Keywords
Endemic species
bio-indicators
anthropogenic pressure
How to Cite
Abstract
Butterflies are highly sensitive to environmental change and are delicate creatures that act as good bio-indicators of the health of an ecosystem. Meenachil river basin has attracted considerable amount of public interest. A survey of the butterflies conducted randomly revealed a total of 91 species belonging to five families including three endemic species. Family Nymphalidae dominated in the study area, followed by Hesperiidae and Lycaenidae. This area is currently under severe anthropogenic pressure and minimizing these disturbances is important for the long-term survival of specialist butterflies.
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