Book Review
Butterflies of the Garo Hills by S. Sondhi., K. Kunte, G. Agavekar, R. Lovalekar, K. Tokekar. (2013). SamrakshanTrust (New Delhi), Titli Trust (Dehradun) and Indian
Foundation for Butterflies (Bengaluru), xvi+200pp.
Reviewed by Monsoon Jyoti Gogoi
Bokakhat East Dagaon,Golaghat District, Assam 785612, India
The book deals with 320
species of butterflies along with their photographs and identification keys for
all from Garo Hills, western Meghalaya, northeastern India. It is the result of field study conducted by all the authors and others
during 2008 to 2011 in the Garo Hills. The book is significant because Garo Hills is not well studied as that of Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills,
from where a comprehensive list is already published (Parsons & Cantlie 1948; Cantlie 1952; Cantlie 1956).
The taxonomic names are well
updated with proper generic combinations and subspecies name. It appears that the authors have done a
thorough job in using the proper combination of generic and subspecies status. The upgrade of species under Genus Polyura to Charaxes is well appreciated. However,
some of new common names have been used for the first time, which may create
doubt in the mind of amateurs but the use of old names in paranthesisis appreciated.
The first part of the book
provides information on Garo Hills, its biodiversity
significance and threats and the work of Samrakshanwith the local community (the Garo tribe) for
community conservation in the area. Although the book is titled Butterflies of GaroHills, the surveys were mainly localized in and around South Garo Hills (Balpakram-BaghamaraCommunity Conservation Landscape). It also provides guidelines to identify butterflies in the field, which
includes the key parts of butterfly wing venation.
The middle part, which covers
the major portion of the book, provides the species
accounts along with photographs of all 320 species arranged systematically in
six families and subfamilies. It
contains: Description of the species, including the wingspan and keys to
identification, male-female sex differences, if any; mention of similar
look-alike species in northeastern India; habits, habitats and elevation; local status
of the species; distribution of the species and subspecies (if any within
mainland India) and best place and month of sighting.
The last part of the book covers
butterfly hotspots in Garo Hills (Balpakram-BaghmaraLandscape, Gongot, BalpakramNational Park, Karwani, SijuWildlife Sanctuary, Sambuk Attongand Dambuk Jongkhol) along
with their maps by Kamal Medhi. This will be very helpful for the
tourists and researchers. It also
brings out a list of 339 species from Garo Hills, a
very useful tool in understanding and promoting the biodiversity value of the
area. However, the book adds 26
species to 306 species published in the monograph - Butterflies of the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, northeastern India: their
diversity and conservation, in the Journal of Threatened Taxa (Kunte et al. 2012).
While this is an excellent
effort, there are, however, a few errors in species identification of some
complex species. For example, the image of Veined Pierrot Taracus venosusused in the book is that of a female of T. theophrastus indica. Female
of T. theophrastus indica is probably not mentioned in published
literatures. T. venosus have
spots below, not streaks (Evans 1932). The image used in the book for T. venosushave streaks on the underside in place of spots. The species is common in Brahmaputra
Valley and I have observed both male and female together seen in flight
together (http://www.flutters.org/home/html/photos.php?level=picture&id=1243).
The image of the White Cerulean Jamides pura pura used in the book is
that of a Common Cerulean Jamides celeno celeno. I have observed dry season form
(DSF) of J. pura purain both Karbi and CacharHills, its quite a different species
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/monsoon_jyoti_gogoi/8869877748/). The image used in the book matches with
DSF of J. celeno from upper Assam, a very
variable species. The book treats
Purple Sapphire Heliophorus epicles indicus into two
species: H. e. latilimbata and H. indicus. H. latilimbatais a synonym of H. indicus in published
literature (Evans 1932) and in Global Lepidoptera Names Index (Lepindex). Hence, both of them should be treated as same.
