Baseline Inventory of Papilionoidea in Buxa Tiger Reserve, West Bengal, India (Insecta: Lepidoptera)

A comprehensive survey of Papilionoidea fauna in and around Buxa Tiger Reserve, Alipurduar district, West Bengal, revealed a total of 138 species spanning 6 families and 55 genera. Nymphalidae (43%) dominated the recorded species, followed by Lycaenidae (23%), Hesperiidae (11%), Pieridae (10%), Papilionidae (9%), and Riodinidae (4%). Notably, 23 species are protected under the Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act (2022), including 22 species listed in Schedule-II, and one in Schedule-I. The abundance of Papilionoidea species varied across different habitats. The highest number of species was recorded in HF (Hill Forest)-N22 (November 2022) (81 species), followed by RT (River trail)-N22 (68 species), and RT-A22 (April 2022) (50 species) and HF-A22 (47 species). This study contributes significantly to our understanding of the diversity in the region and informs conservation efforts aimed at protecting these vital pollinators and ecosystem indicators.