Occurrence of Butterflies at Atewa Range Forest Ghana, 1950 to 2019
Citation
Collins S, Sáfián S, Obondo D, Beta J (2022). Occurrence of Butterflies at Atewa Range Forest Ghana, 1950 to 2019. Version 1.1. A Rocha Kenya. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/xcb2p7 accessed via GBIF.org on 2024-12-15.Description
The Atewa Range Forest Reserve is located at the Eastern Region of Ghana near Kibi town. It is the largest intact upland forest in Ghana covering 236.63km² and is internationally recognized as one of the highest priority ecosystems in West Africa for its high species diversity, high level of endemism and great hydrological importance (Larsen, 2006). Its butterfly diversity is high with over 700 species projected to occur including Mylothris atewa and Abantis ja usheri that also occurs in a few upland forests in West Africa. This dataset presents butterfly specimens collected over seven decades and are stored at the African Butterfly Research Institute. A total number of 4,761 butterflies were recorded to represent 424 species from the documented 6 butterfly families in Ghana. This includes Hesperiidae (98), Nymphalidae (160), Lycaenidae (127), Papilionidae (16), Pieridae (22) and one species of Riodinidae.Purpose
The dataset intends to give a focus for the contemporary survey work and management decision. The records also focus on the priorities of key actions by highlighting species of conservation importance. It also gives a baseline information on the occurrence of butterflies at Atewa Forest Reserve which will help to create the best body of evidence possible to guide the conservation work and policy decisions of our focal landscapes. Butterflies are a useful insect group in environmental monitoring and evaluation studies and have been used in several biodiversity monitoring programs around the globe with considerable success. This dataset gives access to the first of the over 3 Million species of ABRI.
Sampling Description
Study Extent
Butterfly collection was done along Atewa Forest Reserve.Sampling
The intensive butterfly sampling was conducted along paths and small forest roads in the vegetation types. The butterflies were captured during the day using sweep nets either in flight or when settled and traps. Specimens reared from larva or ova were also collected from the field. The collected specimens were preserved in the ABRI collection.Quality Control
Steve Collins, Director at ABRI and the lead author, did all the butterfly identification The butterfly species names recorded were referenced using the following books and websites: 1. Torben Larsen’s Book on The Butterflies of Kenya and their natural history 2. Global Biodiversity Information Facility 3. Catalogue of Life 4. Global Name Resolver Original dataset was then formatted while adhering to Darwin’s CoreMethod steps
- The bait traps were laid along paths and small roads of different vegetation types to attract butterflies. The collectors captured butterflies either in flight or at rest by the use of sweep nets. Sweep nets were held upside down to collect butterflies. The butterfly samples to be retained were then pinched on the thorax. With their wings over the back, the butterflies were then slipped into envelopes or paper triangles. Thereafter, specimens were dried, mounted, labelled and preserved in the ABRI collection. Google Earth was the major tool used to generate each coordinate for each locality, each coordinate is taken from a central position to represent the general locality. Open refine was the ultimate tool used for data cleaning, with this put to proper use the quality of data was enhanced and common errors made for localities were corrected, Spellings were under check too.
Taxonomic Coverages
Geographic Coverages
Butterfly collection was done across the Atewa forest that covers an area of 263.12KM² which is comprised of two separate reserves; The Atewa range Reserve (236.63 KM²) and Atewa Range Extension Reserve (26.49KM²). These two forest reserves form a continuous block between latitudes 0°58’ to 6°20’N and longitudes 0°31’ to 0°40’W
Bibliographic Citations
- Jeremy A. Lindsell; Ransford Agyei; Daryl Bosu; Jan Decher; William Hawthorne; Cicely Marshall; Caleb Ofori-Boateng; Mark-Oliver Rödel (2019) "The Biodiversity of Atewa Forest" (PDF). A Rocha Ghana & A Rocha International. -
- Larsen, T.B. (2006). The Ghana Butterfly Fauna and its Contribution to the objective of the protected area system, WDSP Report, Vol.63. Ghana and Gland. Wildlife Division (Forest Commission) and IUCN. -
Contacts
Steve Collinsoriginator
position: Director
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. BOX 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com
Szabolcs Sáfián
originator
position: Research associate
Hungarian Natural History Museum
H-1088 Budapest
Budapest
Baross utca 13
HU
email: szsafian@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-0614-4203
Dorine Obondo
originator
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: dorineauma702@gmail.com
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorine-obondo-7b8588226/
Julius Beta
originator
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: betajulius46@gmail.com
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=https://www.linkedin.com/in/beta-julius-85b867156/
Steve Collins
metadata author
position: Director
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. BOX 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com
Szabolcs Sáfián
metadata author
position: Research associate
Hungarian Natural History Museum
H-1088 Budapest
Budapest
Baross utca 13
HU
email: szsafian@gmail.com
userId: https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-0614-4203
Dorine Obondo
metadata author
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
KE
email: dorineauma702@gmail.com
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=https://www.linkedin.com/in/dorine-obondo-7b8588226/
Julius Beta
metadata author
position: Data Capture Clerk
A Rocha Kenya
P.O Box 383
Watamu
80202
email: betajulius46@gmail.com
homepage: https://www.arocha.or.ke/
userId: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=https://www.linkedin.com/in/beta-julius-85b867156/
Lawrence Monda
programmer
position: Technical Liaison GBIF Kenya
National Museums of Kenya
P.O Box 40658
Nairobi
00100
KE
email: Imonda@museums.or.ke
homepage: https://www.museums.or.ke/
Steve Collins
administrative point of contact
position: Director
African Butterfly Research Institute
P.O. BOX 14308
Nairobi
00800
KE
email: collinsabri@gmail.com