A checklist of butterflies of Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) campus, Anaikatty, Western Ghats, India

Abstract

An updated checklist of butterfly species recorded from the Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON) campus, constitute a total of 178 species of butterflies, including previous records of 101 species. The butterfly species represent Papilionidae (17), Pieridae (22), Nymphalidae (55), Lycaenidae (54), Riodinidae (1) and Hesperiidae (29). Seventy-seven species are new additions. Among the 178 species, 56 (31.46%) were found to be very common, 74 (41.57%) were moderately common, 42 (23.60%) were rare and 6 (3.37%) as very rare in sightings. Ninety plant species belonging to 33 families as larval host plants of 160 butterfly species were also recorded in the present study. Host plants of 18 species of butterflies were not available in the study area.