BUTTERFLY SPECIES DIVERSITY (LEPIDOPTERA, RHOPALOCERA) OF HOANG LIEN MOUNTAIN, LAO CAI PROVINCE

Abstract

Study on butterflies of Hoang Lien Mountain was carried out in Van Ban Nature Reserve and Hoang Lien National Park of Lao Cai province, from the natural closed forest to agro-sylvicultural land, from 600 to 3143 m a.s.l., from 1998 to 2013. Total 349 species of 5 families in Hoang Lien Mountain, consists of 34.52% total butterfly species of Vietnam. The conservation species found in Hoang Lien mountain listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam are Teinopalpus imperialis, Troides aeacus, Byasa crassipes, and Graphium phidias. Two first species are also listed in the CITES. Other interest species found in Hoang Lien are Papilio krishna and Byasa latreillei. A new record for Vietnam is Lethe ramadeva de Niceville. Hoang Lien has many mountain species of Vietnam merely found in the area. Butterfly fauna of Hoang Lien is unique and the species composition of Hoang Lien differs from species composition of other areas of Vietnam. The butterfly fauna of Hoang Lien is closed to butterfly fauna of Himalayan region. Hoang Lien is an important area for conservation of mountain butterfly species of Vietnam.