Lien Vu Van. 2015. Diversity of butterfly communities in different habitats in limestone tropical rain forest of Vietnam // Russian Entomol. J. Vol.24. No.3: 247–256 [in English].
Vietnam National Museum of Nature, VAST, 18 Hoang Quoc Viet, Cau Giay, Hanoi, Vietnam. E-mail: vulien@vnmn.vast.vn
KEY WORDS: Butterflies, conservation, distribution range, secondary forest, species, individuals, Vietnam.
ABSTRACT. Diversity of butterfly communities of a limestone tropical rain forest was carried out in four different habitat types (the natural forest, the secondary forest, the shrub and grass, and the inhabitant) in Xuan Son National Park, North Vietnam from 2010 to 2012. A total 139 species with 1,041 individuals of butterflies were recorded. The secondary forest has the greatest individual and species numbers; the shrub and grass habitat has more individual and species numbers than the natural forest; the inhabitant has the least individual and species numbers. The species composition and abundance of butterfly communities is similar between similar habitats (the natural forest and the secondary forest; and the shrub and grass and the inhabitant). There was a positive correlation between the size of species geographical distribution and the increasing forest habitat clearance levels. Although the natural forest has lower butterfly diversity, it is home of restrict geographical distribution range where plays an important role for conservation of rare butterfly species; the secondary forest plays an important role in conserving higher butterfly diversity; while the inhabitant shows the poorest butterfly diversity.