Some of you may know that the Palghat Gap in the Western Ghats is a major biogeographic barrier that separates many high-elevation shola forest-montane grassland endemics to its north (Nilgiris-Coorg) and south (Anamalais southward). Here are two such endemic species pairs from the butterfly world: the Red-eye Bushbrown (Heteropsis adolphei) and the Nilgiri Four-ring (Ypthima chenui) are endemic to the Nilgiris and Coorg:
http://ifoundbutterflies.net/444-mycalesis/heteropsis-adolphei http://ifoundbutterflies.net/453-ypthima/ypthima-chenui and the Red-disc Bushbrown (Heteropsis oculus) and the Palni Four-ring (Ypthima ypthimoides) are endemic to the Anamalais and hill ranges south of it: http://ifoundbutterflies.net/444-mycalesis/heteropsis-oculus http://ifoundbutterflies.net/453-ypthima/ypthima-ypthimoides Note that the two Bushbrowns above were until recently included under Mycalesis. The move from Mycalesis to Heteropsis is based on the work of our very own Ullasa: Kodandaramaiah, U., D. C. Lees, C. J. Müller, E. Torres, K. P. Karanth and N. Wahlberg. 2010. Phylogenetics and biogeography of a spectacular Old World radiation of butterflies: the subtribe Mycalesina (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Satyrini). BMC Evolutionary Biology, 10:172. Abstract at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2148/10/172 Two further notes: (1) Susanth has recently shown me picture of the Nilgiri Four-ring taken at Ponmudi (near Thiruvananthapuram), south of the Palghat Gap. The matter of how that specimen got there needs to be settled. And Susanth, are you absolutely sure about the locality? (2) Another of Susanth’s picture used as that of the Nilgiri Four-ring in Isaac Kehimkar’s book is actually a Palni Four-ring. So make a note if you use that book for identification. With best wishes, Krushnamegh. ------------------------------------------------- Krushnamegh Kunte, PhD Post-doctoral Research Fellow FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University 52 Oxford St., Northwest Lab Room 458.40-3 Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Ph: (617) 496-0078, Cell: (512) 577-1370, Fax: (617) 495-2196 Email: [email protected] Other emails: [email protected], [email protected] Personal website: http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~kunte/index.htm Indian Foundation for Butterflies: http://ifoundbutterflies.org/ Google profile: http://www.google.com/profiles/krushnamegh -- Enjoy
