Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Rhopalocera) of Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary, West Bengal, India: a preliminary checklist

The present study from Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary records a total of 98 butterfly species among which 66 species are found as ‘first-time records’ from the sanctuary. Therein, eight butterfly species are scheduled under the Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2022 and two are enlisted in the IUCN species list (2016). Nymphalids were recorded at the highest frequency (45.92%) whereas Riodinids are rarest (2.04%).