Recent records of the rare Mountain Tortoiseshell Aglais rizana (Moore, 1872) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in the upper Garhwal, western Himalaya, India, after 100 years

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Arun Pratap Singh
Tribhuwan Singh
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-7238

Abstract

The present study reports the occurence of Mountain Tortoiseshell, Nymphalis rizana (Moore,1872) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) from the upper Garhwal  region of the Western Himalaya after a gap of over 100 years. Earlier records of specimens collected across its distribution range in N W India by other authors along with morphological variations are also presented with details and images. Morphological features distinguishing it with N.cashemirensis aesis are also discussed.

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Author Biographies

Arun Pratap Singh, Entomology Branch, Forest Protection Division, Forest Research Institute, P.O. New Forest, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248006, India.

Scientist-F

Tribhuwan Singh, Entomology Branch, Forest Protection Division, Forest Research Institute, P.O. New Forest, Dehradun, Uttarakhand 248006, India.

Junior Research Fellow, under the ICFRE funded project " Butterflies associated with different forest types/sub-types in Uttarakand, India.

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