Four-Ringed Butterfly Resurfaces in India

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Context

A study shows that the great four-ring butterfly (Ypthima cantliei) has been spotted in India for the first time in 61 years.
This discovery is detailed in a paper by the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

Historical Context

The last sighting of the great four-ring was in 1957 in Margherita, Assam.
Margherita has not seen this butterfly for over 60 years.

Discovery and Habitat

The butterfly was discovered in Namdapha National Park in 2018.
The park is in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district, covering 1,985 square kilometers and bordering Myanmar.
The park's elevation ranges from 298.7 meters to 4,498.8 meters above sea level.
The butterfly was found during a survey in the Miao range of the park.

Four-Ringed Butterfly

The great four-ring butterfly (Ypthima cantliei) is part of the Satyrinae subfamily.
It is known for its unique features and specific habitat.
This butterfly belongs to the Nymphalidae family, which includes about 6,000 species.
India has 35 Ypthima species, with 23 in the northeastern states.
Ypthima species are most diverse in China (especially Yunnan and Sichuan), with additional populations in Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.

READ ABOUT NAMDAPHA NATIONAL PARK: https://www.iasgyan.in/daily-current-affairs/namdapha-national-park-and-tiger-reserve

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. It is, India's fourth-largest national park by area, is nestled between the Patkai and Dapha Bum ranges of the Mishmi Hills in the Eastern Himalayas. It is unique for being the world's only park that houses all four big cat species—the Tiger, Leopard, Snow Leopard, and Clouded Leopard—as well as a large number of lesser cat species.

Which of the following national parks is described above?

A) Kaziranga National Park

B) Manas National Park

C) Namdapha National Park

D) Sundarbans National Park

Answer: C) Namdapha National Park

SOURCE: THE HINDU