A comprehensive overview of the moth fauna (insecta: lepidoptera) hitherto recorded from Bangladesh

Abstract

Although Bangladesh harbors unique biodiversity, its moth fauna has remained largely understudied. This study presents the first comprehensive overview of moth species hitherto recorded from the country, based on a review of historical literature and extensive field surveys conducted across various regions. We document a total of 1,154 species, representing 763 genera across 56 families, of which 416 species are newly recorded in this study. The majority of these records originate from the Chittagong, Sylhet, and Dhaka divisions. Additionally, we employed a log-log linear regression model to estimate the potential moth species richness in Bangladesh, using land area and moth diversity data from neighboring countries. The model predicts a total of approximately 2,000 to 3,100 moth species, indicating that the current documented fauna represents only about 37% of the potential diversity, if the upper estimate is considered. These findings highlight a significant underestimation of the country's true moth biodiversity and underscore the need for continued taxonomic and ecological research.

Bangladesh J. Zool. 54(2): 211-252, 2026