SPECIAL ISSUE : A MONOGRAPH ON "BUTTERFLIES (FAMILY:NYMPHALIDAE) OF ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS"

Abstract :

In this monograph, we describe the distribution pattern of Nymphalidae butterflies along different habitats and seasonal gradients, their richness and species assemblages in the Andaman or Nicobar group of islands. A total of 11218 individuals of Nymphalidae belonging to 72 species/subspecies under 11 subfamilies were recorded from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Among these subfamilies, Danainae (15 species; 20.83 %) recorded the highest number, followed by Satyrinae (14species;19.44%), Limenitidiiinae (13species;18.06%), Nymphalinae   (11species; 15.28%), Heliconiiinae (7species;9.72%),  Cyrestinae(3 species; 4.17 %), Acraeinae (3 species; 4.17 %), Morphinae (2 species: 2.78 %), Apaturinae (2 species; 2.78%), whereas Biblidiiinae and Chraxinae represented with only one species. The highest distribution of Nymphalidae species was recorded from South Andaman (48 Species) and Middle Andaman (48 Species) followed by North Andaman (44 Species), Great Nicobar (24 species), Central Nicobar (22), Little Andaman (15)and Little Nicobar recorded the least number of species (14), whereas the abundance of each region showed a high number of individuals from the Middle Andaman (4209) followed by South Andaman (3637), North Andaman, Great Nicobar (1295), North Andaman(1277),Central Nicobar(389), Little Nicobar(236) and Little Andaman(175) recorded least abundance of Nymphalidae. Differences in butterfly species composition were found among the Agriculture, Deciduous, Plantation and Evergreen habitats. Out of 72 species, Junonia almana and Junonia atlites were recorded in all the regions, while Hypolimnus bolina jacintha was recorded in five regions except Central and Little Nicobar. Thirty-three species were recorded from three regions and fourteen species were recorded from four regions. Eleven species were recorded in two regions, and 11 species were recorded with only one species in different geographical isolated of these islands, which includes Euploea andamanensis bumila, Tirumala septentrionis septentrionis, Euploea scherzeri simulatrix, Mycalesis manii, Lethe europa tamuna, Parthenos sylvia nila, Hypolimnas anomala, Phalanta alcippe fraternal, Cyrestis tabula, Cethosia biblis nicobarica, Euripus consimilis consimilis. 38 species recorded as rare constituting 53%, followed by very common 18 species (25%), eight (11 %) species were reported as common and remaining 8 (11%) species were uncommon groups of Nymphalidae butterflies. There are 49 subspecies level endemic taxa to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in this family. Moreover, nine species level endemicity are shown in this group,viz Euploea andamanensis, Mycalesis manii, Mycalesis radza, Athyma rufula, Kallima albofasciata, Cirrochroa nicobarica, Cyrestis tabula, Charaxes andamanicus and Amathusia andamanensis. The deciduous forest of South Andaman and agricultural lands of Middle Andaman have significant variations in their vegetation stratification, thus nurturing a maximum number of species. A total of four species, or singletons, were caught, along with Orsotriaena medus nicobarica, Hypolimnas anomala, Cethosia biblis nicobarica and Euploea crameri biseriata species with just two individuals (i.e., doubleton). It is possible that there are not many of those species, or that collectors have ignored them. The results given here support the idea that habitat heterogeneity plays a crucial role in defining the species richness and composition of the Nymphalidae family of butterflies.