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VOL. 9, ISSUE 4 (2024)
Faunistic assessment of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in three localities of the southern-plateau of Cameroon
Authors
Aymele-Choungmo Syntiche Roselle, Tadu Zéphirin, Tchoudjin Gertrude Loveline, Massussi Jacques Anselme, Djieto Lordon Champlain
Abstract
Butterflies are one of the major insect groups in Cameroon. Despite
their high diversity, ecological, and socio-economic importance their diversity
and ecology are poorly documented. The present study aims to provide a
preliminary data on butterfly communities occurring in three understudied zones
of the southern plateau of Cameroon, Akonolinga, Kikot and Obout. Sampling was
conducted from December 2017 to April 2019 at Obout; then, from March to April
2022 at both Akonolinga and Kikot. Butterflies were collected both actively,
using butterfly nets and passively using baited charaxes-traps, in diversely
disturbed forest plots. Specimens’ identifications were done at the Laboratory
of Zoology of the University of Yaoundé I (UYI-FS-LZ) where Voucher collection
is kept. This was based on various specialized identification keys. A total of
374 butterfly species unequally distributed between five families, 22
subfamilies and 80 genera were determined from a set 3607 individuals. These
sample were unequally distributed between the three zones, with 2648
individuals representing 307 species at Obout, 736 individuals representing 158
species at Kikot and 222 individuals representing 69 species at Akonolinga.
Globally, without studied zone considerations, the family of Nymphalidae was
the most important both in number of individuals (2944 individuals, 81.64%) and
number of species (278 species, 74.33%).
Among the subfamilies, Charaxinae, with 774 individuals (21.46%), was the most
important; while at the generic level, the genus Charaxes, with 744
individuals (20.63%) and the species Charaxes tiridates, with 146
individuals (4.05%) ws the most important. 253 appeared zone’s specific while
39 in all the zones. This result confirmes the hight diversity of butterflies
communitys in souther Cameroon, and suggest a geographic variation in home
range of various species.
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Pages:16-22
How to cite this article:
Aymele-Choungmo Syntiche Roselle, Tadu Zéphirin, Tchoudjin Gertrude Loveline, Massussi Jacques Anselme, Djieto Lordon Champlain "Faunistic assessment of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in three localities of the southern-plateau of Cameroon". International Journal of Zoology Studies, Vol 9, Issue 4, 2024, Pages 16-22
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