Diversity and abundance of Butterfly fauna (Insecta: Lepidoptera) of Subalpine area of Chanshal Valley of District Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)

Abstract

Butterflies have great economic, cultural and aesthetic value and are sensitive to fractional variation in climatic factors. During present investigation 29 species of butterflies belonging to 22 genera and 4 families were collected from Chanshal valley of Himachal Pradesh. Present study revealed that 10 species of butterflies belonging to family Nymphalidae, 9 Species from family Pieridae, 8 species from Lycaenidae and 2 species belonging to family Papilionidae were collected and identified. Percentage composition of each family revealed that family Nymphalidae most dominating one contribute about 34.48% followed by family Pieridae contribute about 31.03%, Lycaenidae 27.59% and Papilionidae 6.90%. Species diversity, evenness and species richness was calculated by Shannon-Weiner Diversity index, Evenness index and Margalef’s index. Species diversity was found highest in Nymphalidae (1.96) and lowest in Family Papilionidae (0.6), evenness was highest in family Papilionidae (0.87) and lowest in Pieridae (0.77). Similarly species richness was highest in family Nymphalidae (4.74) and lowest in Papilionidae (1.18). Abundance was highest for Nymphalidae and lowest for Papilionidae. Thus the present study was the first attempt to study the butterfly diversity, distribution and abundance from this area.