Distribution of butterflies in Karanthamalai reserve forest, Tamil Nadu, Southern India

Butterflies are monopolizing insects of the Order Lepidoptera, form an important part of the food chain and they are crucial for pollination. The present study was carried out to record the distribution and abundance of butterfly species at Karanthamalai Reserve Forest, Natham, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu in Southern India from August 2016 to July 2018 using transect count method. The study revealed the occurrence of 79 individual species around 80.166 Km². Amid the five families Nymphalidae was dominant in respective to species, genus and abundance. Specific distribution was observed for Papilio clytia at Karrupusamy Temple and Graphium cloanthus at Thekkal Reserve Forest. Amid the Lycaenidae family Zizina otis dominated all study areas. Irrespective to the distribution and abundance Thekkal Reserve Forest was rich in the diversity of butterflies. These results suggest that the Karanthamalai Reserve forest harbours a rich diversity of butterfly species. The present study can be used as reference for the establishment of national or regional forest biodiversity evaluation indicator systems in India in future.