Why in the News?
A new monograph published in ENTOMON journal affirms that Kerala hosts the highest butterfly diversity among Indian States along the Western Ghats.
Source of Study
- Title: The Butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) of Kerala: Status and Distribution
- Journal: ENTOMON, open access quarterly journal
- Published by: Association for Advancement of Entomology
- Lead researcher: Kalesh Sadasivan
Key Findings
- Kerala records 328 butterfly species.
- Includes 41 species endemic to the Western Ghats.
- Western Ghats as a whole support 337 butterfly species, most of which are found in Kerala.
Butterfly Families in Kerala
Nymphalidae: 97 species, Lycaenidae: 96 species, Hesperiidae: 82 species and Other families: Papilionidae, Pieridae, Riodinidae
Migratory Species
36 migratory butterfly species documented. Highlights Kerala as a key migratory corridor for seasonal butterfly movement.
- Conservation Status
- 22 species from Kerala listed in the IUCN Red List.
- Most are Least Concern.
- 2 species classified as Near Threatened.
Legal Protection in India
- 70 butterfly species protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- 4 species under Schedule I. Majority under Schedule II.
Larval Host Plant Diversity
- Over 1,800 larval feeding records documented.
- Includes 350 plus new field observations.
- Covers nearly 800 plant species.
- One of the largest region specific host plant compilations in India.
| Due to some reasons, if there is a huge fall in the population of species of butterflies, what could be its likely consequence/consequences? (2017)
1. Pollination of some plants could be adversely affected. 2. There could be a drastic increase in the fungal infections of some cultivated plants. 3. It could lead to a fall in the population of some species of wasps, spiders and birds. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 |
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