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Current Distribution Of Indian Moon Moth (Actias Selene Hubner, 1806) In

West Bengal, India

Article in International Journal of Current Research · April 2019

DOI: 10.24941/ijcr.34645.03.2019

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL
OF CURRENT RESEARCH
International Journal of Current Research
Vol. 11, Issue, 03, pp.1849-1851, March, 2019
DOI: [Link]
ISSN: 0975-833X
RESEARCH ARTICLE
CURRENT DISTRIBUTION OF INDIAN MOON MOTH (ACTIAS
( SELENE HUBNER, 1806) IN WEST
BENGAL, INDIA
*,1Saurav Dwari, 2Sanjukta Mondal (Parui), 1Amal Kumar Mondal and 1Rasidul Islam, SK.
1Department of Botany & Forestry, Plant Taxonomy, Biosystematics and Molecular Taxonomy Laboratory
Laboratory, UGC-
DRS-SAP,, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore-721
Midnapore 721 102, West Bengal, India
2Department of Zoology, Lady Brabourne College, Kolkata-700017,
Kol 700017, West Bengal, India

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article History: Indian Moon Moth (Actias

( selene Hubner, 1806) is widespread moth species of India. It is cosmopolitan in India.
Previously it had recorded from four districts of West Bengal including Kolkata. Present paper deals with the three
Received 16th December, 2018
Received in revised form 25th January, 2019 new records from West Bengal. During the biodiversity survey of different regions of South West Bengal this
Accepted 28th February, 2019 species photographed and identified from three new districts of Southern part of West Bengal. With these three
Published online 31st March, 2019 new
w records update the present distribution of Indian Moon Moth in West Bengal. Beautifully coloured pale green
with tailed hindwing, large sized moth Actias selene Hubner, 1806 recorded in October 22, 2012, 4.05 PM from
Santipur (Nadia), September 23, 2017 6.30 PM from Belpahari (Jhargram), Sunday, September 30, 2018, [Link]
Key Words: AM from Ajodhya hill (Purulia).
Distribution, Indian Moon Moth, Nadia,
Jhargram, Purulia, West Bengal.
Copyright © 2019, Saurav Dwari et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution
ribution License, which permits unrestricted use,
distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Citation: Saurav Dwari, Sanjukta Mondal (Parui), Amal Kumar Mondal and Rasidul Islam, SK. 2019. “Current Current distribution of indian moon moth ((Actias
selene hubner, 1806) in west bengal, India”, International Journal of Current Research,
Research 11, (03), 1849-1851.

45 species under 39 genera of 10 families of moths

INTRODUCTION
documented from Sundarban Biosphere Reserve (Biswas et al.,
2016).. All total 94 species of moth reported from Sundarban
Insect is the major faction of animal kingdom consists of more Biosphere Reserve (Biswas et al al., 2017). We present here the
than half of the whole faunal species of the planet (May, three addition record of the Actias selene Hubner, 1806 from
1992).. Moths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) are generally West Bengal, India. Previously this moth recorded only from
nocturnal and phytophagous insects prefers forests, grasslands four districts (Darjeeling, Kolkata, South 24 Pargana and North
and agro-horticulture fields etc. (Shah and Mitra,
Mitra 2015). They 24 Pargana) of state West Bengal (Biswas et al., 2016; Biswas
help in pollination of night blooming flowering plants, play et al., 2017; Gupta, 1997). Actias selene (Hubner, 1806) is a
role as prey in food chain and also help in natural control of Critically Endangered species (ver 1) according to
weeds in an agro-ecosystem.
ecosystem. These insects are frequently International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). From
considered as bio- indicator because they are sensitive to India it was previously recorded from Kashmir, Sikkim,
habitat change (Shah and Mitra, 2015). 1158 moths recorded Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Bihar, Odisha, Himachal
from British India (Hampson, 1892). In the state of West Pradesh, Uttrakhand, Gujrat, Maharastra, Karnataka,
Bengal 580 species of moths are known to occur (Sanyal et Shubhalaxmi et al., 2011).
Tamilnadu and West Bengal (Shubhalaxmi
al., 2012).. The study of moth fauna of West Bengal in recent
past has been undertaken by several veral authors (Ghosh and
Chaudhury, 1997; Mandal and Ghosh,, 1997; 1997 Bhattacharya,
MATERIALS AND METHODS
1997a; Bhattacharya, 1997b; Mandal and Maulik,
Maulik 1997). They
have significantly contributed to the study of moth fauna from Samples were photographed during documentation of moths of
different districts of West Bengal after the earlier works Southern West Bengal, India (Figure 1) through Pollard Walk
undertaken by previous authors (Sevastopulo
Sevastopulo, 1945; Cotes and Method (Pollard, 1977; Pollard and Yates, 1993). In between
Swinhoe, 1889; Hampson, 1892; Hampson,, 1894; 1894 Hampson, August, 2012 to November, 2018. These are the first
1895; Hampson, 1896).. A total of 39 species belonging to 35 photographic record of Actias selene (Hubner, 1806) from new
genera under 6 families of moths were recorded from 25 tea three districts of West Bengal. Information on this species is
gardens of Dooars and Darjeeling hills (Shah
Shah and Mitra, 2015). based on observation from 04.05 PM to 04.50 PM in Santipur,
Nadia, 06.30 PM to 07.55 PM in Belpahari, Jhargram and
*Corresponding author: Saurav Dwari 08.05 AM to 08.57 AM in Ajodhya hill, Purulia. Specimen
Specimens
Department of Botany & Forestry, Plant Taxonomy, Biosystematics and were photographed for further identification process with the
Molecular Taxonomy Laboratory, UGC-DRS-SAP,
SAP, Vidyasagar University,
Midnapore-721 102, West Bengal, India.
help of High Resolution Digital Camera (Cannon 550 D with
1850 Saurav Dwari et al. Current distribution of indian moon moth (Actias selene hubner, 1806) in west bengal, India

