6
S.
No
Species
Endemic Status for Butterflies in the
Tamil Nadu Checklist
Common Name
Present in West-
ern Ghats
Present in South Present in Sri
India
Lanka
32 Neptis (soma) palnica Palni Sailer X 33 Kallima horsfieldi Blue Oakleaf X 34 Curetis siva Siva Sunbeam X 35 Spindasis abnormis Abnormal Silverline X 36 Celatoxia albidisca White-disc Hedge Blue X 37 Arhopala alea Kanara Oakblue X 38 Hypolycaena nilgirica Nilgiri Tit X X
39 Bindahara moorei Blue-bordered Plane X X
40 Rapala lankana Malabar Flash X X
41 Baracus subditus Yellow-stripped Hedge Hopper X 42 Baracus hampsoni Hampson's Hedge Hopper X 43 Halpemorpha hyrtacus /
Sovia hyrtacus Bicolour Ace X 44 Thoressa honorei Madras Ace X 45 Thoressa astigmata Southern Spotted Ace X 46 Thoressa sitala Sitala Ace X 47 Thoressa evershedi Evershed's Ace X 48 Halpe hindu South Indian Ace X 49 Arnetta mercara Coorg Forest Hopper X 50 Hyarotis microstictum/
Hyarotis coorga Kodagu Brush Flitter X 51 Quedara basiflava Golden Flitter X 52 Caltoris canaraica Kanara Swift X
X
X@
X
X
@ needs further sightings to confirm the presence outside Western Ghats
It could be inferred from the list that there are 30 species which are endemic to Western Ghats landscape. Since some of the
species are treated differently (for example some authors consider some sub-species as full species, while some others still
keep them at sub-species level), it is quite possible that this number may vary. And also, if some of the species are found out
side the Western Ghats in near future, then the numbers could vary too. It is
interesting to note some species like Nilgiri Tiger, Nilgiri Four-ring and Palni
Bushbrown are not endemic to WG, but are also seen in Yercaud and Sirumalai
Hills of Eastern Ghats. There are 7 more species to the 30, which are present in
Sri Lanka, will come under the category, endemic to WG & SL and they are Dark
Wanderer, Painted Sawtooth, Southern Duffer, Tamil Yeoman, Nilgiri Tit, Plane
and Malabar Flash. As informed earlier, readers are advised to verify these facts
from their end before using the same!
Text: Pavendhan A
Pictures credit: Pavendhan A
PATTAMPOOCHI
A TNBS MAGAZINE
WINGS 3 VEINS 2
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