For temporary storage in the field Simpson index measures the strength of they were kept in the insect envelops with dominance and diversity, the value of this labels and envelops are kept in the index ranges from 0-1; zero represents no ordinary cardboard boxes (Alfred, 2004). dominance or diversity and 1 for Photographs were taken by Nikon maximum dominance and diversity coolpicks L120. Male genitalia were also (Simpson, 1949). The diversity indices be dissect out and kept in 10% KOH were also calculated with the help of solution for 12 hrs, rinsed in distilled water Biodiversity calculator software. for several times and then preserved in 70% alcohol (Robinson, 1976). RESULT & DISCUSSION The identification of moths was made with The present paper deals with an account of the help of available traditional taxonomic family Geometridae of VDWLS, Damoh. characters for the group & available During field surveys there are 69 literature (Hampson 1895, Common specimens of family Geometridae were 1990), also by comparing with the collected and identified. Which belongs to reference collection available at Central three subfamilies. 6 species to 5 genera of Zone Regional Centre, Zoological Survey subfamily Ennominae, 1 species to 1 genus of India (Jabalpur). The current each of subfamilies Larentinae and nomenclature used for species Sterrhinae. Altogether 69 specimens identification is based on LEPINDEX belonging to 8 species under 7 genera and (Beccaloni et al. 2003). 3 subfamilies were studied and recorded from the Sanctuary. (Table 1)

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Table: 1 Checklist of Geometrid moth species of VDWLS. S. Superfamily Family Subfamily Name of the Species No. Ennominae Geometroidea Geometridae Ascotis selenaria [Denis & Schiffer- 1 Duponchel, Leach, 1815 Leach, 1815 muller], 1775 1845 2 Biston suppressaria Guen'ee, [1858] 3 Hyposidra talaca Walker, F., 1860 4 Petelia delostigma Prout, 1932 Petelia medardaria Herrich-Schaffer, 5 [1856] 6 Chiasmia eleonora Cramer, [1780] Larentiinae 7 Duponchel, Hydrelia ornata Moore, 1868 1845 Sterrhinae Antitrygodes cunceilinea Walker, 8 Meyrick, (1863) 1892

The maximum number of species is (75%) followed by Sterrhinae (13%) recorded in the subfamily Ennominae Larentiinae (12%). (Fig.2)

Species Richness

Sterrhinae 13%

Larentiinae 12%

Ennominae 75%

Figure 2. Species Richness among different subfamilies of Geometridae in VDWS

Diversity index enables the researcher to essence, has always been defined by the describe the moth fauna mathematically indices to measure it (Peet, 1974). and to compare their diversity between Richness (S) is 8, Shannon’s diversity (H’) different habitats. Species diversity, in is 1.624, Berger-Parker dominance (BP) is

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0.435 & Simpson’s diversity (D2) is 0.257, dominance (BP) index is 0.435, the which shows a very good diversity in reciprocal of the index, 1/d, is generally VDWLS. (Fig.3). used, thus an increase in the value of the index accompanies an increase in species diversity and a reduction in dominance. It shows the high dominance in the sanctuary. The Antitrygodes cunceilinea (Walker) is a very abundant species throughout the sanctuay. (Fig.4)

Figure 3. Simpson’s diversity of VDWLS of family Geometridae

Simpson index (1-D) ranges between 0 to 1 denotes that the greater the value, the greater the moth diversity. So, according to the Simpson index value (0.257) the Sanctuary show very good diversity. Figure 4. Species Diversity of Family Shannon diversity index was used for Geometridae in VDWLS calculating the diversity of sampling sites of the sanctuary taking into account the Moths are closely associated to plants in number of individuals as well as number the form of pollinators & herbivores; of taxa. Shannon diversity index varies hence the rich flora of VDWLS is a reason from 0 for communities with only a single of richness of Moth species. The study taxon to high values for communities with area represents the mosaic of different many taxa; Shannon values vary between habitats which help in supporting high 1.3 and 3.5 and may exceeds 4.0. Thus the diversity of flora so as moth fauna. In sanctuary exhibit 1.624 Shannon’s Veerangana Durgavati Wild life Sanctuary diversity (H’) value which shows the great there are mixed jungle with teak as the diversity of family geometridae. Berger- dominant tree, this may another reason for Parker index calculate the proportional its huge diversity. The rich biodiversity of importance of the most abundant type. Its moth fauna of family geometridae of equals the maximum pi value in the dataset Veerangana Durgavati Wild life sanctuary of sample. This corresponds to the is mainly due to rich vegetation and play a weighted generalized mean of the pi greater role for the existence of moth fauna values when q approaches infinity and of family geometridae in a particular hence equals the inverse of true diversity community as it provides main source of of order infinity. So the Berger-Parker

