Abstract
In the present paper, we report the presence of 503 species of moths (343 identified to species, 160 identified to genus) that belong to 371 genera under 42 families. The study was conducted at Kavvai River basin, northern Kerala, India for three years from 2015 to 2017. Traditional light trapping method was employed to collect the moths during the night. Among the families reported, Erebidae was the most dominant family followed by Crambidae, Geometridae, Noctuidae, and Pyraliade. The study highlights the significance of the riverbasin in conserving rich diversity of invertebrates.
Highlights
Kavvai river is one among the 15 rivers which originates from the midlands of Kerala, India
In the present paper, we report the presence of 503 species of moths (343 identified to species, 160 identified to genus) that belong to 371 genera under 42 families
Even though the Kavvai River is prominent among the 15 rivers originating from the midlands of Kerala, there is no reserved or protected forest in the river basin which is composed of semi-natural landscapes such as lateritic hillocks, sacred groves, eco-groves (Kaanams), riverine vegetation and mangroves, cultural landscape such as wetland cultivation, plantations, homesteads with mixed cultivation and other agro-eco systems and a small proportion of artificial landscapes (Figure 1)
Summary
Kavvai (or Kavvayi) river is one among the 15 rivers which originates from the midlands of Kerala, India. It is located between 12.0840–12.2450N & 75.0820–75.3330E. Even though the Kavvai River is prominent among the 15 rivers originating from the midlands of Kerala, there is no reserved or protected forest in the river basin which is composed of semi-natural landscapes such as lateritic hillocks, sacred groves, eco-groves (Kaanams), riverine vegetation and mangroves, cultural landscape such as wetland cultivation, plantations, homesteads with mixed cultivation and other agro-eco systems and a small proportion of artificial landscapes (Figure 1). Attempts have been made to document the moth diversity of different habitats in the Kavvai River basin
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