An updated checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Guayaquil, Ecuador

Recent years saw an increased interest in biodiversity research regarding green spaces in urban areas around the globe. Wildlife studies of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in urban semi-natural habitats provide key information towards developing conservation strategies for such areas. This...

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Main Authors: Pablo Sebastián Padrón, Gabriel A. Brito-Vera, Mishelle Palomeque-Briones, Estefanía Dueñas-Galvis, Shinichi Nakahara
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Sociedad Chilena de Entomología 2023-01-01
Series:Revista Chilena de Entomología
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.biotaxa.org/rce/article/view/80302
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author Pablo Sebastián Padrón
Gabriel A. Brito-Vera
Mishelle Palomeque-Briones
Estefanía Dueñas-Galvis
Shinichi Nakahara
author_facet Pablo Sebastián Padrón
Gabriel A. Brito-Vera
Mishelle Palomeque-Briones
Estefanía Dueñas-Galvis
Shinichi Nakahara
author_sort Pablo Sebastián Padrón
collection DOAJ
description Recent years saw an increased interest in biodiversity research regarding green spaces in urban areas around the globe. Wildlife studies of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in urban semi-natural habitats provide key information towards developing conservation strategies for such areas. This is especially true considering the charismatic aspect of these insects, as well as their ability to serve as bioindicators. The growing appreciation and interest of the general population towards biodiversity adds special importance to such studies. However, a firm understanding of the species level diversity of butterflies is crucial to achieve this goal and such work is still lacking in many parts of the Neotropics. In the present study, we present an updated species checklist of butterflies for Guayaquil, Ecuador. Information of the species reported here was obtained from fieldwork, an intensive bibliographic review, and visits to entomological collections, along with information from the iNaturalist citizen science platform. A total of 557 valid records of butterflies are reported, which belong to 166 species that are represented in six families. A total of 48 species are reported for the first time for Guayaquil. Some areas, especially in parks and near protected areas are where more species can be found. This indicates that green areas in general should be preserved, managed appropriately, and increased to maintain this extraordinary urban butterfly biodiversity. We hope this new information will be utilized to increase the interest in the study of butterflies that inhabit Guayaquil. The purpose of this study is to improve our knowledge of the butterfly community, their interactions, and to design and implement adequate strategies for the conservation of the city’s biodiversity.
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spelling doaj.art-1349666d34c343b8bc4e234dc3806b372023-02-02T12:10:52ZengSociedad Chilena de EntomologíaRevista Chilena de Entomología0034-740X0718-89942023-01-014912341https://doi.org/10.35249/rche.49.1.23.05An updated checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Guayaquil, EcuadorPablo Sebastián Padrón0Gabriel A. Brito-Vera1Mishelle Palomeque-Briones2Estefanía Dueñas-Galvis3Shinichi Nakahara4Laboratorio de Entomología, Museo de Zoología de la Universidad del Azuay, Cuenca, Ecuador. Department of Ecology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.Department of Biology, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, EcuadorDepartment of Biology, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, EcuadorDepartment of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USARecent years saw an increased interest in biodiversity research regarding green spaces in urban areas around the globe. Wildlife studies of butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) in urban semi-natural habitats provide key information towards developing conservation strategies for such areas. This is especially true considering the charismatic aspect of these insects, as well as their ability to serve as bioindicators. The growing appreciation and interest of the general population towards biodiversity adds special importance to such studies. However, a firm understanding of the species level diversity of butterflies is crucial to achieve this goal and such work is still lacking in many parts of the Neotropics. In the present study, we present an updated species checklist of butterflies for Guayaquil, Ecuador. Information of the species reported here was obtained from fieldwork, an intensive bibliographic review, and visits to entomological collections, along with information from the iNaturalist citizen science platform. A total of 557 valid records of butterflies are reported, which belong to 166 species that are represented in six families. A total of 48 species are reported for the first time for Guayaquil. Some areas, especially in parks and near protected areas are where more species can be found. This indicates that green areas in general should be preserved, managed appropriately, and increased to maintain this extraordinary urban butterfly biodiversity. We hope this new information will be utilized to increase the interest in the study of butterflies that inhabit Guayaquil. The purpose of this study is to improve our knowledge of the butterfly community, their interactions, and to design and implement adequate strategies for the conservation of the city’s biodiversity.https://www.biotaxa.org/rce/article/view/80302biodiversityconservationneotropicsurban
spellingShingle Pablo Sebastián Padrón
Gabriel A. Brito-Vera
Mishelle Palomeque-Briones
Estefanía Dueñas-Galvis
Shinichi Nakahara
An updated checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Guayaquil, Ecuador
Revista Chilena de Entomología
biodiversity
conservation
neotropics
urban
title An updated checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Guayaquil, Ecuador
title_full An updated checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Guayaquil, Ecuador
title_fullStr An updated checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Guayaquil, Ecuador
title_full_unstemmed An updated checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Guayaquil, Ecuador
title_short An updated checklist of the butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Guayaquil, Ecuador
title_sort updated checklist of the butterflies lepidoptera papilionoidea of guayaquil ecuador
topic biodiversity
conservation
neotropics
urban
url https://www.biotaxa.org/rce/article/view/80302
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