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A report on diversity and abundance of butterfly (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) fauna at the surrounding vegetation of Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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Research Paper 08/06/2024
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A report on diversity and abundance of butterfly (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) fauna at the surrounding vegetation of Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata, West Bengal, India

Mousumi Das, Srija Gan, Bibarta Jha, Madhurima Sen, Sneha Jha
J. Bio. Env. Sci.24( 6), 30-45, June 2024.
Certificate: JBES 2024 [Generate Certificate]
Key: Anthropogenic activitiesDiversity indicesNymphalidaeRabindra sarobarSpecies richness

Abstract

Butterflies are considered indicator species for conservation planning and environmental monitoring as their diversity and abundance are visibly affected by anthropogenic activities. In this study, the diversity and abundance of butterfly fauna in the surrounding vegetation of Rabindra Sarobar, Kolkata, India was assessed to provide baseline information on the size of species richness and prospective utilization in urban planning and conservation. A total of 64 butterfly species under 5 families and 44 genera were recorded over a period of ten months from June 2023 to March 2024. Family Nymphalidae (36.85% of population) was found dominant with 17 genera and 26 species, followed by Lycaenidae (30.72%, 11genera, 12 species), Pieridae (22.77%, 9 genera, 12 species), Papilionidae (7.01%, 3 genera, 9 species) and Hesperiidae (2.65%, 4 genera, 5 species). Eleven species were found legally protected under different Schedules of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Values of different diversity indices such as Shannon’s index (H’=3.69), Pielou’s evenness index (J’=0.89) and Simpson’s index (Ds=0.03) showed a high diversity, evenly distribution and high abundance persisted in the butterfly community. Information from this preliminary study is expected to be useful toward the conservation of the habitat as well as the butterfly fauna in the study area and similar geographic areas.

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