Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea) of the Parque Ecológico João Vasconcelos Sobrinho, Caruaru, Pernambuco, Brazil

Abstract

Abstract:Comprising a natural reserve with 359 ha of "montane forest" inserted on the Brazilian semi-arid, the Parque Ecológico João Vasconcelos Sobrinho (PEJVS), locally known as "Brejo dos Cavalos" is currently under high anthropogenic pressure. A list of 197 species of butterflies belonging to six families is presented, being 59 species of Hesperiidae, 4 of Papilionidae, 18 of Pieridae, 17 of Lycaenidae, 12 of Riodinidae and 87 of Nymphalidae. The butterfly community was composed mainly by widespread species commonly found in open habitats. There were also many species typical of forested areas such as Scada karschina delicata Talbot, 1932 (Danainae: Ithomiini), which is an endangered butterfly.

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea) of the Private Reserve of Natural Heritage Fazenda Lontra/Saudade, Itanagra, Northern Coast of Bahia, Brazil

“…Four species of Papilionidae were recorded, and three of them were already expected for the area, Heraclides anchisiades capys (Hü bner, [1809]), Heraclides thoas brasiliensis (Rothschild & Jordan, 1906) and Battus polydamas polydamas (Linnaeus, 1758) because they are very common and occur throughout the Brazilian coast, Caatinga, and also in the "Brejos de Altitude" (Tyler et al 1994, Nobre et al 2008, Paluch et al 2011, Zacca & Bravo 2012. Parides zacynthus (Fabricius, 1793) has been considered restricted to the coastal plains, including ''restingas'' and lowland forests areas (Tyler et al 1994).…”

“…Parides zacynthus (Fabricius, 1793) has been considered restricted to the coastal plains, including ''restingas'' and lowland forests areas (Tyler et al 1994). However, the subspecies P. zacynthus polymetus (Godart, 1819) was recently recorded in the Ecological Park João Vasconcelos Sobrinho, PE, about 100 km far from the coast (Paluch et al 2011). In Bahia, this subspecies has been recorded to Salvador (Zacca 2009), but it was also collected in 15 km east of Lenc¸óis, Bahia, about 300 km west from Salvador.…”

“…Both taxa are very common, and were observed in all months flying at the same time in FLS. This situation can be best elucidated by a review on the status of all five subspecies (Lamas 2004).…”

“…The Neotropical genus Pierella Westwood, 1851, so far, with four species in northeastern Brazil in the states Alagoas, Paraíba, Bahia and Pernambuco (Cardoso 1949;Kesselring & Ebert 1982;Zacca 2009;Paluch et al 2011;Zacca et al 2011), has revealed new taxa to the Northeastern Atlantic Forest, as Pierella sp. nov. in FLS described in Zacca et al (in press) (Taxonomic revision of the ''Pierella lamia species group''), as well as, Pierella lena atlantica Paluch, Zacca & Siewert, 2015in Paluch et al (2015.…”

“…However, important areas of the biome Caatinga have been studied in the last years, mainly in Pernambuco (PE) and Bahia (BA). The Catimbau National Park (PE) (Nobre et al 2008); the Ecological Park João Vasconcelos Sobrinho (PE), "Brejo de Altitude" enclave of Atlantic Forest inserted in the semi-arid (Paluch et al 2011); northern portion of the ''Chapada Diamantina'' (BA) (Zacca & Bravo 2012) and the ''Serra da Fumac¸a'' (BA) (Lima & Zacca 2014), together represent a significant inventory of butterflies for the Brazilian semi-arid region.…”