Abstract
The Garo Hills of Meghalaya, northeastern India, form the westernmost boundary of the globally recognized Indo-Myanmar Biodiversity Hotspot. The butterfly fauna of the Garo Hills is expected to be diverse, but it has not been properly sampled before. We surveyed butterflies in Balpakram National Park, Baghmara Reserve Forest and Siju Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Garo Hills, and Nokrek National Park in Western Garo Hills during four visits amounting to 49 days spread over two seasons, pre-monsoon (April-May) and post-monsoon (November-December), between 2008 and 2010. Here we report 298 butterfly species for the Garo Hills, eight of which are legally protected under Schedule I and 33 under Schedule II of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Our species accumulation curve suggests that many species remain to be discovered in the Garo Hills, and we expect the total species richness to be closer to 600-650 species. Little quantitative information exists on populations and seasonal occurrence of butterflies in India. Therefore, we recorded the number of individuals of each species in one or three hour counts during our surveys, and here we report season-wise relative abundances of 298 species from 3,736 individuals. We also report significant range extensions of two Schedule I species: Elymnias peali and Prothoe franck regalis, from the Garo Hills. These findings underscore the significance of the Garo Hills for butterfly conservation in India, and our work forms a baseline for future quantitative work on the diversity and conservation of butterflies in this biodiversity hotspot.
Highlights
Abstract in Garo language: Garo Hills ian Northeastern India-ni salirambatsranggipa bako ga.aka, jekon a.gilsak gimiko Indo-Myanmar Biodiversity hotspot ba a.gilsak gimikchin rokomari jo.ong guk, do.omat aro sambolrangni gnanganina mingsinga
We surveyed butterflies in Balpakram National Park, Baghmara Reserve Forest and Siju Wildlife Sanctuary in southern Garo Hills, and Nokrek National Park in Western Garo Hills during four visits amounting to 49 days spread over two seasons, pre-monsoon (April–May) and post-monsoon (November–December), between 2008 and 2010
Our species accumulation curve suggests that many species remain to be discovered in the Garo Hills, and we expect the total species richness to be closer to 600–650 species
Summary
The northeastern region of India, south of the Brahmaputra River, is part of the globally recognized Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspot and is host to a remarkable biodiversity that includes a high proportion of endemic, rare and endangered species (http://www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/hotspots/ indo_burma/Pages/default.aspx). We have surveyed butterflies only in the West and South Garo Hills Districts, where several important protected forest areas are situated. The South Garo Hills District covers an area of 1,849km, of which 1,689km, or approximately 91%, is forested (Forest Survey of India 2009). Neighborhoods of Gongrot and Halwa Atong included cashew and other orchards, abandoned jhums (areas of shifting cultivation) and extremely disturbed secondary forest, through which we had to walk for 1–2 km to reach excellent patches of evergreen forest on hill slopes and along streams. We have included them to illustrate those species for anyone interested in butterflies These should prove to be a valuable reference for people conducting field work in the Garo Hills or elsewhere in northeastern India in the future. C - A mixed congregation of pierids (Eurema and Appias), nymphalids (Cyrestis), lycaenids (Acytolepis) and hesperiids (Odontoptilum) at Taidang stream near Gongrot in April 2008
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
