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New species of butterfly discovered

They have a long-lasting history of co-evolution with flowering plants. The other notable features of butterflies are their extraordinary range of colours and patterns, and their wings. These are discussed below. Angiosperms (flowering plants) evolved in the Lower Cretaceous, but did not become common until the Upper Cretaceous. Butterflies were the last major group of insects to appear on the planet. They evolved from moths in the latest Cretaceous or the earliest Cainozoic. The earliest known butterfly fossils date to the mid Eocene epoch, between 40–50 million years ago. Like moths, butterflies have four wings covered with tiny scales. When a butterfly is not flying, its wings are usually folded over its back. The wings are patterned and are often brightly coloured. There are many different kinds of butterflies. The males and females of each kind are often slightly different from each other. Butterfly watching is a popular hobby. Some people also keep collections of dead butterflies that they have caught. Like all insects with complete metamorphosis, a butterfly's life goes through four distinct stages. It begins as an egg, which hatches into a larva (a caterpillar). After some time, the larva turns into a chrysalis. While it is in the chrysalis stage, it changes to become an adult butterfly. To complete the cycle, adults mate and the females lay the eggs. Butterfly, (superfamily Papilionoidea), any of numerous species of insects belonging to multiple families. Butterflies, along with the moths and the skippers, make up the insect order Lepidoptera. Butterflies are nearly worldwide in their distribution.

Recently, two new species of butterfly  has been discovered by lepidopterists i.e. Striped Hairstreak and Elusive Prince in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

At present, India has 1,327 species of butterfly as compared to 1,318 species in 2015.

Striped Hairstreak:

Scientific Name: Yamamotozephyrus kwangtugenesis

Discovery: It is found in Vijaynagar village of Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, bordering Myanmar. It was a subject of interest for the lepidopterists as its genus is diversified into several genera (i.e. sub-divisions) and thus, difficult to trace.

Habitat: It was first recorded in Hainan province of China. It is also found in North America, from the Rocky Mountains.

Elusive Prince:

Scientific Name: Rohana tonkiniana

Discovery: It is found in Miao subdivision situated on the periphery of the Namdapha National Park. In India only a male specimen of the Elusive Prince was found. Initially it was considered as a variant of the Black Prince, but the study revealed that it is different and not recorded in India before.

Habitat: It was first recorded in Tonkin in north Vietnam.

The Rohana Genus: It has been represented in India by two species — the Black Prince (Rohana parisatis) and the Brown Prince (Rohana parvata). Significance for Arunachal Pradesh: These discoveries from Arunachal Pradesh indicate the rich biodiversity of the State. The government thus needs to focus on helping volunteers or citizen scientists by providing the support needed. This will help in boosting eco-tourism apart from regular scientific research. Butterfly Butterflies are insects from the order Lepidoptera of phylum Arthropoda which also includes moths. Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings, and conspicuous, fluttering flight.

Significance:

Rich Biodiversity: Abundance of butterflies in any area represents the rich biodiversity. Indicator Species: The butterfly acts as an indicator species. An indicator species provides information on the overall condition of the ecosystem and of other species in that ecosystem. They reflect the quality and changes in environmental conditions as well as aspects of community composition. Pollinator: It acts as a pollinator by helping in pollination and conserving several species of plants.

Namdapha National Park It lies at the international border between India and Myanmar within Changlang District in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. It is only park in the World to have the four Feline species of big cat namely the Tiger (Panthera Tigris), Leopard (Panthera Pardus), inSnow Leopard (Panthera Uncia) and Clouded Leopard (Neofelis Nebulosa). Hoolock Gibbons, the only ‘ape’ species found in India is found in this National Park.