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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies 2014; 2 (5): 218-224

ISSN 2320-7078 JEZS 2014; 2 (5): 218-224 © 2014 JEZS Received: 19-08-2014 Accepted: 09-09-2014

Tahsinur Rahman Shihan

Junior Wildlife Researcher,

Monitoring and Conservation of

Wildlife in Kaptai National Park

of Bangladesh Project. Belgachi

Eidgahpara, Chuadanga,

Bangladesh. Department of

zoology, Savar, Dhaka,

Bangladesh.

Correspondence:

Tahsinur Rahman Shihan

Junior Wildlife Researcher,

Monitoring and Conservation of

Wildlife in Kaptai National Park

of Bangladesh Project. Belgachi

Eidgahpara, Chuadanga,

Bangladesh. Department of

zoology, Jahangirnagar

University, Savar, Dhaka,

Bangladesh.

Checklist of butterflies of Chuadanga District,

Bangladesh

Tahsinur Rahman Shihan Abstract A study was conducted in Chuadanga district during November 2011 to April 2014 to investigate the

butterfly diversity. A total of 49 species of butterflies belonging to six families were recorded for the first

time. The family Nymphalidae was found to be dominant with 17 species followed by Lycaenidae (10

species), Hesperiidae (10 species), Pieridae (06 species), Papilionidae (05 species) and Riodinidae (01

species).

Keywords: Butterfly, Chuadanga, Nymphalidae, Lycaenidae, Riodinidae, Hesperiidae

1. Introduction Chuadanga district is an important habitat for butterflies with many fruit gardens, agricultural

fields, homestead vegetation, flower garden, weeds, wild herbs and shrubs contain huge number

of varieties include apang (Achyranthes aspera), khejur (Phoenix sylvestris), helencha

(Alternanthera philoxeroides), kata note (Amaranthus sp.), shoti (Curcuma zedoaria), durba

(Cynodon dactylon), shon (Imperata cylindrica), dhani ghas (Panicum repens), dhan (Oryza

sativa), akondo (Calotropis procera), porgacha (Dendrophthoe sp.), dadmordon (Glycosmis

pentaphylla), lantan (Lantana camara), lojjaboti (Mimosa pudica), reri (Ricinus communis); bel

(Aegle marmelos), kamranga (Averrhoa carambola), bans (Bambusa arundinacea), shimul

(Bombax ceiba), tal (Borassus flabellifer), shonalu (Cassia fistula), lebu (Citrus aurantifolia),

batabi lebu (Citrus grandis), narkel (Cocos nucifera), am (Mangifera indica), kul (Ziziphus

mauritiana), is warmful (Aristolochia indica), bonalu (Dioscorea bulbifera) whose leaves act as

larval food for different species of butterflies [1, 2]. Butterflies of Chuadanga district have not

been documented. The objective of this study is to identify butterflies and to contribute the

butterfly checklist of Bangladesh with established a permanent database. Butterflies are natural

pollinators and potentially useful ecological indicators of urbanization and forest health because

they are ready surveyed, and they are sensitive to changes in microclimate, temperature, solar

radiation, and the availability of host plants for ovipositing and larval development [3, 4, 5].

Increased urban features, including roads, buildings and moved lawns, correspond with

decreases in butterfly species richness, diversity and abundance [6, 7, 8, 9]. Urbanization also is

associated with habitat degradation including decreased plant species diversity, reduced water

quality, and increased air and soil pollutions [10, 11, 12, 13, 14]. The reductions in amount and quality

of natural habitat associate with urban development negatively affect nature biodiversity [15].

Studies on butterfly fauna are very few in Bangladesh which is not completely documented.

Since 1947 very little research on butterflies has been conducted [16]. Khan (2001) documented

49 species from Tangail [17]. According to Larsen (2004) only 311 butterfly species had been

recorded from Bangladesh [18]. Furthermore, Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh,

mentioned 148 butterflies species [19]. In addition there are some regional works have been done

on butterfly checklist such as Islam (2011) documented 158 species from Savar, Dhaka [20].

Chowdhury and Hossain (2013) was recorded 225 butterfly species with pictorial evidence from

all over the Bangladesh [21]. Hossain (2014) documented 37 species from Sundarban [22]. Neogi,

Khan and Shahadat (2014) have added 9 more new species to the checklist which takes the total

number of butterflies to 320 IUCN checklists of butterflies [16, 23, 32].

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Fig 1: Map of Chuadanga district in red box.

