India: A Global Lepidoptera Hotspot

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) has published a comprehensive Catalogue of Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths) of India in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa, documenting India’s rich diversity of butterflies and moths.

Key Findings

• India is home to 13,703 species of Lepidoptera, accounting for approximately 8.25% of the world’s known butterfly and moth species.
• Of the total species recorded in India, 1,417 are butterflies and 12,286 are moths.
• The catalogue covers 240 subfamilies, 102 families and 31 superfamilies.
• ZSI scientists took nearly 12 years to complete the catalogue through field exploration, museum curation and extensive literature review.
• The work fills taxonomic gaps that had persisted for more than a century and provides an updated, centralised inventory of India’s Lepidoptera diversity.

About Lepidoptera- Lepidoptera is an order of insects that includes butterflies and moths. They are generally characterised by scale-covered wings and undergo complete metamorphosis through the stages of egg, larva, pupa and adult.

Ecological Importance- Butterflies and moths maintain ecological balance by functioning as pollinators, herbivores and detritivores. They also serve as an important food source for birds, bats and other insectivorous animals.

Geometridae Diversity

• Scientists documented 2,205 species of Geometridae in India.
• These moths act as important nocturnal pollinators while daytime butterflies remain inactive.
• India’s Geometridae species account for about 8.8% of the world’s known species in this family.

Significance of the Catalogue

The catalogue will serve as an authoritative national resource for biodiversity research, ecological monitoring, conservation planning and taxonomic studies. It also strengthens India’s position as a megadiverse country with globally significant butterfly and moth diversity.