Research Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Management. Vol. 3(2), pp. 074-075, February, 2014 Available online at http://www.apexjournal.org ISSN 2315 - 8719© 2014 Apex Journal International Report A first report of southern birdwing Troides minos (Cramer) in Alagar Hills, Tamil Nadu India E. Joy Sharmila* and A. Joesph Thatheyus Department of Zoology, The American College, Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India. Accepted 2 January, 2014 Troides minos is reported for the first time from Alagar hills in the Eastern Ghats. Our observation confirms that this species is not strictly endemic to Western Ghats as previously reported. Key words: Birdwing, Troides minos, Alagar hills, Eastern Ghats. INTRODUCTION Troides minos (Cramer) commonly known as the “Southern Birdwing”, a commonly distributed butterfly in the Western Ghats. The reserve forest of Alagar hills is located 20km North East of Madurai city. The forest is situated at an altitude of 830mts above sea level. According to Krishnakutty et al. (2000) there are areas with different altitudes 275m (Foothills-Silambar valley ), 350m (Midhill-Palamuthir solai ), 550m (Tophill above Nupuragangai towards bison valley). Beyond Nupuragangai there is a horse track leading to a flat plateau Thalaianaiparai . There are two springs Garudatheertham a seasonal one and the perennial Nupuragangai, a pilgrim spot. Plate 1. Birdwing of Alagar hills. REPORTS In a two year survey carried out in Alagar hills to study high among tree-tops in the forest. Earlier Kunte (2000) the diversity of butterflies from October 2009 to October. had reported that this species is a common inhabitant of 2011. The survey was carried out following line transect Southern and Central Western Ghats. It was also method. During the survey, the southern birdwing, which reported by Kehimkar (2008) as an endemic species of is the largest of south Indian butterflies (Plate 1) was Western Ghats. Our studies confirm that it is found in observed at the foothill in November 2010, some parts of Eastern Ghats including the Alagar hills. Thalaianaiparai in February 2011 and Garudatheertham in July 2011. This is the first time that the southern birdwing is observed in Alagar hills. It is a solitary ACKNOWLEDGEMENT occasional visitor to the hills and was observed to fly very The author is grateful for the financial assistance given by University Grants Commission and Prof. Selvaraj Pandian former Head of the Department of Zoology for *Corresponding author. Email:[email protected] his encouragement. Sharmila and Thatheyus 075 REFERENCES Kunte, K. (2000). Butterflies of peninsular India. University press. Hyderabad.254pp. Kehimkar, I. (2008). Book of Indian butterflies. Bombay Natural History Society. 497pp. Krishnakutty, N., Jeyachandran, A., Nagendran, N. (2000). Effect of seasonal and altitudinal variations on growth performance of Acalypha indica in Alagar hill South India. Tropical Ecol. 41: 41-45. .