Checklist of butterfly larval host plants and their spatial distribution on the campus of Jahangirnagar University, Bangladesh
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3329/aajbb.v10i1.78968Keywords:
butterfly, larval host plants, habitat loss, plant diversity, conservation strategiesAbstract
Adult butterflies lay their eggs on specific larval host plants, which serve as food for caterpillars after hatching. This study, conducted between January 2023 and June 2024, aimed to compile a checklist and assess the spatial distribution of butterfly larval host plants within the semi-natural campus of Jahangirnagar University (JU), Bangladesh. The research identified 107 plant species from 37 families as larval hosts for 72 butterfly species. The study area was divided into 10 sites, focusing mainly on the distribution of 12 key larval host plants due to their ecological significance and extensive use by butterflies. These key plants included Capparis zeylanica, Citrus aurantiifolia, Butea monosperma, Oryza sativa, Cassia fistula, Glycosmis pentaphylla, Calotropis gigantea, Ziziphus oenopolia, Senna tora, Polyalthia longifolia, Mimosa pudica, and Delonix regia. The findings revealed that butterflies predominantly utilized plants from the Caesalpiniaceae, Poaceae, Rutaceae, Fabaceae, and Apocynaceae families as larval hosts. These results are crucial for developing effective conservation strategies for butterflies in Bangladesh, including on the JU campus. By identifying key host plants and their distribution, the study underscores the importance of habitat restoration and the protection of native species to support butterfly populations in both natural and urban areas.
Asian Australas. J. Biosci. Biotechnol. 2025, 10(1), 22-33
Downloads
39
15
References
Ahmed M, SMH Kabir, ATA Ahmed, AKA Rahman, ZU Ahmed, ZNT Begum and M Khondker, 2009. Encyclopedia of flora and fauna of Bangladesh, Vol. 21(III). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Bangladesh.
Akter F, MSA Habib and MM Hossain, 2015. Spatial and temporal dimensions of butterfly species diversity in Jahangirnagar University campus and its suburbs, Bangladesh. Jahangirnagar Univ. J. Biol. Sci., 4: 27-40.
Aziz MA, S Akter and F Rahman, 2013. Investigating the least known small mammals of Jahangirnagar University campus, Bangladesh. Small Mammal Mail, 5: 4-6.
Biswas S, S Mukhopadhyay and R Dey, 2022. Butterfly fauna (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) and larval host plant in Bongaon town, West Bengal, India. Acad. J. Biol., 44: 79-90.
Butterfly of India, 2025. Butterfly of India. Available: https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org.
Chowdhury SH and M Hossain, 2013. Butterflies of Bangladesh: A pictorial handbook. Skylark Printers, Bangladesh.
Das DK, MM Feeroz and S Begum, 2021. Diversity and population density of birds at the Jahangirnagar University campus, Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Zool., 48: 289-300.
Ehrlich PR and PH Raven, 1964. Butterflies and plants: A study in coevolution. Evolution, 18: 586-608.
Flockhart DTT, J Pichancourt, DR Norris and TG Martin, 2014. Unravelling the annual cycle in a migratory animal: breeding season habitat loss drives population declines of monarch butterflies. J. Anim. Ecol., 84: 155-165.
Flowers of India, 2025. Flowers of India. Available: http://www.flowersofindia.net.
Forister ML, CA Halsch, CC Nice, JA Fordyce, TE Dilts, JC Oliver, KL Prudic, AM Shapiro, JK Wilson and J Glassberg, 2021. Fewer butterflies seen by community scientists across the warming and drying landscapes of the American West. Science, 371: 1042-1045.
Ghazanfar M, MF Malik, M Hussain, R Iqbal and M Younas, 2016. Butterflies and their contribution in ecosystem: A review. J. Entomol. Zool. Stud., 4: 115-118.
Hossain M, 2023. A review on the diversity of butterfly (Insecta: Lepidoptera) fauna from Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Zool., 51: 3-34.