The image of Fringed Redeye Matapa cresta in
the book appears to be the Grey brand Redeye M. drunaas there is no ferruginous tinge in M. cresta(Evans 1949). The specimen used in
the book has ferruginous tinge. Black-vein Redeye Matapa sasivarna in the book appears M. purpurascensas in M. sasivarna, below the colour is fuliginous with black veins (Evans 1949), in M.purpurascens its purple below. Purple Redeye M. purpurascens in old literatures (Swinhoe 1912–13; Evans
1932) is originally M. cresta described in
1949. Image of Sikkim White Flat Seseria sambaraused in the book should be S. dohertyi. InS. sambara, in the underside of hind wing, spot
in space 7 is in the middle of spot in 6 and 5. In S. dohertyi,
spot in 7 is nearer to spot in 6 than in spot in 5 (Evans 1932, 1949). Also, in the underside of hind wing, the
base of hindwing is bluish in S. dohretyi and brownish in S. sambara(Evans 1932). In the photograph
used in the book, spot in 7 nearer to 6 than in 5 and the abdomen is clearly
bluish and hence it cannot be S. sambara.
The identification key to S.sambara and S. dohertyican be assessed in the links:
(http://www.flutters.org/home/photogallery/index.php?level=picture&id=538)
(http://www.flutters.org/home/photogallery/index.php?level=picture&id=537).
Neptis ananta ochracea used in the book should be Neptis namba. On the hind wing, the cilia
of N. ananta ochracea isnot chequered with white, while in N. namba it is chequered with
white (http://yutaka.it-n.jp/lim1/720360001.html). In the image used in the book, the cilia is chequered with white in
the hind wing. Images of Dark Evening Brown Melanitis phedima bela used in
the book should be that of Great Evening Brown Melanitis zitenius zitenius. To qualify for M. phedima bela it should have well defined small ocelli in WSF (Evans 1932) but ocellihere are replaced by spots. The images are clearly M. zitenius zitenius as in WSF of the species below small
white spots in place of ocelli (Evans 1932). Again, photograph of M. zitenius zitenius used in the
book should be the DSF of M. leda. The sighting of two species
viz. Common Wanderer (Pareronia hippai) and Danaid Eggfly (Hypolimnias misippus) mentioned in the book seems unconfirmed anddoubtful as both these species are probably absent in northeastern India.
Overall, the book is a very
important publication from northeastern India but the authors should be more
careful in species identification of complex species. This book is certainly going to support
the conservation efforts of Samrakshan Trust and
promote eco-tourism in the area. In
fact, this is first ever photographic guide book on
butterflies of northeastern India and hence a very important resource for years
to come.
References
Cantlie, K. (1952). More butterflies of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills, Assam. Journal
of the Bombay Natural History Society 51: 42–60.
Cantlie, K. (1956). Hesperiidae of Khasiand Jaintea Hills. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 54: 212–215.
Evans, W.H. (1932). The
Identification of Indian Butterflies - 2nd Edition. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, 454pp.
Evans, W.H. (1949). A
Catalogue of the Hesperiidae from Europe, Asia and
Australia in the British Museum (Natural History). British Museum (Natural History), London, 502pp.
Kunte, K., S. Sondhi,
B.M. Sangma, R. Lovalekar,
K. Tokekar & G. Agavekar(2012). Butterflies
of the Garo Hills of Meghalaya, northeastern India:
their diversity and conservation. Journal of Threatened Taxa 4(10): 2933–2992; http://dx.doi.org/10.11609/JoTT.o2945.2933-92
Parsons,
R.E. & K. Cantlie (1948). The butterflies of the Khasia and Jaintia hills, Assam.Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society 47:
498–522.
Swinhoe, C. (1912–1913). Lepidoptera Indica. Vol. X. Rhopalocera.Family Hesperiidae (concluded).Sub-families Celaenorrhinae, Hesperiinae,Pamphilinae, Astictopterinae,Suastinae, Erionotinae, Matapinae, Notocryptinae, Plastingiinae, Erynninae. Reeve & Co, London, 364pp.