The butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoformes) of three model mountainous badlands in Kyrgyzstan: a habitat without local or regional endemism

Abstract

This paper deal with study of the butterfly fauna of three mountainous badlands in Kyrgyzstan (Naryn Adyr, Red Canyon and Kyrk-Kechik Canyon). The studied badlands fauna comprises of 47 species, namely: 42 species in Naryn Adyr, 33 species in Kyrk-Kechik Canyon, 30 species in Red Canyon. Most of the butterflies within these badlands feed on droughtresistant plants. About two thirds of the studied fauna is represented by species with wide ranges, a bit less than one third – by Central Asiatic species. The local and regional endemism which is highly characteristic for Central Asia, in the studied badlands is not present.

Keywords

• butterflies
• fauna
• analysis
• badlands
• kyrgyzstan