Anthropic disturbance affecting the patterns of diversity in the Mountain Satyrinae Pronophilina Reuter, 1896 in an upper Andean Forest in Colombia (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)

Abstract

Lepidoptera of the subtribe Pronophilina Reuter, 1896 are widely distributed in the Andes, specifically in high Andean/Paramo ecosystems. These ecosystems in the last decades have severely suffered from diverse anthropic activities, managing to affect the biocenosis-biotope relationship. Therefore, it is highly important to uncover the patterns of diversity and distribution of the species that are related in a disturbed area, in order to implement conservation strategies. Therefore, in the present study, the effect of anthropic disturbance on the diversity patterns of Pronophilina butterflies in a high Andean Forest in the village of Frailejonal, La Calera, Colombia was analy-zed. Samples were conducted using standard passive and active methods for ecological studies in butterflies. Three study stations were established according to the degree of habitat disturbance: “High”, “Medium”, and “Low”. To analyze the diversity patterns, Hill number estimates (based on effective species) were performed and species tur-nover was analyzed by a Bray Curtis similarity analysis corroborated by an NMDS test, based on this it was found that this group of butterflies present less richness and the greater presence of dominant species in the zone of “High” disturbance. In turn, in the “Medium” and “Low” states, there was a greater diversity of butterflies. Panya-pedaliodes drymaea (Hewitson, 1858), Pedaliodes phaea ochrotaenia (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867) and Pedalio-des polla Thieme, 1905 are proposed as synanthropic species, given their high abundance in disturbed areas, since they appear to respond better to anthropic processes. However, endemic species of Pronophilina are reported such as Lymanopoda samius Westwood, 1851, Manerebia apiculata (C. Felder & R. Felder, 1867), and Manerebia leva-na (Godman, 1905), highlighting the importance of generating ecological restoration and conservation strategies in the study area.