Three new varieties of butterfly were discovered in Uttarakhand recently, taking the total number of types of butterflies found in the hill state to 453.
“Out of the 1300 varieties of butterflies found in India, Uttarakhand was home to 450 until recently when three more names were added to the list,” said Statistical Officer, Forest Department, Shankar Kumar who is also a biodiversity enthusiast.
The three new varieties found are ‘No War Three Ring’, botanical name, Ypthima Newara, belonging to the Nymohakidae family, ‘Western Five Ring’, botanical name Ypthima Indecora, of the Nymohakidae family and ‘Ciliate Blue’, botanical name Anthene Emoluss of the Lycaenidae family, Kumar said.
“Butterflies are an indispensible part of the ecosystem.
A study of butterflies helps to access knowledge about the area in which they are found. These discoveries are also substantial as they prove there is a lot more to be explored and found in the field of flora and fauna in Uttarakhand,” he said.
Of the three new varieties, the first two were discovered and photographed in Nainital whereas the third was found in Haldwani, he said.
Founder of Butterfly Research Centre, Bhimtal Peter Smetacek confirmed the discoveries saying they were new for the state.
Sourced from PTI, FEatured image courtesy: www.nbcnews.com