2. Materials and Methods

The study was conducted in Chuadanga during November 2011

to April 2014. The district is situated in western part of

Bangladesh. It lies between 23035ʹ13.67ʺ N latitude and

88049ʹ56.59ʺ E longitudes (Fig. 1). This area is covered with

cultivated land, wetland and homestead vegetation include

trees, herbs, shrubs, grasses and climbers which support

butterflies species for their larval food, nectar feeding and

resting. The climate is monosonic. The mean monthly

temperature was the highest 35 0C in May and the lowest 80C in

January. The highest rainfall was recorded in May (330 mm)

and the lowest in December (05 mm). The average humidity

varied from 95.0% to 55.0%. The habitats were documented

randomly by visual observations, walks, opportunistic

observations and butterfly species were also photo-documented

by Nikon Coolpix P100, Canon DSLR 1100D and 55-250 mm

lens during the study period. Species identity, taxonomy and

nomenclature were confirmed with the help of the books by

Evans (1932), Wynter-Blyth (1957), Marshall and de Niceville

(1883), Bingham(1905), Kunte (2000), Kehimkar (2008), Singh

(2010) and Kunte et al (2012) [24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 33, 34, 35, 36].

Butterflies observed were categorized into four groups (Very

common >10, Common 6-10, Uncommon <3-5, Rare <2) based

on their relative number during the period. I sampled butterflies

in several possible habitats such as flower gardens, fruit

gardens, beside the railway bush, roadside bush, agricultural

fields, homestead vegetation and open land etc. Each species

was noted and photographed instantly [29, 30].

3. Results and Discussion

A total of 49 species representing 40 genera from 06 families

recorded from the Chuadanga District. Among these, family

Nymphalidae is represented by 17 species and 13 genera formed

to be dominant during study period. The family Lycaenidae and

Hesperiidae is represented 10 species followed by Pieridae (06

species), Papilionidae (05 species) and Riodinidae (01) (Table-

1).

In the case of Nymphalidae Junonia almana Linnaeus was more

abundant than others. Family Riodinidae Abisara echerius

Moore was found only once in the Chuadanga District. The

checklist provides 49 species reported earlier from other places

of Bangladesh. On the basis of direct observation we found that

of 49 species of which 07 rare, 19 uncommon, 19 common and

04 very common. Out of this total species 7 species namely

Pachliopta aristolochiae, Delias eucharis, Eurema hecabe,

Danaus chrysippus, Danaus genutia, Euploea core and

Catochrysops strabo, were found collecting nectar in the flower

of wild herbs and shrubs, 7 species namely Papilio polymnestor,

Papilio polytes, Danaus chrysippus, Junonia almana, Junonia

lemonias, Rathinda amor and Tagiades japetus were recorded

in the flower garden, 11 species namely Papilio clytia,

Catopsilia pomona, Catopsilia pyranthe, Cepora nerissa,

Danaus chrysippus, Hypolimnas bolina, Junonia atlites,

Anthene emolus, Parnara guttatus, Pelopidas subochracea and

Pelopidas agna were recorded from the agricultural field, most

23 species namely Papilio demoleus, Catopsilia pyranthe,

Leptosia nina, Acraea violae, Ariadne ariadne, Ariadne

merione, Euploea core, Melanitis leda, Moduza procris, Neptis

jumbah, Phalantha phalantha, Ypthima baldus, Castalius

rosimon, Chilades lajus, Everes lacturnus, Pseudozizeeria

maha, Rapala manea, Zizula hylax, Matapa aria, Suastus

gremius, Telicota sp., Udaspes folus and Abisara echerius were

recorded in homestead vegetation, 3 species namely Euthalia

aconthea, Rathinda amor and Ypthima baldus found both in the

fruit garden and homestead vegetation.

The present study is the first study of this type in the area. It is

suggested and recommended that the area under study should

be continuously monitored to observe any change in the

diversity of butterflies because the changes in the diversity can

only be observed through continuous monitoring and

comparing the data of every year. Butterfly diversity in the

study area was found to be very low. This is due to the natural

climate. This is rather unsupportive of great butterfly diversity.

Thus, the lack of butterfly diversity is not entirely due to the

climate but is more directly a result of low diversity of flora

upon which to support greater butterfly diversity [31]. Butterflies

are one of most significant groups of insects with their impact

on the ecosystem as bio-indicators, pollinators and as prey for

many living organisms from birds to other arthropods like

spiders. Public attentiveness is requisite to conserve these

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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

butterflies and their habitats. The study reflects the baseline

information on these beautiful groups. Therefore, an extensive

survey needs to be carried out to explore the rich diversity of

these elegant insects with their richness in different rural and

urban vegetation. The present results have thrown light on the

butterfly diversity in the southeast region of Bangladesh.

Table 1: Checklist of butterflies of Chuadanga district, Bangladesh.

SL Common Name Scientific Name Relative Abundance

Family: Papilionidae

1 Common Rose Pachliopta aristolochiae Fabricius Common

2 Common Mime Papilio clytia Linnaeus Uncommon

3 Lime Butterfly Papilio demoleus Linnaeus Common

4 Blue Mormon Papilio polymnestor Cramer Uncommon

5 Common Mormon Papilio polytes Cramer Very Common

Family Pieridae

6 Common Gull Cepora nerissa Fabricius Uncommon

7 Common Emigrant Catopsilia pomona Fabricius Common

8 Mottled Emigrant Catopsilia pyranthe Linnaeus Uncommon

9 Common Jezebel Delias eucharis Drury Common

10 Common Grass Yellow Eurema hecabe Linnaeus Common

11 Psyche Leptosia nina Fabricius Common

Family Nymphalidae

12 Tawny Coster Acraea violae Fabricius Rare

13 Angled Castor Ariadne ariadne Fruhstorfer Uncommon

14 Common Castor Ariadne merione Cramer Very Common

15 Plain Tiger Danaus chrysippus Linnaeus Common

16 Striped Tiger Danaus genutia Cramer Common

17 Common Crow Euploea core Cramer Uncommon

18 Common Baron Euthalia aconthea Fruhstorfer Common

19 Great Eggfly Hypolimnas bolina Linnaeus Uncommon

20 Peacock Pansy Junonia almana Linnaeus Very Common

21 Grey Pansy Junonia atlites Linnaeus Common

22 Lemon Pansy Junonia lemonias Linnaeus Uncommon

23 Common Evening Brown Melanitis leda Cramer Common

24 Commander Moduza procris Cramer Rare

25 Common Bushbrown Mycalesis perseus Fabricius Common

26 Chestnut-streaked Sailer Neptis jumbah Moore Uncommon

27 Common Leopard Phalantha phalantha Drury Uncommon

28 Common Five-ring Ypthima baldus Fabricius Common

Family Lycaenidae

29 Common Ciliated Blue Anthene emolus Godart Uncommon

30 Common Pierrot Castalius rosimon Fabricius Common

31 Forget me not Catochrysops strabo Fabricius Uncommon

32 Lime Blue Chilades lajus Stoll Common

33 Indian Cupid Everest laturnus Tytler Rare

34 Pale Grass Blue Pseudozizeeria maha Kollar Very Common

35 Slate Flash Rapala manea Hewitson Rare

36 Monkey Puzzle Rathinda amor Fabricius Uncommon

37 Common Silverline Spindasis vulcanus Fabricius Common

38 Tiny Grass Blue Zizula hylax Fabricius Uncommon

Family Hesperiidae

39 Moore’s Ace Halpe porus Mabille Rare

40 Chestnut Bob Iambrix salsala Moore Common

41 Common Redeye Matapa aria Moore Rare

42 Straight Swift Parnara guttata Moore Uncommon

43 Large Branded Swift Pelopidas subochracea Moore Uncommon

44 Bengal Swift Pelopidas agna Moore Uncommon

45 Palm Bob Suastus gremius Fabricius Uncommon

46 Common Snow Flat Tagiades japetus Moore Common

47 Palm Dart Telicota sp. Uncommon

48 Grass Demon Udaspes folus Cramer Common

Family Riodinidae

49 Plum Judy Abisara echerius Moore Rare

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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

1 2

3

5

2

5

5

5

2

3

4 5 6

7 8 9

10

0

11 12

13 14 15

16 17 18

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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

19 20 21

22 23 24

25 26 27

28 29 30

31 32 33

34 35 36

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Journal of Entomology and Zoology Studies

Fig 2: Images of the butterflies found in Chuadanga District (see Table 1 for corresponding names)

4. Conclusion

Butterfly research in under inventory phase in Bangladesh. This

checklist will be helpful for studying the overall documentation

and distribution pattern of butterflies of this country.

5. Acknowledgements

The author grateful to Mr. Issac Kehimkar and Mr.

Krushnamegh Kunte for identification of three species. Along

with them author also thankful to Dr. Monwar Hussain and Dr.

Monirul H. Khan, Professor, Department of Zoology,

Jahangirnagar University.

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