Moth diversity (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) of Shendurney and Ponmudi in Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve, Kerala, India, with notes on new records
Authors
Yash Sondhi
1Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33199, USA
Sanjay Sondhi
Titli Trust, 49 Rajpur Road Enclave, Dhoran Khas, near IT Park, P.O. Gujrada, Dehradun 248001 Uttarakhand, India
Shashank Rajendra Pathour
Division of Entomology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi 110012, India
Krushnamegh Kunte
4National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR),GKVK Campus, Bellary Road, Bangalore 560065, Karnataka, India
Keywords:
biodiversity assessment, biodiversity hotspots, Asian moths, range extensions, Western Ghats
Abstract
We present a list of 282 species of moths recorded during surveys conducted over 31 survey nights during a 3-year period in Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary (WLS) and Ponmudi, Kerala, India. Shendurney WLS and Ponmudi are part of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve in the southern Western Ghats, which is one of India’s three biodiversity hotspots. Shendurney is a diversity hotspot within the Western Ghats. It has a high degree of endemism and several new species have recently been described from the sanctuary. The moth diversity in Shendurney is poorly studied and only 128 moth species have been previously reported. This illustrated checklist of 282 species expands on previous reports and includes notes on flight periods and distribution. Fifteen range extensions were recorded, of which 14 were new records for Kerala, one a new record for India, and one a new species.
