ZSI Completes Catalogue of 13,703 Butterfly and Moth Species

The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), headquartered in Kolkata, completed the first comprehensive Catalogue of Lepidoptera (Butterflies and Moths) of India on 30 July 2026. The catalogue lists 13,703 species of butterflies and moths from India and covers 3,705 genera, 240 subfamilies, 102 families, and 31 superfamilies.

Catalogue of Lepidoptera

Lepidoptera is the insect order that includes butterflies and moths. The Indian catalogue consolidates more than a century of scattered taxonomic records into a single national reference work. The project took 12 years and involved field surveys, museum studies, and verification of scientific literature.

Taxonomic Coverage

The catalogue is arranged in 22 volumes and documents species-level diversity across major taxonomic ranks. The final volume was published in the international journal Zootaxa and covered the remaining 1,689 species. The work also resolved taxonomic ambiguities in several recorded groups.

Geometroidea and Indian Moths

One major component of the catalogue is the moth superfamily Geometroidea. India has 2,205 recorded species in this superfamily. The catalogue places India among the important global regions for nocturnal pollinators.

Important Facts for Exams

• Lepidoptera is one of the largest insect orders and includes butterflies and moths.
• The Zoological Survey of India was established in 1916 and functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.
• Zootaxa is a peer-reviewed international journal that publishes zoological taxonomy and systematic studies.
• India’s 13,703 recorded Lepidoptera species account for about 8.25% of all known Lepidoptera species worldwide.

Biodiversity Reference Work

The catalogue provides a national baseline for biodiversity research, ecological monitoring, climate change studies, and conservation planning in India. It also serves as a reference for species identification and taxonomic classification in Indian entomology.