Species diversity and abundance of butterflies were investigated at three (3) locations; Ajebo, Ogun State,
Odongunyan Farm Settlement, Ikorodu and Hortico Gardens, Ipaja, Lagos using sweep nets and transects
method of sampling. Biodiversity indices were calculated using Shannon-Wiener, Margalef, Simpson’s and
Equitability indices. A total of 1105 butterflies belonging to 11 genera and 4 families were identified from the 3
sampled sites. Butterflies belonging to the family Nymphalidae were the most abundant, accounting for 70.6%
of the total butterflies collected in all locations and seasons. Four species Danaus chrysippus, Acraea serena,
Melanargia galathea (Nymphalidae) and Eurema sp. (Pieridae) were found in the three sites. Acraea (200),
Danaus (140), Melanargia (129) (all in the family Nymphalidae) were the most abundant butterfly genera found
in the study sites. Ajebo had the least diversity of butterflies in all the two seasons, while Hortico Gardens, Ipaja
had the highest. Odongunyan farm land was the most equitable (j = 1.09) of the three sampled sites.
Keywords: diversity, butterflies, Nymphalidae, transects, sweep nets
PAPER TITLE :THE BUTTERFLY FAUNA OF THREE VARYING HABITATS IN SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA
FUTA JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN SCIENCE | VOLUME 11 NUMBER 1 2015
Paper Details
- Author(s) : K.A. Kemabonta, A.S. Ebiyon and F. Olaleru
- Abstract:
