Check list of butterflies of the Sundarbans mangrove forest, Bangladesh

Abstract

A total 37 species of butterflies under 7 families were recorded during June 2011 to March 2013 in the Sundarbans mangrove forest of Bangladesh. Out of this total, 10 species were newly recorded. Among the 37 recorded butterflies, 8 species belong to Nymphalidae, 6 to Danaidae, 3 to Papilionidae, 5 to Pieridae, 8 to Lycaenidae, 5 to Satyridae, and 2 to Hesperidae family. Large numbers of butterflies were observed during summer season (April to June). The Crimson rose (Pachliopta hector Linnaeus, 1758) was the most abundant among all the recorded butterfly species in the Sundarbans. The present list of butterfly is not exhaustive and future exploration will be continued to update this checklist. Habitat destruction is the major threat to butterflies similar to other wild animals and some evidences of such activities were recorded during this study.