Diversity of butterflies in relation to climatic factors in environmental centre campus of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tamil Nadu India

Abstract

The diversity and seasonal changes of butterflies were recorded in university campus of Sri Paramakalyani Centre of Excellence in Environmental Science, Alwarkurichi, Tamil Nadu. A total of 1182 individuals were observed during the study period of 2012- 2013. A total of 57 species of butterflies, the Nymphalidae was most dominant family followed by Lycaenidae, Pieridae, Papilionidae and Hesperiidae. A total of six species of butterflies are observed in endemic and Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. The Nymphalidae showed highest dominant index (35.08%), the value of other groups are relatively low in Lycaenidae, Pieridae, Papilionidae and Hesperiidae with 22.80%, 21.05%, 12.28% and 8.77% respectively. Whereas, the individual abundance and the dominant index showed highest Lycaenidae 445 (37.65%) and low dominant index observed in Papilionidae and Hesperiidae showed 57 (4.82%) and 30 (2.54%). Among the total species of butterflies 20 species were present throughout the year. Species abundance was increasing trend from the beginning of earlier winter season, mid-October to February and decent the species abundance from late March- September. Correlation co-efficient analysis showed that positive correction with (0.218) temperature and negative correlation with precipitation (-0.573). The species profile of the butterfly communities associated with climatic factors was analysed to further development of butterfly garden in university campus.