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International Journal of Global Science Research ISSN: 2348-8344 (Online) Vol. 7, Issue1, April 2020, pp. 1284-1290 DOI: 10.26540/ijgsr.v7.i1.2020.150 Available Online at www.ijgsr.com © Copyright 2014 | ijgsr.com | All Rights Reserved food and shelter for their survivorship. Beck J., Schulze C.H., Linsenmair K.E. & Overall, the moth fauna of family Fiedler, K. (2002). From forest to geometridae of VDWLS is highly diverse farmland: diversity of geometrid moths but some species are only uncommonly along two habitat gradients on Borneo. J. encountered. The results from this study Tro. Eco., 18, 33-51. can be used to make decisions on the Axmacher J.C., Holtman G., Scheuermann conservation of natural resources L., Brehm G., Muller-Hohenstein K., management especially for Moth diversity Fiedler K. (2004) Diversity of Geometrid of family Geometridae. Moths (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) Along an Afrotropical Elevational Rainforest ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Transect. Diversity and Distributin 10, pp The authors are thankful to Dr. K. 293-302. Chandra, Director, Zoological Survey of Brehm G., (2002) Diversity of Geometrid India, Kolkata, PCCF (Wildlife), Bhopal Moths in a Montane Rainforest in and D.C.F. and the staff of Veerangana Ecuador, Dissertation. Durgavati Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Zheng N., Sun Y. X., Yang L. L., Wu L., Pradesh for the enormous support during Abbas M. N., Chen C. and Dai L. S. the study. (2018). Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome of Biston marginata REFERENCES (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) and Holloway J.D., Kirk-Spriggs A.H. and phylogenetic analysis among Chey, V.K. (1992) The response of some lepidopteran insects. International journal rain forest insect groups to logging and of biological macromolecules, 113, 961-97 conversion to plantation. Philoso. Tran. Murillo-Ramos L, Brehm G, Sihvonen P, Roy. Soc. B, 335, 425-436. Hausmann A, Holm S, Reza Ghanavi H, Intachat J., Holloway J.D., Speight M.R. Õunap E, Truuverk A, Staude H, Friedrich (1997) The Effects of Different Forest E, Tammaru T, Wahlberg N. (2019) A Management Practices on Geometrid Moth comprehensive molecular phylogeny of Populations and their Diversity In Geometridae (Lepidoptera) with a focus on Peninsular Malaysia. J. Tro. For.Sc.9, pp enigmatic small subfamilies. PeerJ 411-430. 7:e7386. Intachat J., Holloway J.D., Speight M.R., Van Nieukerken, E. J., Kaila, L., Kitching, (1999) The Impact of Logging on I. J., Kristensen, N. P., Lees, D. C., Minet, Geometroid Moth Populations and their J., ... & Wahlberg, N. (2011). Animal Diversity in Lowland Forest of Peninsular biodiversity: An outline of higher-level Malaysia. J. Tro. For.Sc.11, pp 61-78. classification and survey of taxonomic Kitching R.L., Orr A.G., Thalib L., richness. Zootaxa, 3148(1), 212-221. Mitchell H., Hopkins, M.S. & Graham, Kirti J.S., Chandra,K. Saxena, A. and A.W. (2000). Moth assemblages as Singh N. (2019) Geometrid Moths of indicators of environmental quality in India. Nature Books India Pub., pg. 01- remnants of upland Australian rain forest. 296. J. App. Eco., 37, 284-297. Scoble M.J. (1999) Geometrid Moths of Schulze C.H. (2000) Auswirkungen the World: A catalogue (Lepidoptera, anthropogener Störungen auf die Geometridae). Vols. 1 & 2. Collingwood, Diversitätvon Herbivoren – Analysen von CSIRO, 1016 + 129 p. Nachtfalterzönosen entlang von Holloway J. D. (1997) The Moths of Habitatgradienten in Ost-Malaysia. Ph.D. Borneo: Family Geometridae, Subfamilies thesis, University of Bayreuth.

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