EOS 18- 55mm lens) and was identified using documents of DISCUSSION
Hampson, 1892 and then confirmed by experts.
Early distributional range
RESULTS
Actias selene (Hubner, 1806) previously recorded from
Species description Darjeeling of North Bengal and South 24 Pargana, North 24
Pargana and Kolkata of South Bengal (Biswas et al., 2017,
Head, thorax, abdomen are whitish, prothorax with a dark pink Biswas et al., 2016, Gupta IJ (1993). From India it was
band and legs are pinkish. Fore wings are pale greenish. Hind previously recorded from Kashmir, Sikkim, Assam,
wings are similar to the fore wings; tail is very long and the Meghalaya, Manipur, Bihar, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh,
central portion of the tail is pinkish (Figure 2). Uttrakhand, Gujrat, Maharastra, Karnataka, Tamilnadu and
West Bengal (Shubhalaxmi et al, 2011).
Systematic position of Actias selene (Hubner, 1806)
Class: Insecta Habitat structure of new locality
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Saturniidae West Bengal is situated in eastern part of India, neighbor states
Genus: Actias Macleay, 1815 are Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, Sikkim and Assam. On the
Species: Actias selene (Hubner, 1806) eastern side the country Bangladesh is situated.

Figure 1. Study area [(A) Greenish stars showing previous record and violet stars showing new records of West Bengal, (B) Santipur,
Nadia, (C) Belpahari, Jhargram, (D) Ajodhya hill, Purulia]

Figure 2. A. Actias selene (Hubner, 1806), Santipur, Nadia; B. Actias selene (Hubner, 1806), Belpahari, Jhargram; C. Top view of
Actias selene (Hubner, 1806), Ajodhya hill, Purulia; D. Front view of Actias selene (Hubner, 1806), Ajodhya hill, Purulia
1851 International Journal of Current Research, Vol. 11, Issue, 03, pp.1849-1851, March, 2019

Three new places of record are Santipur (Nadia), Belpahari Cotes, EC. and Swinhoe, C. 1887, 1889. Catalogue of moths of
(Jhargram) and Ajodhya hill (Purulia). All three districts are India. Part 1-7, Indian Museum Calcutta, Kolkata, 1-815.
situated southern part of State West Bengal. The Area of Nadia Ghosh, SK. and Chaudhury, M. 1997. Insecta: Lepidoptera:
is 3927 km2. The Nadia district lies between 22°53′ N and Arctiidae. In: Director, Zoological Survey of India (Editor),
24°11′ N latitudes and between 85°09′ E and 88°48′ E Fauna of West Bengal (Part-7), State fauna series 3,
longitudes. Annual normal rainfall in this district is 1760 Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India, 247-273.
millimeter per year. Annual maximum temperature varies Gupta, IJ. 1997. Insecta: Lepidoptera: Saturniidae. In: Director,
between 35-42°C, whereas minimum temperature varies Zoological Survey of India (Editor), Fauna of West Bengal
between 10-12°C. The Area of Jhargram is 3037.64 km2. The (Part-7), State fauna series 3, Zoological Survey of India,
Jhargram district lies between 21°52′ N and 22°48′ N latitudes Kolkata, India, 409-428.
and between 86°34′ E and 87°20′ E longitudes. Annual normal Hampson, GF. 1892. Fauna of British India including Ceylon
rainfall in this district is 1400 millimeter per year. Annual and Burma (Moths) Taylor & Francis, London, 1:1- 527.
maximum temperature varies between 35-45°C, whereas Hampson, GF. 1894. Fauna of British India including Ceylon
minimum temperature varies between 7-9°C. The Area of and Burma (Moths) Taylor & Francis, London, 2:1- 609.
Purulia is 6259 km2. The Purulia district lies between 23°4710′ Hampson, GF. 1895. Fauna of British India including Ceylon
N and 23°50′ N latitudes and between 88°5565′ E and 86°65′ E and Burma (Moths) Vol. III, Taylor & Francis, London, 1-
longitudes. Three actual places of record lay 22°40′33′′ N 546.
latitude and 88°26′23′′ E longitude of Nadia, 22°38′ N latitude Hampson, GF. 1896. Fauna of British India including Ceylon
and 86°45′58′′ E longitude of Jhargram and 23°13′24′′ N and Burma (Moths) Taylor & Francis, London, 1:1-594.
latitude and 86°8′37′′ E longitude of Purulia. Annual normal Hampson, JF. 1892. The Fauna of British India, including
rainfall in this district is 1436 millimeter per year. Annual Ceylon and Burma. Taylor and Francis, Red Lion Court,
maximum temperature varies between 35-45°C, whereas Fleet Street. London. 1-527.
minimum temperature varies between 7-10°C. Mandal, DK. and Ghosh, SK. 1997. Insecta: Lepidoptera:
Heterocera: Geometridae. In: Director, Zoological Survey
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fauna series 3, Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata, India,
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