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Thapa M K, Dutta S, Das H J, Pradhan T K, Mahanta D, Tossa S, et al . Studies on the diversity of butterflies in Ranga Reserve Forest, Lakhimpur, Assam, India. JAD 2024; 6 (1)
URL: http://jad.lu.ac.ir/article-1-442-en.html

The study of diversity of butterflies has been carried out in the Ranga Reserve Forest of Assam from March 2021 to June 2022. The study revealed 225 species of butterflies belonging to 131 genera under six families in the study areaduring study period. The study also observed that the family Nymphalidae represented as the dominant family with 92 species under 46 genera followed by the family Lycaenidae 47 species and 32 genera, Hesperiidae 43 species and 34 genera, Papilionidae 22 species and 7 genera, Pieridae 19 species and 10 genera, Riodinidae  only two species under two genera. The year classified into four seasons: summer, monsoon, post-monsoon, and winter. Significant variations in butterfly species distribution were observed through seasonal data analysis. The highest numbers of species of butterflies were recorded during the monsoon season, totaling 194, while the winter season displayed the lowest diversity, with only 95 species. Interestingly, butterflies of both Nymphalidae and Riodinidae families were in abundance during the monsoon season with 88 and two species respectively. Among the recorded butterflies, there were two species categorized as Critically Endangered (CR) and two as Endangered (EN), alongside one classified as Vulnerable (VU), with six categorized as Least Concern under the IUCN red list. The remaining 200 species are Not Assessed. We recorded 42 butterfly species that were protected under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022, with the majority falling under Schedule II (39 species). Very rare and exclusive species like Hidari bhawani (de Niceville, 1889), Burara harisa (Moore, 1866), Arhopala perimuta (Moore, 1858), Telinga malsarida (Butler, 1868) and Mycalesis anaxias (Hewitson, 1862) were also encountered during the study. As the area houses 225 species of butterflies distributed throughout the Ranga Reserve Forest, it can be presumed to have a good diversity of butterflies, which may be attributed to the diverse host and nectar plants that provide a suitable nectar source throughout the varying seasons, and specially serves a breeding habitat to the butterflies.