The diversity of butterflies (lepidoptera, rhopalocera) in Phu Quoc national park, Kien Giang province

JOURNAL OF SCIENCE OF HNUE Natural Sci., 2010, Vol. 55, No. 6, pp. 149-160 THE DIVERSITY OF BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA, RHOPALOCERA) IN PHU QUOC NATIONAL PARK, KIEN GIANG PROVINCE Vu Van Lien Vietnam National Museum of Nature E-mail: vulien@gmail.com Abstract. Research on diversity of butterflies of Phu Quoc National Park, Kien Giang Province was carried out in November and December 2003. The park is located in the northern part of Phu Quoc Island. The research was conducted in different areas, from the inhabitant areas to the natural forests without disturbance, from sea water level to the highest peak of the Nui Chua (603 m). Butterflies were collected with insect nets. In addition, the presence and their relative abundance of species were also recorded along transects at different habitats in order to assess the abundance of species. Butterfly transects with lengths ranging from 500 to 2,000 m were in habi- tats: the natural forest; the secondary forest; the regenerating forest; the shrub, grass, open and inhabitant areas; the ridge and mountain tops. The total 139 species in 10 families were identified, of which one species listed in CITES is Troides helena. The family Lycaenidae has the most species number (43 species). The next is Nymphalidae family (20 species), Hesperi- idae (19 species), Danaidae (18 species), Papilionidae (11 species), Pieridae (11 species), Satyridae (10 species), Riodinidae (4 species), Amathusiidae (2 species) and Acraeidae (1 species). The most butterflies of Phu Quoc are uncommon (62 species; 44% total species); the common species is the least (22 species; 16% total species). The regenerating habitat with high diver- sity of vegetation has the greatest species number (110 species). The shrub, grass, and inhabitant areas have relatively high species number (89 species). The habitat of ridges and mountain tops has the least species number (28 species). Keywords: Butterflies, forest, habitat type, Phu Quoc National Park, di- versity. 1. Introduction The butterfly fauna of the Oriental region has been relatively well-studied and major identification is published such as Pinratana [7] in Thailand; D Abrera [2] in 149 Vu Van Lien the whole Oriental region; Chou [1] in China; Osada et al. [6] in Laos. Compared with these areas, the butterfly fauna of Vietnam is relatively little known. The first comprehensive list of Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia) was first published in 1919 [9] that consist of 611 species. The other work on butterfly fauna of Vietnam was carried out in the mid-twentieth century and the checklist of 454 butterfly species was published in 1957 [3]. Recently, more surveys and studies on butterflies have been carried out in protected areas throughout Vietnam. Many new species to science have been described. In addition, many new records for Vietnam have been also recorded. So far, more than a thousand butterfly species were recorded for Vietnam [4]. Butterfly fauna of some protected areas of Vietnam have been well studied such as Tam Dao and Cuc Phuong National Parks. However, butterfly fauna of many other areas have been little known including Phu Quoc National Park. This paper aims to inventory diversity of butterfly species and their relative abundance in Phu Quoc National Park, Kien Giang Province. Through this study we can make an assessment of species diversity and abundance of butterflies in the park to supply the data for conservation of butterflies of Vietnam based on a list of species in the area. The study would help significantly to increase our knowledge of butterfly fauna of Phu Quoc in particular and of Vietnam in general. 2. Content 2.1. Time, place and method of study ∗ Time and place: The study was carried out in different sites of Phu Quoc National Park (10022N and 104001E) from November to December, 2003. Phu Quoc National Park is located in the northern part of Phu Quoc Island including a part of land and forest of former Phu Quoc firm and communes of Ganh Dau, Bai Thom, Cua Can, and a part of Cua Duong, Duong To, Duong Dong and Ham Ninh with an area of 31,422 ha. Topography: the park covers an area from low land to high-land of 3 mountain chains of Ham Ninh, Ham Rong and Ganh Dau. In eastern and northeastern parts are Nui Chua (603 m), Nui Vo Quap (478 m) and Da Bac (448 m) of Ham Ninh mountain chain. Mountain topography is varied with steep sides. The average steepness