Early stages and larval host plants of some northeastern Indian butterflies

Eastern Himalaya and northeastern India are part of two global biodiversity hotspots, yet the critical butterfly-plant associations and early stages of most butterfly species in this region are poorly recorded. We have reported early stages and larval host plants of 78 butterfly species, some of which are rare and endemic, providing specific information on spatial and temporal details associated with these records. These records contribute region-specific information on Indian butterflies, which may be useful in basic ecological and conservation studies in the future.

Eastern Himalaya and northeastern India are part of two global biodiversity hotspots-the Himalaya and Indo-Burma (Myers et al. 2000)-that are separated by the Brahmaputra River with eastern Himalaya falling north of the river in India.Forests of these regions are rich in endemic, rare and endangered butterfly species (Evans 1932;Wynter-Blyth 1957;Kunte et al. 2012Kunte et al. , 2018;;Ghatak & Roy 2013;Sondhi & Kunte 2016).While recent studies highlight the diversity and spatial occurrence of butterflies in this region, little is known about their larval host plants and early stages (Wynter-Blyth 1957;Igarashi & Fukuda 1997, 2000;Robinson et al. 2001;Kunte et al. 2018), which is critical information for ecological as well as conservation studies.To fill this gap, we here report our observations of larval host plants and early stages of 78 butterfly species, along with spatio-temporal details.

Materials and Methods
From 2009 to early 2016 we conducted butterfly surveys in the states of West Bengal, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh, which belong to eastern Himalaya, Meghalaya and Nagaland which belong to the Indo-Burma region, following the research and collection permits issued by state forest departments.During these survey we opportunistically encountered early stages of several butterfly species.We raised the eggs and caterpillars to adult stages on fresh parts of the host plants on which we found them, maintaining them in plastic jars at campsites.The caterpillars were fed and the frass was cleaned everyday.The records below are based on this direct evidence.We photographed and released most butterflies shortly after eclosion.Some specimens were preserved as voucher specimens in the research collections of the National Centre for Biological Sciences.Butterfly species identifications were done with these images and voucher specimens using standard identification keys and reference material from the Natural History Museum, London, and NCBS research collections.We report larval host plants of some common species that are already reported in literature, but we include them here again because we are providing seasonal and location information with our records.Such precise spatial and temporal information on host plant use is useful to understand ecological requirements of butterflies in their critical early stages.We identified plants from publications of regional floras (Hooker 1872(Hooker -1887;;Kanjilal et al. 1934Kanjilal et al. -1938;;Haridasan & Rao 1987), and in consultation with plant experts on eFlora groups (Anonymous 2016a,b;The Plant List 2013).More information on early stages and larval host plants reported here is available on the Butterflies of India website (http://www.ifoundbutterflies.org/lifecycles),which is continually updated.

Results
We recorded early stages of 78 butterfly species feeding on 64 plant species.These records include nine butterfly species for which early stages had never been known before, 17 butterfly species for which early stages had not yet been recorded in India, 14 new larval host plant records which had not been recorded before for those species, and 11 larval host plants which had not been recorded for those species in India before.The results are presented below with the information given in the following order: scientific name and authority, common name, scientific name of plant and plant type, location, date and other comments.palm.The larvae fed on both young and mature leaves.Wakabah Fall valley, Sohra, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya.October 2014.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species, which has not been recorded anywhere before.acaulis (Arecaceae) has previously been reported as host plant of this butterfly from India (Wynter-Blyth 1957;Robinson et al. 2001).

Family Hesperiidae
13. Lotongus sarala sarala (de Nicéville, 1889) -Khasi Yellow-banded Palmer: Calamus sp.(Arecaceae): palm.The larvae fed on both young and mature leaves.Nongriat, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya.April 2015.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species, which has not been recorded anywhere before.(Igarashi and Fukuda 1997;Robinson et al. 2001).
56. Orinoma damaris damaris Gray, 1846 -Himalayan Tigerbrown: Scleria sp.(Cyperaceae): sedge.The larvae fed on young leaves.Wakabah Fall valley, Sohra, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya.October 2014.We observed a female ovipositing, and then raised the caterpillar up to the fifth instar, when it developed a microbial infection and died.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species, which has not been recorded anywhere before.
57. Pseudergolis wedah wedah (Kollar, [1844]) -Himalayan Tabby: Debregeasia orientalis C. J. Chen (Urticaceae): shrub.We saw an ovipositing female in Buxa Tiger Reserve, Alipurduar District, West Bengal, in November 2013, and subsequently found caterpillars on this species at Mawlong-Terna Road, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya.October 2014.The larvae fed on young leaves.This is a new larval host plant of this species from India.

Evans, 1949 -Fringed Branded Redeye:
Gigantochloa nigrociliata (Buse) (Poaceae): bamboo.The larvae fed on young leaves.Gongrot, Balpakram National Park, South Garo Hills District, Meghalaya.November 2009.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species, which has not been recorded anywhere before.Gigantochloa nigrociliata (Buse) (Poaceae): bamboo.The larvae fed on young leaves.Mawlong-Terna Road, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya.October 2014.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species from India.Caryota monostachya Becc.(Arecaceae): palm.The larvae fed on both young and mature leaves.Wakabah Fall valley, Sohra, East Khasi Hills District, Meghalaya.October 2014.This is a new larval host plant of this species from India.

Cheritra freja evansi Cowan, 1965 -Khasi Common Imperial:
Rosa acicularis Lindl.(Rosaceae):shrub.The larvae fed on young leaves.Chapramari Wildlife Sanctuary, Jalpaiguri District, West Bengal.December 2014.This is a new larval host plant for this species, which has not been recorded anywhere before.22.

27. Mota massyla (Hewitson, 1869) -Saffron:
Acacia sp.(Fabaceae): small tree.The larvae fed on young leaves.Pange, Ziro District, Arunachal Pradesh.August 2015.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species, which has not been recorded anywhere before.Ziziphus sp.(Rhamnaceae): small tree.The larvae fed on floral buds and young leaves.Jayanti, Alipurduar District, West Bengal.October 2014.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species from India.30.

Cethosia biblis tisamena Fruhstorfer, 1912 -Himalayan Red Lacewing:
Passiflora foetida L. (Passifloraceae): climber.The larvae fed on young leaves.Pabung Khola, South Sikkim District, Sikkim, May 2011, and Khonoma, Kohima District, Nagaland, May 2013.November 2014.We observed a female ovipositing, and then raised the caterpillar from the egg up to the fourth instar, when it developed a microbial infection and died.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species from India.

Doubleday, 1845 - Sylhet Jungleglory:
Bambusa sp.(Poaceae): bamboo.The larva fed on young leaves, but died in its second instar due poor quality of host plant available.Gongrot, Balpakram NP, South Garo Hills, Meghalaya.November 2009.This is the first record of early stages and larval host plant of this species, which has not been recorded anywhere before.

Papilio memnon agenor Linnaeus, 1758 - Continental Great Mormon:
Citrus medica L. (Rutaceae): evergreen shrub or small tree.The larvae fed on young leaves.Rajabhatkhawa, Buxa Tiger Reserve, Alipurduar District, West Bengal.December 2013.This is a new larval host plant of this species from India.