Abstract
A study on butterfly diversity of lateritic biotopes of Kavvayi River Basin was conducted during February 2013 to January 2015. The study area represents diverse habitats that include sacred groves, laterite hills, riparian ecosystem, and kanams. A total of 140 species butterflies were recorded from the study area, among which the highest number of butterfly species were from the family Nymphalidae (48 species), followed by Hesperiidae (32 species), Lycaenidae (27 species), Papilionidae and Pieridae with 16 species each and 1 from the family Riodinidae. The present study revealed the faunal richness of the unique ecosystems and microhabitats in lateritic biotopes in terms of butterfly diversity. The study also highlights conservation significance of the area which is under severe human pressure including mining, habitat fragmentation and change in the land-use system.
Highlights
The midland exposed laterite biotope associated with diverse ecosystems and microhabitats represents the most imposing and extremely threatened topographical floristic and faunistic features in the northern part of Kerala
The current study focused on butterfly diversity of Midland laterite biotope of Kavvayi river basin, North Kerala
Those observed in 7-9 locations were listed as very common (VC), 4-6 as common (C), Fig. 2: Family wise distribution of butterfly species in lateritic biotope of Kavvai River basin
Summary
The current study focused on butterfly diversity of Midland laterite biotope of Kavvayi river basin, North Kerala This landscape includes lateritic hills, sacred groves, mangroves, riparian vegetation and locally conserved vegetations such as kaanam. Study Area The mid land laterite hills of Kavvayi river basin is located between 120 05’ to 120 15’ North latitude and 750 05’ to 750 20’ East longitude (Fig 1) It spread over an area of 164.76 km[2] covering 14 villages and spreads over nine local bodies in the districts of Kannur and Kasargod. The selected ecosystems include Lateritic hills (IT Park, Ariyittapara and Madayippara); Sacred Groves (Edayilakkadu Kavu, Mappittassery Kavu and Chamakkavu) and ‘Kaanam’ (Vattapoyil Kaanam and Vannathikaanam) which are distributed in Lateritic biotopes of Kannur and Kasargod Districts (Fig 1)
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