The Faunistic Investigation of Heliconiinae Butterflies (Lep:Nymphalidae) in Central Alburz

Order Lepidoptera consists of two suborders, butterflies and moths. This order with about 165000 species is considered as one of the major orders of insects. Butterflies with about 20000 species, is very high economic importance. The specimens of this suborder especially in larval stage are important pests of crops, on the other side they act as pollinators in the mature stage. Many of mature butterflies are collected by collectors because of their beauty and many of them are used as models in art and design. The present study was done to complete the butterflies fauna in the Alburz. In researches that performed during spring and summer 2010 on the butterflies fauna in parts of central Alburz (Dizin, Galandrud, Kamarbon, Nesen, Kodir and Baladeh), about 170 specimens of family Nymphalidae were collected by insect net and they were identified. Among the identified specimens, 6 species belong to 2 genera and 1tribes belonged to family Heliconiinae. Among the study stations, Kamarbon station had the most abundance because of its special climate and vegetation. The species Argynnisalexandra with 6 specimens had the highest abundance and species Argynnispaphia and A.adippe with 1 specimen had the less abundance in the study area.