White Tufted Royal Butterfly - The Hindu - 12/01/23

Context:
Recently, a team of butterfly observers and researchers have found the White Tufted Royal Butterfly, a rare butterfly species in Kannur, Kerala which was earlier spotted in Agasthyakoodam in 2017 and Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary in 2018. The butterfly is protected under Schedule 2 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Relevance:
GS3
About:
-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.
-Recently, a Himalayan butterfly known as Golden Birdwing (Troides aeacus) has been discovered as India’s largest butterfly after 88 years.

->Significance:
-Rich Biodiversity: The abundance of butterflies in any area represents 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.

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