Rec. zool. Surv. India: Vol. 118(1)/ 75-90, 2018 ISSN (Online) : (Applied for) DOI: 10.26515/rzsi/v118/i1/2018/121626 ISSN (Print) : 0375-1511 Studies on butterfly diversity (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) from Punjab Agricultural University Campus, Ludhiana, Punjab, India P. C. Pathania1*, H. K. Mangat2 and A. K. Sidhu3 1Zoological Survey of India, M-Block, New Alipore, Kolkata - 700053, West Bengal, India; [email protected] 2Department of Entomology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana – 141004, Punjab, India 3High Altitude Regional Station, Zoological Survey of India, Saproon, Solan - 173 211, Himachal Pradesh, India Abstract Thirty-three species referable to twenty-four genera belonging to five families, namely, Hesperiidae (1), Lycaenidae (6), Nymphalidae (14), Papilionidae (3) and Pieridae (9) from different localities of University campus were collected and identified. The details on their synonymy, material examined, and host distribution along with plants are provided. The photographsKeywords: of the adults are also given. Butterfly, Diversity, Lepidoptera, Papilionoidea Introduction shape and stylish flight that give pleasure to everyone (Javed, 1978). Butterflies have always attracted the Biological diversity is the base for upholding the attention of naturalists, amateurs, environmentalists, ecosystems and the functional aspects of the species biodiversity discoverers and conservationists (Rose that provide goods and services for human well-being and Walia, 2003). Butterflies are important pollinators (Wilson, 1997). Insects are the most dominate group of for many varieties of plant because they fly over long invertebrates with distinct three body parts (head, thorax distance, but at the same time, some of them are very and abdomen), three pairs of legs, compound eyes and serious pest of many crops and fruits. Caterpillars of most body covered with chitinous exoskeleton. Butterflies Pierid butterflies feed on various varieties of mustards belong to order Lepidoptera and distributed globally (family Brassicaceae), legume and cabbage (Mal et al., wherever the flowering plants are found (Khanet al., 2013). The study of biological diversity encompasses both 2004). Butterflies are taxonomically well studied group, the intrinsic and anthropocentric values associated with which have received reasonable amount of attention it. The values of the biological elements are recognized through the world (Ghazoul, 2002). The total number in correspondence to the perceived importance by the of butterfly species in the world range from 7700 human being, which is realized in terms of the ecosystem (Kirby, 1872) to 20,000 (Landing, 1984). India hosts services (Daily, 1997). Biological diversity is the base for 1501 species of butterfly (Gaonker, 1996) out of 19,238 upholding the ecosystems and the functional aspects of species described globally (Heppner, 1998). They are very the species that provide goods and services for human delicate, beautiful and attractive due to their colorful well-being. Monitoring of species diversity of a region scaly wings, considered as the symbol of beauty and grace enables estimation of the prospective functional roles of (Rafi et al., 2000). They are diurnal (active at daytime) in the species. Therefore, monitoring species diversity acts habitats and easily recognized by their beautiful colour, as an enormous source of information of Super families * Author for correspondence Article Received on: 20.02.2018 Accepted on: 23.05.2018 Studies on butterfly diversity (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) from Punjab Agricultural University Campus, Ludhiana, Punjab, India Papilionoidea from Punjab Agricultural University, Methodology Used Ludhiana. Furthermore, this checklist will be helpful for researchers to identify the species of butterfly. The adults of the butterflies were collected with the help of insect collection net (circumference 93 cm, handle length Material and Methods 87cm and bag depth 77cm) sweeping method while exploring different localities of the campus. The collected Study area: The present study was undertaken at Punjab adult specimens were killed with the killing agent like Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, established ethyl acetate, charged in the killing bottle. After killing, the in 1962 and is the nation’s third-oldest agricultural dead specimens were kept in the relaxing jar for making university. Itlies at 30.90˚N and 75.85˚E of Punjab in the specimens soft. They were pinned using different north-west India with an average elevation of 244mASL. size entomological pins (38mm×40mm; 38mm×55mm), 2 The university covers an area of 1,510 acres (6.1 km ) on and then stretching of dead specimens were done in its main campus. The temperature ranges from 1˚C (in the spreading board boxes (40cm×30cm×10cm).The December/ January) to 45-46˚C (in June) with the average stretched specimens were tagged with the labels carrying annual precipitation of 730mm. information such as name of collector, locality, alititude, Localities: For study purpose, campus was divided into date of collection, and then placed in the well fumigated seven localities according to general landscape attributes (with naphthalene balls) air tight wooden showcases (Figure 1). These were placed in the movable racks for storage. For wings slide preparation, the method proposed by Common (1970) 1. Open fields and advocated by Zimmerman (1978) has been followed. 