An updated checklist and new records of butterfly species in Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary (western Himalaya), Uttarakhand, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11609/jott.10468.18.7.29269-29286Keywords:
Butterfly diversity, distribution extension, elevational gradient, insect conservation, insect fauna, Lepidoptera, new records, Papilionoidea, photographic documentation, Protected areaAbstract
This study presents an updated checklist of butterflies of Kedarnath Musk Deer Sanctuary (KMDS), located in the Garhwal Himalaya of Uttarakhand, India, based on systematic field surveys conducted across multiple elevations and habitats. A total of 300 butterfly species belonging to six families and 19 subfamilies were recorded from the Sanctuary. The present work documents 153 species newly recorded from KMDS, substantially expanding the previously known butterfly fauna of the area. Species records were verified through photographic documentation and standard taxonomic literature, and only diagnostically confirmed records were included in the checklist. The updated inventory highlights the sanctuary as an important repository of butterfly diversity in the western Himalaya and provides a reliable baseline for future faunistic, taxonomic, and biodiversity assessments.
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