Forest fragments in a human-dominated landscape are threatened by anthropogenic activities, especially in regions with high population growth, like Rwanda. Such is the case of the Ibanda Makera forest fragment, which is threatened by human activities, including agricultural encroachment, and drought. To mitigate these threats, an effort has been made to protect the forest’s indigenous plant and animal species. In this regard, a study has been undertaken to document the butterfly diversity within the forest to obtain baseline data for future monitoring of environmental change and forest restoration. Butterfly specimens were collected in May and June 2023 using hand sweep nets along transects, baited traps, and opportunistic sampling. A first species checklist of 112 butterfly species is reported from the forest. More sampling is clearly needed; our results showed a bias towards large-bodied species and two important butterfly families Lycaenidae (eight species) and Heperiidae (four species) were under sampled. Additional studies are required to compliment this first baseline assessment, including surveys of additional areas and habitats within the Ibanda Makera forest remnant, and spanning seasonal times.

South Africa has a higher level of biodiversity in the Papilionoidea (butterflies) than might be expected from its relatively high latitude. In order to understand this phenomenon we consider the impact of continental drift on oceanic circulation, topographic changes wrought by persistent uplift, climatic consequences such as periodic cooling and aridification, and the resultant vegetational changes in Africa since the late Cretaceous period. This narrative is compared with evidence from dated phylogenies of southern African butterfly groups, such as the highly speciose lycaenid genera Thestor, Chrysoritis and Lepidochrysops. Certain satyrine genera are also considered such as Bicyclus, all genera of the tribe Dirini, and Pseudonympha of the subtribe Ypthimina of tribe Satyrini.

Particularly influential vegetation changes were the transitions from forest to grassland and savanna, and later to the karoo biomes and fynbos. This resulted in the plant heterogeneity seen today, and influenced the cladogenesis and speciation of the butterfly groups under review. Adaptations like the use of cold-adapted grasses as host plants in the Satyrinae and ant association (ultimately aphytophagy) in some aphnaeine and polyommatine lineages allowed such butterflies to occupy the large variety of ecological niches provided by the vegetational changes. This led to the current highly speciose and endemic characteristics of multiple South African butterfly genera.

This file contains references to publications that refer to butterflies and skippers in the Afrotropical Region.