2. Orchards The taxonomic procedures involves an examination of 3. Herbal and botanical gardens various morphological characters such as head, labial 4. Plant nursery palpus, legs, wing shape, wing maculation and wing 5. CIPHET, The Central Institute of Post-Harvest venation. Except wing venation, the rest of the characters Engineering and Technology have been directly examined from the dried specimens. 6. Residential area The photographs of the adults belonging to different 7. GADVASU complex species were taken with the help of digital camera. Figure 1. Study area. 76 Vol 118(1) | 2018 | www.recordsofzsi.com Zoological Survey of India P. C. Pathania, H. K. Mangat and A. K. Sidhu Observations 2.xi.2013, Kumar and Pathania (4♂ 3♀), PAU, 14.viii.2015, Sachin and Pathania (5♂ 3♀), GADVASU, 17.viii.2015, During different survery-cum-collection tours from Sachin and Pathania (6♂ 1♀). the above said areas, the entire collection is sorted and Distribution: India (Chandrasekharan, 2017) identified. 33 species belonging to 24 genera of 10 Hostplant: Arecaceae and Poaceae (Kunte, 2000) subfamilies under 05 families of butterflies have been collected and identified. Genera such as genusPelopidas Family LYCAENIDAE Walker (Hesperiinae), Euchrysops Fabricius, Chilades Subfamily POLYOMMATINAE Moore, Tarucus Moore, Catochrysops Boisduval, Talicada II. Genus Tarucus Moore Moore (Polyommatinae), Rapala Moore (Lycaeninae), 2. Tarucus callinara Butler (Photo 2a, b) Phalanta Doubleday (Heliconiinae), Vanessa Fabricius, Hypolimnas Hübner, Junonia Hübner (Nymphalinae), Tarucus callinara Butler, 1886, Ann.N.H. (5) 18: 185 Danaus Linnaeus, Euploea Fabricius, Tirumala Moore Material examined: (7♂♂ 3♀♀). India: Punjab: PAU, (Danainae), Melanitis Fabricius (Satyrinae), Papilio 04.v.2009, Katewa, A. Seni and P.C. Pathania (4♂ 2♀), Linnae, Graphium Scopoli, (Papilioninae), Belonois PAU 18.viii.2012, Sunita, Kritika and Pathania (3♂ 1♀). Hubner, Cepora Billberg, Ixias Hübner, Pieris Schrank Distribution: It ranges from North West Himalayas to (Pierinae), Catopsilia Hübner, Colias Fabricius, Eurema Kumaun, the plains of northern India, central and Western Hübner (Coliadinae) are represented in the respective India, Ceylon, Assam, Burma, Tenasserim (Bingham, 1907). subfamilies. Status of abundance is shown as- VC: Very Host plant: Plants of the legume family, Plumbaginaceae common, C: Common, LC: Less Common, R: Rare, and some of the citrus family Rutaceae (Kunte, 2006). VR: Very Rare (Table1 2, Photos 1-34, a-upperside, b- lowerside). III. Genus: Euchrysops Butler Order LEPIDOPTERA 3. Euchrysops cnejus Fabricius (Photo 3a, b) Superfamily PAPILIONOIDEA Hesperia cnejus Fabricius, (1798), Ent. Syst. Suppl. 430. Family HESPERIIDAE Subfamily HESPERIINAE Material examined: (24♂♂ 19♀♀). India: Punjab: PAU, I. Genus Pelopidas Walker, 1870 6.v.2009, Amit Katewa and P.C. Pathania (8♂ 4♀), 1. Pelopidas mathias Fabricius (Photo 1a, b) PAU, 1.ix.2010, Vijay and P.C. Pathania (5♂ 3♀), PAU, Hesperia mathias Fabricius, 1798; Ent. Syst. (Suppl.): 433, 20.xi,2012, Sunita, Kritika and P.C. Pathania (6♂ 1♀), no. 289-90; TL: Tranquebar, S.India popen fields 30.xi,2012, Sunita, Kritika and P.C. Pathania (1♂ 4♀), PAU, 13.viii.2013, Avi Kumar and P.C. Pathania Material examined: (17♂♂ 9♀♀). India: Punjab: PAU (1♂ 2♀), PAU, 11.viii.2015, Sachin and P.C. Pathania 5.xii.2012, Sunita, Kritika and Pathania (2♂ 2♀), PAU, (1♂), GADVASU, 17.viii.2015, Sachin and P.C. Pathania Table 1. Superfamilies, families, number of subfamilies, genera and species of butterflies recorded in PAU campus, Ludhiana (as per Van Nieukerken et al., 2011) SSr. No. Superfamily Families No. of sub-families No. of genera No. of species 1 Papilionoidea Pieridae 2 7 9 Papilionidae 1 2 3 Nymphalidae 4 8 14 Lycaenidae 2 6 6 Hesperiidae 1 1 1 Total 01 05 10 24 33 Vol 118(1) | 2018 | www.recordsofzsi.com Zoological Survey of India 77 Studies on butterfly diversity (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) from Punjab Agricultural University Campus, Ludhiana, Punjab, India Table 2. List of species with common names and along with their distribution Sr. no. Family/