Butterfly Species Diversity of Bir-Billing Area of Dhauladhar Range
Transcription
Butterfly Species Diversity of Bir-Billing Area of Dhauladhar Range
Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2013; 1 (5): 53-57 ISSN 2320-7078 JEZS 2013; 1 (5): 53-57 © 2013 AkiNik Publications Received 8-09-2013 Accepted: 18-09-2013 Sangeeta Chandel Divisional Forest Officer (HQ) M&E, Hamirpur Circle, Himachal Pradesh, 177001. Email: [email protected] Tel: +91-94182-11476 Vijay Kumar Veterinary Officer-Wild Life, Monkey Sterilization Centre, Gopalpur, Kangra,H.P, India.176059. Email: [email protected] Tel: +91-94591-33330. Bhagwati Prashad Sharma Assistant Professor – Department of Botany, Post graduate Degree College, Hamirpur Himachal Pradesh, 177001. Email: [email protected] Tel: +91-9418032505. Reetu Patiyal F.G – Wild Life, Wildlife Division, Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, 177001. Email: [email protected] Tel: +91- 9459075449. Correspondence: Sangeeta Chandel Divisional Forest Officer (HQ) M&E, Hamirpur Circle, Himachal Pradesh, 177001. Butterfly Species Diversity of Bir-Billing Area of Dhauladhar Range of Western Himalayas in Northern India Sangeeta Chandel, Vijay Kumar, Bhagwati Prashad Sharma, Reetu Patiyal ABSTRACT The present study of butterfly species diversity was carried out in the Bir-Biling area of Dhauladhar Range of the Western Himalayas in Northern India. The study was done since April 2012 to March 2013, throughout the year during the routine field visits to Bir-Billing. A total of 50 butterfly species were recorded from the study areas which belonge to five families i.e. Nymphalidae, Pieridae, Papilionidae, Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae and 39 genera. The Nymphalidae family was the most dominant family in the study area having 32 species and followed by Lycaenidae family with 7 species. Keywords: Butterfly Diversity, Dhauladhar Range, Bir-Billing, Western Himalayas. 1. Introduction Butterflies plays important roles in ecosystem, including pollination and also plays an important role in food chain component of the spiders, birds, reptiles and other predatory insects. The butterflies are good indicators of environmental changes as they are sensitive and are directly affected by changes in their habitats, atmosphere, temperature and weather conditions [1, 2, 3]. As many butterflies are food bio-indicators of the environment, they can be used to identify ecologically important landscapes for conservation purposes, and help to plan the appropriate management strategies to protect the degrading habitats [4]. Diversity of butterflies in an area depends primarily on the availability of mixed plant species, which constitute their major food resources [5]. Many species are strictly seasonal [6]. In India, butterflies have been documented since the turn of 19th century [7]. Increased human activities such as deforestation, construction, pollution, grazing, agricultural practices, and urbanization threaten the habitat of the butterflies. Thus, monitoring the butterfly populations in a given area provides support for the conservation of the endangered species and also provides an opportunity to find out the impact on the ecosystem. 2. Materials and Methods 2.1 Study Area Bir- Billing area is located at 32.05°N 76.70°E at Baijnath, in District Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, and Indian. It is situated approximately 50 km southeast of Dharamshala at a distance of two to three hours by road. Bir is situated in the Joginder Nagar Valley of Dhauladhar Range in the foothills of the Indian Himalayas. This place however becomes the boot camp for paragliders during the flying season from September to November who seek out for an adventurous vacation. Some 14 kms from Bir is a little meadow called Billing, at 8500 feet on the Dhauladhar ranges which is famous take- off destination for the paragliding activities. Bir-Billing area was under the jurisdiction of Dhauladhar Wildlife Sanctuary at the time of present study. The Bir-Billing area has become a favourite eco-tourism and adventure travel destination which is now hosting many international paragliding and mountain sport events. Email: [email protected] Tel: +91-94182-11476 ~ 53 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2.2 Flora The dominant floral species are chiefly include Kail, Deodar, Fir, Spruce, Ban Oak, Mohru oak, Kharsu oak, Alders, Rhododendrons, Khnaor, Bird Cherry, Maple, Akhrot, Betula, Pyrus spp., Wild Poplar, Salix, etc. The under growth is Indigofera, Desmodium, Rubus, Sarcococca, Viburnum, Berberis, Prinsepia, Prunus, and medicinal herbs like Banfsha, Dhoop, Karu, Patish, Bankakri, Hathpanja, and Mushaqbala etc. are also found here. Fig 1: Red areas in map showing Bir –Billing areas of Dhauladhar Range 2.3 Fauna Due to wide variation in altitudinal zonation a variety of animals viz Himalayan Black bear, pheasant’s viz. Monal, Koklass, Kalij, Western Tragopan, Cheer, are found. More than 250 species of birds are also found in the Sanctuary. In addition this area is also rich in Butterflies and present study is focused on butterflies only. To assess the butterfly diversity of the sanctuary area between Bir and Billing was surveyed during field visit to Billing. The