GUWAHATI, Nov 26 – Branded Yeoman butterfly, known as Algia fasciata (earlier Paduca fasciata) to the scientists, which is not known to have been found in the North Eastern part of India before, was sighted at Kaliabor in Nagaon district by a Gauhati University (GU) research scholar Prarthana Mudai recently.
This development has proved the authenticity of the statement made by Isaac Kehimkar, the General Manager of the Bombay Natural History Society that the NE region is the ultimate Mecca for a butterfly enthusiast, Prarthana said.
On the significance of her discovery, Prarthana, who is now also working as a project assistant in the Numaligarh Refinery Ltd’s Butterfly Valley, described it to be a path-breaking finding. This has underlined the need of serious work in the area of butterfly diversity of the NE region, recognised to be one of the biodiversity hotspots of the world, she said.
She said that the butterfly she had sighted was confirmed to be the Branded Yeoman by Nikhil Bhopale, Programme Officer of the Bombay Natural History Society recently. Prarthana had sighted the butterfly on April 13 last.
Referring to The Identification of Indian Butterflies (1932) in which WH Evans, one of the most distinguished entomologists, she said the presence of this butterfly was reported from Karens-South Burma, Andaman and Nicobar Island. The distribution of this species of butterfly is reported by various sources to be spread in South Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Indonesia, Taliabu Island and The Philippines. Its habitat is hill forests, Prarthana said.
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=nov2711/at092
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