A checklist of Butterflies in Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Region, Ghana
Citation
Mbawine J, Agyei R, Beta J, Collins S, Lindsell J, Obondo D, Szabolcs S (2023). A checklist of Butterflies in Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Region, Ghana. A Rocha Ghana. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/38ws89 accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-09-01.Description
The Atewa Range Reserve covers an area of 236.63 KM². The Atewa Range is internationally recognized as one of the highest priority rainforest ecosystems in West Africa for its high species diversity, high level of endemism and great hydrological importance (Larsen, 2006). Its butterfly diversity is outstanding with over 700 species projected to occur including the narrowly endemic Mylothris atewa Berger, 1980 and Abantis ja usheri Collins & Larsen, 2008 that also occurs only in a few upland forests in West Africa. This dataset is a checklist of butterfly species recorded in the Atewa forest of Ghana between 1950-2019. The dataset comprises 636 taxa compiled from dataset records from Torben Larsen’s book, the Butterflies of West Africa, RAP survey by Conservation International (2007), African Butterfly Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya (ABRI), The Biodiversity of Atewa Report, Szabolcs Sáfián’s records as well as a review by Szabolcs Sáfián and Jeremy Lindsell in 2019. The dataset has also been aligned to taxonomic records of LepSoc Africa with a few variations. There were 87 records in the original dataset which are expected by Larsen but have not been confirmed and therefore have not been included in this publication.Purpose
This dataset aims to provide current and comprehensive data of butterflies in the Atewa Range Forest Reserve. It is also to guide decision making on the management of the site.Sampling Description
Study Extent
The dataset was compiled from databases of scientific papers, project reports and a number of unpublished but verifiable observations within the Atewa Forest.Sampling
This dataset is a compilation of records of butterflies in Atewa. However, during the original data collection, the methods used are described as follows: records were made by collecting specimens using fruit-baited traps and standard butterfly nets along the main access road passing through the reserve, exploratory transects, hunter trails and in the forest interior. A few traps were also set in the tree canopy to increase possibility of trapping species in the Nymphalidae family which are difficult to trap that are difficult to catch with butterfly nets (Aduse-Poku &Doku-Marfo, 2007).Quality Control
The data was originally entered into an excel spreadsheet and the taxonomy was cross-checked and aligned with LepSoc Africa. Data was then formatted using Darwin Core. Data was cleaned for all other errors using openRefine.Method steps
- Existing records of butterfly were reviewed and cross-checked against each other to ensure that the names and any taxonomic alignments were the same as those on LepSoc Africa.
Taxonomic Coverages
The taxa were identified to either species or subspecies level.
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Torbenlarsenia perobscurarank: species
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Abantis elegantularank: species
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Abantis ja usherirank: subspecies
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Abantis leucogasterrank: species
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Abantis lucretiarank: species
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Acleros mackeniirank: species
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Acleros nigrapexrank: species
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Acleros ploetzirank: species
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Andronymus fenestrarank: species
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Andronymus caesar caesarrank: subspecies
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Andronymus evanderrank: species
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Andronymus hellesrank: species
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Andronymus herorank: species
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Andronymus neander neanderrank: subspecies
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Artitropa comus comusrank: subspecies
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Astictopterus anomoeusrank: species
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Borbo fatuellus fatuellusrank: subspecies
Geographic Coverages
The butterfly records were compiled from dataset records from Torben Larsen’s book, the Butterflies of West Africa, RAP survey by Conservation International (2007), African Butterfly Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya (ABRI), The Biodiversity of Atewa Report, Szabolcs Sáfián’s records as well as a review by Szabolcs Sáfián and Jeremy Lindsell in 2019.