studies, related to the butterflies were taken up between April 2012 to March 2013, throughout the year during the routine field visits to Bir-Billing. Butterflies were documented by direct observations, random visits and opportunistic observations. The survey was carried out in the morning and evening hours when the butterflies show the maximum activity. Pollard walk method (Pollard and Yates 1993) [8] was followed for observing butterflies, i.e., walking along the fixed paths while recording and counting the species. The observation width was limited to about 5 m. 3. Results and Discussions: The adult butterflies were carefully photographed in the field on natural plant species and identified with the help of relevant literature and references [18].Based on the number the recorded butterflies were classified into three broad categories Very Common(> 10), Common(=6-10) and Not common( <5) in a transect. A total of 50 butterfly species belonging to 39 genera and spread over five families viz. Papilionidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae, Lycaenidae and Hesperiidae, were recorded during the preaent study. Out of these, Nymphalidae were the most dominant 64% with 32 species, followed by Lycaenidae (7 species) Pieridae (5 species), Papilionidae (5 species) and Hesperiidae (only 1 species). Predominance of Nymphalidae has been reported by earlier workers alsofrom Western Ghats [9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15], Ninad B R and Pendharkar Anand, 2010 from Maharastra and Murugesan et al. 2013 from Puducherry. The representation from the family Hesperiidae was very low as compared to other families.the same Kind of low species richness was also recorded by Ramesh et al. 2010 and Rajagopal et al. 2011 in the Eastern plains of Sothern India and in Western Ghats by Eswaran and Pramod, 2005. It may be partially attributed to the sampling/observer bias, since Herperids are generally crespuscular in nature and are small and cryptically coloured. Thus, the present investigation of the butterflies records in the birbilling areas of the dhauladhar range might be helpful in knowing the abudance of the various butterflies in this range and also may be helpful in the future studies. It will also be helpful in the conservation of the endangered species and also provides an opportunity to know the impact of environmental changes on the ecosystem of a particular area. Fig 2: Family wise percentage of species found in Bir-Billing area. ~ 54 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies Table 1: The butterfly species which were encountered during the study period SN Name of Species Scientific Name Family Status 1 2 3 4 Glassy Bluebottle Common Mormon Common Peacock Common Windmill Common Yellow Swallowtail Indian Cabbage White Pioneer Pale Clouded Yellow Common Grass Yellow Common Emigrant Club Beak Common Beak Striped Tiger Chestnut Tiger Common Leopard Common Sailer Indian Tortoiseshell Blue Admiral Striped Blue Tiger Spangle Orange Oak leaf Indian Fritilary Indian Red Admiral Common Tree brown Painted Lady Common Map Grey Pansy Blue Pansy Lemon Pansy Peacock Pansy Common Crow Common Castor Common Bush brown Common Baron Queen of Spain Fritilary Common Sergeant Large Three Ring Chocolate Pansy Great Satyr Pallid Argus Common Wall Dark Blue Tiger Dark Grass Yellow Common Copper Guava Blue Green Sapphire Large Hedge Blue Purple Sapphire Pea Blue Fulvous Pied Flat Graphium cloanthus Papilio polytes Papilio polyctor Atrophaneura polyeuctes Papilionidae Papilionidae Papilionidae Papilionidae Common Very Common Common Not common Papilio machaon Papilionidae Common Pieris canidia Belenois aurota Colias erate Eurema hecabe Catopsilia pomona Libythea myrrha Libythea lepita Danaus genutia Parantica sita Phalanta phalantha Neptis hylas Aglais kaschmirensis Kaniska canace Euploea mulciber Papilio protenor Kallima inachus Argynnis hyperbius Vanessa indica Lethe rohria Vanessa cardui Cyrestis thyodamas Junonia atlites Junonia orithiya Junonia lemonias Junonia almana Euploea core Ariadne merione Mycalesis perseus Euthalia aconthea Issoria lathonia Athyma perius Ypthima nareda Junonia iphita Aulocera padma Callerebia scanda Lasiommata schakra Tirumala septentrionis Zizeeria karsandra Lycaena phlaeas Deudurix isocrates Heliophorus androcles Celastrina huegeli Heliophorus epicles Lampides boeticus Pseudocoladenia dan Pieridae Pieridae Pieridae Pieridae Pieridae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Lycaenidae Lycaenidae Lycaenidae Lycaenidae Lycaenidae Lycaenidae Hesperiidae Very Common Common Common Very Common Very Common Common Common Not Common Very Common Common Very Common Very Common Common Very Common Very Common Very Common Common Very Common Very Common Very Common Not Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Very Common Common Common Common Very Common Very Common Very Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Common Common 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 ~ 55 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies Fig 3: Images of the butterflies found in Bir – Billing areas of Dhauladhar Range shown in figures below. ~ 56 ~ Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 4. 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