A Checklist of the Butterflies of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya
Citation
Collins S, Jenner D, Jackson C, Ochieng J, Mugalo D (2019). A Checklist of the Butterflies of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest, Kenya. A Rocha Kenya. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/bj0vpx accessed via GBIF.org on 2023-03-21.Description
Arabuko-Sokoke forest, located south of Gede in Kilifi County, is the largest and most intact coastal forest in East Africa. It is rich in butterfly species with an estimated c.30% of the butterfly species of Kenya recorded within it. This checklist consists of 282 butterfly species (14 records of family Papilionidae, 33 Pieridae, 88 Lycaenidae, 101 Nymphalidae and 46 Hesperiidae) that have been recorded from Arabuko-Sokoke Forest. These data were collected through sight observations, photographs and specimen records, trapped through use of sweep nets or butterfly traps.Sampling Description
Study Extent
Specimens were collected in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest from the early 20th Century up to 2007. The records come from throughout the 42,000 ha of forest reserve – as described in ‘Study Area Description’.Sampling
Butterflies were caught through sweep netting or use of butterfly traps and mounted as specimens and kept mainly in the collection of National Museums of Kenya or the African Butterfly Research Institute (ABRI). Furthermore, digital images of butterflies are now preserved on the Virtual Museum (http://vmus.adu.org.za/)Quality Control
The species list was confirmed with the lead author at ABRI together with reference to lepidopterist Mike Clifton at the National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi.Method steps
- Specimens that were collected from Arabuko-Sokoke Forest were mounted, labelled and preserved in the lepidoptera collection of National Museums of Kenya, ABRI and a number of other national museums around the world. All available references to butterflies of Arabuko-Sokoke were collated and species that were considered out of range or rare were queried through confirmation of the specimen. These data were then compiled into a species list ordered by taxonomic order following Larsen TB (1996).
Taxonomic Coverages
Butterflies recorded within the boundaries of Arabuko-Sokoke Forest reserve.
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Papilionidae, Pieridae, Lycaenidae, Nymphalidae, Hesperiidae
-
Papilio dardanus Brown, 1776common name: Mocker Swallowtail or Flying Handkerchief rank: species
-
Iolaus aemulus apatosa (Stempffer 1952)common name: Short-barred Sapphire rank: subspecies
Geographic Coverages
Butterflies observed in Arabuko-Sokoke Forest.Latitude of 3° 20’S, Longitude 39° 50’E
Bibliographic Citations
- Larsen T.B (1996). The Butterflies of Kenya and Their Natural History. Martins, D.J. and Collins S. (2016) Butterflies of East Africa Williams, M.C (2018). A checklist of the Afrotropical Butterflies, 17th edition -
Contacts
Steve Collinsoriginator
position: Lepidopterist
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. Box 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com
David Jenner
originator
Colin Jackson
originator
position: National Director
A Rocha Kenya
P.O. Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: colin.jackson@arocha.org
homepage: http://www.arocha.or.ke
Judith Ochieng
originator
position: Data Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: judithadhiambo85@gmail.com
Darlip Mugalo
originator
position: Intern
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: darlipmugalo@gmail.com
Steve Collins
metadata author
position: Lepidopterist
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. Box 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com
Judith Ochieng
metadata author
position: Data Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: judithadhiambo85@gmail.com
Colin Jackson
metadata author
position: National Director
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: colin.jackson@arocha.org
homepage: http://www.arocha.or.ke
Lawrence Monda
publisher
position: ICT Manager
National Museums of Kenya
P.O Box 40658
Nairobi
00100
KE
email: lmonda@museums.or.ke
homepage: http://www.museums.or.ke
Steve Collins
administrative point of contact
position: Lepidopterist
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. Box 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com
David Jenner
administrative point of contact