Bibliographic Citations
- Aduse-Poku, K. and Doku-Marfo, E. (2007). A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Ghana. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Ghana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 47. Conservation International, Arlington, VA. https://asset-pdf.scinapse.io/prod/1548269870/1548269870.pdf Jeremy Lindsell, Ransford Agyei, Daryl Bosu, Jan Decher, William Hawthorne, Cicely Marshall, Caleb Ofori-Boateng and Mark-Oliver Rodel (2019). Biodiversity of Atewa Forest A Research Report. A Rocha Ghana. Pp 1-89. https://ghana.arocha.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2015/07/Biodiversity-of-Atewa-A-Rocha.pdf Larsen, T.B. (2005a): Butterflies of West Africa. Apollo Books, Svendborg, Denmark.595 pp. + 135 colour plates. Larsen, T.B. (2006). The Ghana Butterfly Fauna and its Contribution to the objective of the protected area system, WDSP Report, Vol.63. Ghana and Gland. Wildlife Division (Forest Commission) and IUCN. McCullough, J., L.E. Alonso, P. Naskrecki, H.E. Wright and Y. Osei-Owusu (eds.). 2007. A Rapid Biological Assessment of the Atewa Range Forest Reserve, Eastern Ghana. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 47. Conservation International, Arlington, VA. https://asset-pdf.scinapse.io/prod/1548269870/1548269870.pdf Sáfián, Sz., Larsen, T.B., Collins, S.C., Csontos, G & Aduse-Poku, K. (2012): Results of the butterfly and moth inventory in Ghana I. (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae). Folia Entomologica Hungarica. 73:53-75. -
Contacts
Jacqueline Mbawineoriginator
position: Scientific Officer
A Rocha Ghana
4 Sabblah Link, North Legon, Agbogba
Accra
KN 3480
GH
Telephone: +233261077158
email: jacqueline.kumadoh@arocha.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=57402670
Ransford Agyei
originator
position: Conservation and Resource Development Officer
A Rocha Ghana
4 Sabblah Link, North Legon, Agbogba
Accra
KN 3480
GH
email: ransford.agyei@arocha.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=11645083
Julius Beta
originator
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
80202
Watamu
P.O Box 383
KE
email: betajulius46@gmail.com
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=85b867156
Steve Collins
originator
position: Director
African Butterfly Research Institute
00800
Nairobi
P.O. BOX 14308
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com
Jeremy Lindsell
originator
position: Director of Science and Conservation
A Rocha International
c/o The RSPB, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke St,
Cambridge
CB2 3QZ
GB
email: jeremy.lindsell@aroch.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=133582a2
Dorine Obondo
originator
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
80202
Watamu
P.O Box 383
email: dorineauma702@gmail.com
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=7b8588226
Sáfián Szabolcs
originator
position: Research associate
Hungarian Natural History Museum
H-1088
Budapest
Budapest Baross utca 13
HU
email: szsafian@gmail.com
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0614-4203
Jacqueline Mbawine
metadata author
position: Scientific Officer
A Rocha Ghana
4 Sabblah Link, North Legon, Agbogba
Accra
KN 3480
GH
Telephone: +233261077158
email: jacqueline.kumadoh@arocha.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=57402670
Jeremy Lindsell
metadata author
position: Director of Science and Conservation
A Rocha International
The RSPB, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke St
Cambridge
CB2 3QZ
GB
email: jeremy.lindsell@arocha.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=133582a2
Sáfián Szabolcs
metadata author
position: Research Associate
Hungarian Natural History Museum
H-1088
Budapest
Budapest Baross utca 13
HU
email: szsafian@gmail.com
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0614-4203
Jacqueline Mbawine
publisher
position: Scientific Officer
A Rocha Ghana
4 Sabblah Link, North Legon, Agbogba
Accra
KN 3480
GH
Telephone: +233261077158
email: jacqueline.kumadoh@arocha.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=57402670
Jeremy Lindsell
originator
position: Director of Science and Conservation
A Rocha International
c/o The RSPB, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke St,
Cambridge
CB2 3QZ
GB
email: jeremy.lindsell@aroch.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=133582a2
Sáfián Szabolcs
originator
position: Research Associate
Hungarian Natural History Museum
H-1088
Budapest
Budapest Baross utca 13
email: szsafian@gmail.com
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0614-4203
Jacqueline Mbawine
administrative point of contact
position: Scientific Officer
A Rocha Ghana
4 Sabblah Link, North Legon, Agbogba
Accra
KN 3480
GH
Telephone: +233261077158
email: jacqueline.kumadoh@arocha.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=57402670
Jeremy Lindsell
administrative point of contact
position: Director of Science and Conservation
A Rocha International
c/o The RSPB, David Attenborough Building, Pembroke St,
Cambridge
CB2 3QZ
GB
email: jeremy.lindsell@aroch.org
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=133582a2
Sáfián Szabolcs
administrative point of contact
position: Research associate
Hungarian Natural History Museum
H-1088
Budapest
Budapest Baross utca 13
HU
email: szsafian@gmail.com
userId: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0614-4203