COMPOSITION OF FRUIT-FEEDING BUTTERFLIES (LEPIDOPTERA: NYMPHALIDAE) IN A PEAT SWAMP FOREST, KOTA SAMARAHAN, SARAWAK

Abstract

A total of 104 individuals of fruit-feeding butterflies representing 24
species and 13 genera were recorded in a 60 continuous days of
sampling (26 July to 23 September 2007), in a peat swamp forest in
Kota Samarahan, Sarawak. Four subfamilies of Family: Nymphalidae
were listed which includes Charaxinae, Morphinae, Nymphalinae and
Satyrinae. Ten fruit baited-traps were utilized in this study, and were
set-up in both ground and canopy strata by applying Single-Rope
Technique in five different individual trees. An average of two
individuals per day was recorded with 33.33% of the total samples
are represented by Nymphalinae. Known to be strong and rapid fliers,
this group of nymphalids is associated with increased light intensity
which was observed with the less pronounced canopy at the study
area. All recorded nymphalids were also designated with rank in order
to assess the rank-abundance distribution of these butterflies. Overall, nymphalids with wider range of geographical distribution were less abundant and vice versa in the present study. One endemic to Borneo nymphalid species which is Mycalesis amoena was sampled in this study.