The Mexican state of Guerrero is fourth in butterfly diversity in Mexico. However, little is known about the superfamily Hesperioidea and communities of butterflies that live in coastal ecosystems. Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea of Laguna Potosí and surrounding area were surveyed monthly for 1 year (December 2009-November 2010) in pre-established transects in tropical dry forest; xerophytic shrubland; mangrove; coconut palm crop; secondary vegetation of tropical dry forest; and mixed environment of acacia forest, coconut palm, and mango crops. In total, 188 species in two superfamilies, six families, 18 subfamilies, and 127 genera were identified; seven species were endemic to Mexico, three to the tropical dry forest, and 32 were new records for Guerrero. Most species of butterflies were found in the family Hesperiidae (73), followed by Nymphalidae (52), Pieridae (20), Lycaenidae (19), Riodinidae (15), and Papilionidae (nine species). Most species were found in xerophytic shrubland (114) and tropical dry forest (103) that also had the greatest number of species exclusive to one habitat. Environmental heterogeneity increased the butterfly diversity of the area, including human-altered environments. Tropical dry forest and xerophytic shrubland seemed the vegetation types where butterfly diversity was greatest in the region. Preserving biological diversity, which is affected by both urbanization and the possibility of developing megaprojects for tourism, is necessary.
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1 March 2014
Diversity of Diurnal Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperioidea and Papilionoidea) of Laguna Potosí and Surrounding Area, Guerrero, Mexico
Ana Luisa Figueroa-Fernández,
Alejandro Mélendez-Herrada,
Armando Luis-Martínez,
Isabel Vargas-Fernández
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Southwestern Entomologist
Vol. 39 • No. 1
March 2014
Vol. 39 • No. 1
March 2014