Alpha diversity with increasing altitude and Rapoport’s rule adherence: Elevational trends in Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) of Mizoram, India

By

Hnialum, Malsawmtluanga
Narayanasami, Chitra
Patil, Santosh
Palanisamy, Soundararajan
Ramalingam, Kumaraperumal
Venkatasamy, Balasubramani
Mallick, Amrit
Natarajan, Dilipsundar
Gopal, Arulkumar
B, Lalmuanzuala

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-4-25

Original Publication

Biodiversity data journal

Volume

13

Pages

1--16

Subjects

Alpha diversity , Biogeography , elevational gradient , Indo-Myanmar , Noctuoidea , Rapoport’s rule

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers [2013]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.13.e152977

 

Abstract

An assessment of the alpha diversity across the altitudinal range sizes for the moths of Noctuoidea (Lepidoptera) collected from 25 locations in Mizoram, a biodiversity hotspot in India, was undertaken. A total of 164 moth specimens were examined. based on morphological and genitalia characteristics for their identity. Identified specimens belonged to 42 species and 34 genera of three families Erebidae, Noctuidae and Nolidae. The results showed that the alpha diversity of Noctuoidea moths was the highest at the lower middle altitude range (400-800 m), while the least was at the lower elevation range (0-400 m). In contrast, the species’ ranges increased with rising altitude. Steven’s (R = 0.903, p < 0.001), Pagel’s (R² = 0.873, p < 0.06), Rohde’s (R² = 0.961, p < 0.001) and cross-species (R² = 0.013, p < 0.6) methods were used to test Rapoport’s rule. They yielded three positive results with the cross-species method being negative due to outliers in the species distribution. Rapoport’s rule applicability for moths in the Indo-Myanmar biodiversity hotspot was evaluated for the first time. These findings are vital in explaining the elevational diversity patterns of noctuoid moths in northeast India and Indo-Myanmar, leading to a better understanding of the region's biogeography.