Species Diversity of Macromoths (Lepidoptera: Heterocera) in Perlis State Park, Kedawi Region, Malaysia.

• Main Author: Inda Mastura, Ruslan
• Format: Final Year Project Report
• Language: English
• Published: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) 2016
• Subjects: QH Natural history; QL Zoology
• Online Access: http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/35831/5/Inda%20Mastura%20%28fulltext%29.pdf; http://ir.unimas.my/id/eprint/35831/

This study aimed to determine the species diversity of macromoths in Perlis State Park, Kedawi Region, Malaysia. Two sampling series were conducted from 17th April until 21st April 2015 and 12th November until 16th November 2015. Modified Pennsylvanian light trap with 160 W mercury vapor bulb was used to attract the macromoths in both ground (≤ 2m) and lower canopy (≥ 20m) level. A total of 386 individuals comprising 182 species from 13 families were recorded in 10 nights of sampling. The macromoths diversity was considerably high with Fisher’s alpha diversity index of α= 134.5 and Shannon’s diversity index, H’= 4.777. The ground level shows slightly higher diversity index compared to the lower canopy level. The pattern of vertical distribution varied according to certain families. Noctuidae was the highest family recorded in terms of species number while family Arctiidae was the highest for number of individuals collected. Keywords: diversity, macromoths, ground level, lower canopy level, Perlis State Park