An insight into the butterfly (Lepidoptera) diversity of an urban landscape: Guwahati, Assam, India

摘要

The paper deals with the butterfly diversity of Guwahati, Assam, India which was the result of a survey conducted from April 2016 to July 2020. During the study period we recorded 249 species of butterflies belonging to six families namely Papilionidae (24 species), Pieridae (23 species), Lycaenidae (57 species), Riodinidae (two species), Nymphalidae (97 species), and Hesperiidae (46 species). Twenty-eight species were recorded from commercial areas, 74 species from residential areas, and 248 species from forested areas. Nineteen species were found to be very common, 39 species common, 50 species fairly common, 53 species uncommon, 57 species rare, and 31 species very rare. Twenty-four species and nine subspecies including Discophora sondiaca , Athyma selenophora , and Athyma kanwa phorkys are legally protected under different schedules as per the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972).