PRELIMINARY SURVEY FOR LEPIDOPTERAN FAUNA OF KALRAYAN HILLS, KALLAKURICHI DISTRICT, TAMIL NADU, INDIAPavithrra Dharani, S.K. and Kathirvelu, C.Abstract To document the lepidopteran fauna of Kalrayan hills, Tamil Nadu, an attempt was made from January to December, 2015 by using aerial netting, light trap and host rearing methods. The results of the survey revealed that, Out of 813 lepidopterans recorded from the study area, 187 butterflies, 27 skippers and 599 moths. They were identified up to subfamily level with the help of standard taxonomic keys of Lepidopterists. It was found that, nine superfamilies viz., Papilionoidea, Hesperioidea, Gelechioidea, Sesioidea, Pterophoroidea, Pyraloidea, Bombycoidea, Geometroidea and Noctuoidea were recognized. Among those, Noctuoidea was found to be dominant with 259 individuals followed by Papilionoidea (187). Among the superfamilies, Papilionoidea recorded with four families viz., Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae and Nymphalidae while the superfamily Hesperioidea found with one family Hesperiidae. There were eight moth families viz., Oecophoridae, Sesiidae, Pterophoridae, Crambidae, Shingidae, Geometridae, Uraniidae and Noctuidae were observed under eight superfamilies from the study area using various collection methods. Among them, Noctuidae was the dominant family. Twenty four subfamilies were recorded from the study area comprising both butterflies, skippers and moths viz., Papilioninae, Pierinae, Coliadinae, Lycaeninae, Nymphalinae, Satyrinae, Danainae, Hesperiinae, Xyloryctinae, Sesiinae, Pterophorinae, Schoenobiinae, Spilomelinae,, Sphinginae, Macroglossinae, Ennominae, Microniinae, Noctuinae, Arctiinae, Lymantriinae, Heliothinae, Plusiinae, Aganainae and Erebinae were identified. Among the subfamilies, Noctuinae (106) was predominant followed by Spilomelinae (101). |