is 15 - 20◦, even more than 45◦. ∗ Method: A number of butterflies were collected by insect nets to make comprehensive 150 The diversity of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) in Phu Quoc National Park... list and their relative abundance were recorded along transects and points in different habitat types from low-land near the sea to mountain ridges and tops of the park. Transects range from 500 m to 2,000 m: two transects at regenerating forest, two transects at secondary forest, two at closed forest (one at lowland good forest and one nature forest from the lowland to the mountain top, one transect along mountain ridge at an elevation of above 450 m, and two transects along the local road near Bai Thom. Diversity and distribution of butterflies were assessed by five habitat types as: - Natural forest (NF): forest located in high parts of the park and far from the local road. The most common plants are in Dipterocarpaceae. The trees grow densely and habitat under canopy is simple with many dried leaves. - Secondary forest (SF): along sides of the local road with big and tall trees of the Diterocarpaceae family. There are more openings than the natural forest with different small trees under canopy. - Regenerating forest (RF): along sides of the local roads and low land area with small trees which were exploited before. - Grass, shrub, open and inhabitant areas (GO): along the local roads, shrub and grass locality, village as well as costal areas. - Mountain ridges and tops (MR): short and small trees on ridges and small tops, and shrub and grass as well as bare rock on large mountain tops. Butterfly specimens were dried and preserved in plastic boxes with silicagen and naphthalene to keep dry and protect against insect destruction. Some specimens were mounted for detail identification. The nomenclature and identification system of butterflies follows Pinratana [7]; D Abrera [2]; Choulo [1]; Osaka et al. [6] and some other documents. 2.2. Results and Discussion 2.2.1. Species composition A total of 139 species in 10 butterfly families and their relative abundance are presented in Table 1. A protected species listed in CITES is Troides helena [5]. The species is rare in Phu Quoc, only one individual was seen. This species is uncommon and distributes in forests from low to high land throughout Vietnam. The protected species is not collected for trade, although it lives in forested areas so that forest cut downs are the major cause for it to be threatened. Thus, in order to conserve T. helena in the wild, forests must be well protected. The species can be bred easily by plants of Aristolochia sp. (Aristolochiaceae). A small garden or 151 Vu Van Lien small area of land growing plants of Aristolochia sp. can support this butterfly. Thus, species population can be increased. The most species number is uncommon (62; 44% total species); the second is rare species (55; 40% total species). The least species number is common (22; 16% total species). The result corresponds with other work that tropical forests have high diversity of species but most of them are rare or uncommon species [8]. Table 1. Species list, their relative abundance and distribution of butterflies of Phu Quoc National Park in different habitat types in November and December 2003 Habitat types No. Taxon NF SF RF GO MR I Papilionidae 1 Troides helena (Linnaeus) + 2 Losaria coon (Fabricius) ++ + 3 Papilio demoleus Linnaeus ++ 4 Papilio memnon Linnaeus + ++ + ++ + 5 Papilio polytes Linnaeus + + ++ 6 Pachliopta aristolochiae (Fabricius) ++ ++ 7 Graphium agamemnon (Linnaues) + + ++ ++ 8 Graphium doson C. & R. Felder + + ++ 9 Graphium sarpedon (Linnaeus) + + + + 10 Graphium antiphates Cramer + ++ 11 Chilasa paradoxa Zinken + II Pieridae 12 Leptosia nina (Fabricius) ++ +++ +++ ++ 13 Delias pasithoe (Linnaeus) + 14 Delias hyparete Linnaeus + 15 Prioneris thestylis (Doubleday) + ++ 16 Cepora nadina (Lucus) + ++ 17 Appias albina (Boisduval) + + + ++ 152 The diversity of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) in Phu Quoc National Park... 18 Appias lyncida Cramer + ++ + ++ 19 Catopsilia pomona (Fabricius) + ++ 20 Eurema andersoni Moore ++ ++ ++ ++ 21 Eurema hecabe (Linnaeus) + ++ ++ +++ ++ 22 Gandaca harina Horsfield + ++ + + III Danaidae 23 Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus) + 24 Danaus melanippus (Cramer) + + ++ 25 Danaus genutia (Cramer) + + ++ 26 Ideopsis similis (Linnaeus) + + ++ ++ 27 Ideopsis vulgaris Butler + + + 28 Parantica aglea (Stoll) ++ + + 29 Parantica agleoides + 30 Euploea core (Cramer) + ++ ++ +++ ++ 31 Euploea mulciber (Cramer) ++ ++ ++ +++ ++ 32 Euploea doubledayi Felder + ++ ++ ++ 33 Euploea radamanthus (Fabricius) + +++ ++ +++ ++ 34 Euploea algea (Godart) + + ++ + 35 Euploea klugii Moore + + ++ 36 Euploea crameri Lucus ++ ++ ++ 37 Euploea modestra Butler + + ++ 38 Euploea phaenareta (Schaller) + + 39 Euploea camaralzeman (Butler) + 40 Tirumala septentrionis (Butler) + + ++ + IV Satyridae 41 Melanitis leda (Linnaeus) +++ ++ ++ ++ + 42 Melanitis phedima Cramer ++ + + + 43 Elymnias hypermnestra (Linnaeus) + + + 44 Penthema darlisa Moore + 153 Vu Van Lien 45 Mycalesis mineus (Linnaeus) ++ ++ ++ + 46 Mycalesis sp. + + 47 Ypthima baldus (Fabricius) +++ ++ +++ ++ 48 Ypthima huebneri Kirby +++ ++ ++ + 49 Ypthima sp. (avanta?) 50 Orsotriaena medus Fabricius ++ ++ ++ + V Amathusiidae 51 Zeuxidia amethytus Butler + 52 Thauria lathyi Fruhstorfer + VI Nymphalidae 53 Cupha erymanthis (Drury) ++ ++ ++ ++ + 54 Vagrans egista (Cramer) + + 55 Terinos terpander Hewitson +++ ++ ++ + ++ 56 Cethosia cyane (Drury) + 57 Hypolimnas bolina (Linnaeus) + ++ 58 Junonia atlites (Linnaeus) + +++ +++ +++ ++ 59 Junonia almana (Linnaeus) ++ ++ +++ ++ 60 Junonia orithya (Linnaeus) +++ 61 Pseudergolis wedah (Kollar) + + 62 Pantoporia hordinia (Stoll) + + ++ ++ 63 Lasippa heliodore (Fabricius) + + ++ + 64 Neptis hylas (Linnaeus) + ++ 65 Neptis harita Moore + 66 Athyma perius (Linnaeus) + + ++ 67 Parthenos sylvia Cramer + + + 68 Lebadea martha (Fabricius) + ++ ++ ++ 69 Moduza procris (Cramer) + 70 Tanaecia julii (Lesson) + ++ +++ ++ + 71 Euthalia lepidea (Butler) + ++ ++ + + 72 Lexias albopunctata (Crowley) + + VII Acraeidae 73 Acraea violae (Fabricius) ++ 154 The diversity of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) in Phu Quoc National Park... VIII Riodinidae 74 Dodona deodata Hewitson + + 75 Abisara echerius (Stoll) + 76 Taxila haquinus (Fabricius) +++ +++ +++ 77 Stiboges nymphidia Butler ++ ++ + IX Lycaenidae 78 Miletus chinensis Felder + 79 Allotinus substrigosus (Moore) + 80 Curestis bulis (Westwood) + + 81 Castalius rosimon (Fabricius) + + ++ 82 Discolanipa ethion (Westwood) + 83 Everes lacturnus (Godart) + + +++ ++ 84 Neopithecops zalmora (Butler) +++ ++ 85 Zizina otis Fabricius +++ + 86 Syntarucus plinius (Fabricius) + 87 Megisba malaya Horsfield + + 88 Jamides bochus (Stoll) + + 89 Jamides celeno (Cramer) + + 90 Jamides pura (Moore) + + + 91 Jamides alecto (Felder) + 92 Nacaduba sanaya Fruhstorfer + + ++ 93 Nacaduba sp. ++ +++ ++ + 94 Prosotas nore Felder + ++ ++ ++ + 95 Prosotas sp. ++ ++ +++ 96 Spindasis lohita (Horsfield) + 97 Anthene emolus (Godart) + ++ +++ ++ 98 Arhopala pseudocentaurus (Doubleday) ++ +++ ++ 99 Arhopala perimuta (Moore) + ++ + 100 Arhopala anthelus Westwood + + ++ 155 Vu Van Lien 101 Arhopala alitaes Hewitson + ++ +++ 102 Arhopala aida de Niceville ++ ++ 103 Arhopala sihetensis (Hewitson) ++ ++ 104 Arhopala abseus Hewitson + 105 Arhopala elopura Druce + 106 Arhopala sp. + 107 Arhopala sp.1 + 108 Flos fulgida Hewitson + + 109 Neomyrina nivea (Godman & Salvin) ++ 110 Loxura atymnus (Stoll) + + ++ + 111 Yasoda tripunctata (Hewitson) + ++ ++ + 112 Cheritra freja (Fabricius ) + ++ ++ ++ + 113 Drupadia ravindra (Horsfield) + + + 114 Drupadia theda Felder + 115 Hypolycaena erylus (Godart) + ++ ++ ++ + 116 Zeltus amasa (Hewitson) ++ ++ ++ + 117 Sinthusa nasaka Horsfield + 118 Rapala pheretima (Hewitson) + + 119 Rapala manea Hewitson + + + 120 Araotes lapithis Moore + ++ X Hesperiidae 121 Bibasis sena (Moore) + 122 Hasora vitta (Butler) + + 123 Badamia exclamationis (Fabricius) + + ++ ++ 124 Celaenorrhinus inaequalis Elwes + 125 Tagiades japetus (Stoll) ++ ++ ++ 126 Tagiades gana (Moore) ++ ++ ++ + 127 Astictopterus jama (Felder & Felder) + ++ 156 The diversity of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) in Phu Quoc National Park... 128 Psolos fuligo Mabille + 129 Iambrix salsala (Moore) ++ ++ + 130 Notocrypta curvifascia (Felder & Felder) + + + 131 Notocrypta paralysos Wood - Manson + + + + 132 Zographetus satwa (de Niceville) + 133 Pyroneura sp. + + 134 Oriens gola (Moore) + + 135 Telicopta colon (Fabricius) + 136 Parnara apostata Snellen ++ ++ 137 Pelopidas sp. ++ + ++ 138 Lotongus calathus Hewitson + 139 Salanoemia tavoyana Evans + Note: NF: natural forest; SF: secondary forest; RF: regenerating forest; GO: grass, shrub, open and inhabitant areas; and MR: mountain ridge and tops above 450 m; +: 1 - 3 individuals (rare); ++: 4 - 10 individuals (uncommon); +++: More than 10 individuals (common). Individuals are for the