IUCN-Bangladesh, 2015. Red list of Bangladesh. Butterflies. IUCN, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Bangladesh Country Office, Bangladesh.
Jayasinghe HD, SS Rajapakshe and T Ranasinghe, 2021. New additions to the larval food plants of Sri Lankan butterflies (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea). J. Threat. Taxa, 13: 17731-17740.
Karmakar T and S Baidya, 2018. Zeltus amasa Hewitson, 1865 – Fluffy Tit. In: Butterflies of India. Edited by: Kunte K, S Sondhi and P Roy, Indian Foundation for Butterflies.
Khan SA, S Sultana, GM Hossain, SS Shetu and MA Rahim, 2021. Floristic composition of Jahangirnagar University campus - a semi-natural area of Bangladesh. Bangladesh J. Plant Taxon., 28: 27-60.
Larval Host Plants and Other Hosts of Indian Butterflies, 2025. Larval host plants and other hosts of Indian butterflies. Available: https://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/larval-hosts.
Mukherjee K and A Mondal, 2023. A preliminary checklist of larval host plants of butterflies of Bankura and Purulia districts of West Bengal, India. J. Anim. Divers., 5: 1-18.
Mukherjee S, RP Das, S Banerjee, P Basu, GK Saha and G Aditya, 2019. Correspondence of butterfly and host plant diversity: foundation for habitat restoration and conservation. European J. Ecol., 5: 49-66
Nitin R, VC Balakrishnan, PV Churi, S Kalesh, S Prakash and K Kunte, 2018. Larval host plants of the butterflies of the Western Ghats, India. J. Threat. Taxa, 10: 11495-11550.
Pallottini M, E Goretti, C Argenti, GL Porta, L Tositti, E Dinelli, B Moroni, C Petroselli, P Gravina, R Selvaggi and D Cappelletti, 2023. Butterflies as bioindicators of metal contamination. Environ. Sci. Poll. Res., 30: 95606-95620.
Pl@ntNet, 2025. World flora. Available: https://identify.plantnet.org/k-world-flora/identify.
Prain D, 1903. Bengal plants, Vol. 2. Botanical Survey of India, India.
Shahroni AM, FIA Shidiq, Soenarko, L Irwansyah and D Peggie, 2022. Record on some caterpillars of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in East Java, Indonesia. Treubia, 49: 25-40.
Sharma M and N Sharma, 2017. Suitability of butterflies as indicators of ecosystem condition: A comparison of butterfly diversity across four habitats in Gir wildlife sanctuary. Int. J. Adv. Res. Biol. Sci., 4: 43-53.
Shihan TR, 2016. Record of Ampelopteris prolifera (family: Thelypteridaceae) as a new larval host plant of Euchrysops cnejus Fabricius, 1798 butterfly from Chuadanga, Bangladesh. J. Bangladesh Acad. Sci., 39: 241-248.
Shihan TR, 2018. Records of new larval host plants of some common butterflies of Bangladesh. J. Threat. Taxa, 10: 11303-11311.
Siddiqui KU, MA Islam, ZU Ahmed, ZNT Begum, MA Hassan, M Khondker, MM Rahman, SMH Kabir, M Ahmad, ATA Ahmed, AKA Rahman and EU Haque, 2007. Encyclopedia of flora and fauna of Bangladesh. Asiatic Society of Bangladesh, Bangladesh.
Suthar AR, AO Sankhwal, JY Rathod and DJ Gavali, 2019. Rapid assessment of butterfly diversity and host plants at Piplaidevi forest range, Dangs, Gujarat. Bio Bull., 5: 25- 31.
Tonmoy SR, FR Khan, MS Abedin and M Hossain, 2023. An updated checklist on the butterfly (Insecta: Lepidoptera) fauna of Jahangirnagar University campus, with five new distribution records. 23rd International Biennial Conference and AGM 2023. Edited by: Zoological Society of Bangladesh, pp. 84.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Shraboni Das, Muntahena Ruhi, Muhammad Sohel Abedin, Md Monwar Hossain
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
