Butterfly diversity in Koraput district of Odisha, Eastern Ghats, India

A study on butterfly diversity and inventory completeness was carried out in the northern highlands of Eastern Ghats of India. A 300 m transect count (Pollard walk) was undertaken in eight study sites based on different biotopes i.e., natural forest, agroforestry and urban green areas from November 2016 to October 2017. The study recorded 5222 butterflies under six families 20 subfamilies, 102 genera and 148 species. The species composition mainly depended on biotope preferences and inventory completeness varied with respect to sites. Overall, 87.05% of regional species inventory was completed in the present study. The result of two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated significant differences among sites in both species richness (F = 3.549, df = 7,108, P = 0.002) and abundance (F = 3.17, df = 7,108, P = 0.005). Similarly, seasonal variation significantly observed both in species richness (F = 13.583, df = 3,108, P < 0.001) and abundance (F = 12.034, df = 3,108, P < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant interaction between sites and season (F = 3.401, df = 3,108, P = 0.001) reflects the variability in the butterfly abundance in the study sites and seasons of the sampled geographical area. Dry seasons showed higher species assemblages than wet seasons. Polyculture (coffee) plantations showed similarities with natural forest, whereas monoculture (cashew) plantation was closer towards urban greens. Findings of the study highlight the significance of the Eastern Ghats for butterfly conservation in India and form a baseline for future quantitative work on the diversity and conservation of butterflies in this biodiversity-rich region.