studied period. Table 2. Species number of butterfly families Butterfly family Species number Percentage (%) Lycaenidae 43 30.94 Nymphalidae 20 14.39 Hesperiidae 19 13.67 Danaidae 18 12.95 Papilionidae 11 7.91 Pieridae 11 7.91 Satyridae 10 7.19 Riodinidae 4 2.88 Amathusiidae 2 1.44 Acraeidae 1 0.72 Total 139 100.00 157 Vu Van Lien Species numbers of butterfly families and their proportion are presented in Table 2. The species numbers range from 1 species (Acraeidae) to 43 species (Lycaenidae). The families with the most species in some other national parks (Cuc Phuong, Hoang Lien and Tam Dao) and total in Vietnam are Hesperiidae or Nymphalidae (personal com.). Difference with family structure of species of other protected areas and Vietnam as well as the family with most species in Phu Quoc is Lycaenidae which consists of one third of total species. 2.2.2. Diversity of butterfly species in different habitat types Species diversity of butterflies in different habitat types is presented in Figure 1. Figure 1 shows that regenerating forest has the most species number (110 species); the second is shrub, grass and inhabitant areas (89 species); secondary forest also has relatively high species numbers (85 species); natural forest has low species diversity; mountain tops and ridge has the least species numbers. The least butterfly species found on mountain tops and ridges due to the poor vegetation (short trees, shrubs and grasses, and bare rock) and also usually windy weather. The regenerating forest has a variety of different kinds of trees, from trees of natural forests to open plant species; moreover, this forest has openings. Both high variety of plants and openings in the forest attract many butterfly species. The natural forest with dense trees and closed canopy, not many trees under canopy and dried leaves that result in low species numbers. Even though the natural forest has low species numbers but the most important place for conservation of rare and endemic butterfly species [10]. Located in the southern part of Vietnam, Phu Quoc National Park supports a relatively high diversity of butterflies but no mountain butterfly species. Butterfly fauna of the park is dominated by species of Indo-Malayan regions, especially species of the Danaidae family. Some butterflies only fly in southern parts of Vietnam, not present in central or northern Vietnam, such as Parantica agleoides, Euploea crameri and E. phaenarete (Danaidae); Lexias albopunctata (Nymphalidae); Taxila haquinus (Riodinidae); Arhopala anthelus, A. alitaues, A. abseus, Neomyrina nivea and Araotes lapithis (Lycaenidae). Due to moderate altitude with the highest peak of 603 m, the park is low compared to other protected areas of Vietnam which does not support mountain butterflies. Butterflies seen on mountain ridge or tops are also seen in forests of lower areas. Surrounded by the sea, the area often has strong winds. Strong winds greatly affects butterflies in flying on mountain ridges and tops [11]. Otherwise, habitat on tops is poor with almost bare rock that also does not support a presence of many butterflies. As with other Vietnamese natural forests or closed forests presents few butter- flies but these butterflies do not fly in disturbed or non-forested areas such as Zeux- 158 The diversity of butterflies (Lepidoptera, Rhopalocera) in Phu Quoc National Park... Figure 1. Butterfly species number in different habitat types Note: habitats as Table 1. idia amethytus, Allotinus substrigosus, Discolanipa ethion and Syntarucus plinius. Regenerating forest presents the highest species number. This forest supports more microhabitat types (under canopy, canopy, forest gap and openings in forest). Other habitat (shrub, grass and inhabitant areas) also supports many species. A major ammount of butterflies in this habitat are common and found almost everywhere except Flos fulgida and Neomyrina nivea (Lycaenidae) were seen on a single tree close to the sea in Rach Tram and Cua Can. Many butterflies are abundant in a particular or wide spread in all habitat types. The most abundant butterflies in forested areas are Terinos terpander and Taxila haquinus; in secondary and regenerating forest are Arhopala pseudocentarus, Arh. Alitaes and Junonia atlites; in open areas (inhabitant areas) are Euploea (core, radamanthus, crameri) and Eurema hecabe; in shrub and grass areas are Junonia orithya and Zizina otis. A majority of butterfly species has 4 to 10 individuals during studied periods. 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