DIVERSITY OF BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA : PAPILIONOIDEA) OF ECO-SENSITIVE ZONE OF SAINJ WILDLIFE SANCTUARY (DISTRICT KULLU, HP)

Abstract

: During three-year survey in Eco-sensitive zone of Sainj Wildlife Sanctuary, seventy-one species of butterflies belonging to 53 genera and five families was recorded. The family Nymphalidae was the most dominant with the highest number of species (36 species; 50.70%), followed by Lycaenidae (15 species; 21.12%), Pieridae (12 species; 16.90%), Papilionidae (04 species: 05.64%) and Hesperiidae (04 species; 05.64%). The study of butterflies from eco-sensitive zone of Sainj Wilde life Sanctuary is the first checklist from this transition area. One species recorded as extended distribution in North-West Himalaya and one species from Himachal Pradesh. 36 species are new records from Great Himalayan landscape.