Updated Checklist of Butterfly Diversity (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) of Qatar

Introduction

Qatar lies within the vast desert belt on the Arabian Peninsula and is characterized by an arid climate with irregular precipitation [1]. The temperature varies between an extremely hot summer (reaching up to 50°C) and cool, dry winter (around 15-25°C). Consequently, the flora and fauna of the country are limited to a small number of species that can survive these extreme conditions. The scarcity of water and food has a major impact on the faunal composition in Qatar, which includes reptiles such as lizards [2], striped hyenas, various birds, and other animals.

Butterflies (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) are distinguished by their scaly wings, diverse wing patterns, and diurnal habits [3]. They are excellent environmental indicators due to their sensitivity to variations in temperature and precipitation and are important pollinators [4, 5, 6]. In the desert environment of Qatar, adults are most often seen feeding on floral nectar. The following plant species are used as adult nectar sources and larval host plants [7]: Ziziphus spina-christi (L.) Willd.; Acacia tortilis (Forssk.) Hayne; Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce; Bougainvillea glabra Choisy; Heliotropium curassavicum (L.); Tetraena qatarensis (Hadidi) Beier & Thulin; Pulicaria undulata (L.) C.A. Mey.; _Haplophyllum tuberculatum (_Forssk.)

Ad. Juss.; and Capparis spinosa var. mucronifolia Hedge & Lam. ex R.R. Stewart. In addition to resident butterflies, migratory species including Vanessa cardui and Colias croceus are periodic visitors to Qatar [8].

There is limited information available on the insect fauna of Qatar, including butterflies [9, 10, 11]. The latest publications on the butterflies of Qatar are [8, 9, 12]. This study aims to compile an updated checklist of butterfly species (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea) from various regions in Qatar.

Discussion

The hot, arid climate and low precipitation of Qatar significantly influence the distribution of plants and animals in the country, including insects [9]. Previous studies have recorded 24 species of butterflies from various Municipalities in Qatar [8, 9, 12]. In the present study, a total of 15 butterfly species were identified in Qatar, including four species not previously reported from the country: Papilio demodocus, Belenois aurota, Colotis phisadia, and Colotis amata. Pinkert, et al. [12] reported 12 species in Qatar using data from gbif.org, including the North American endemic species Brephidium exilis, which is likely an error. Papilio demodocus is a large species with a dark brown appearance and circular yellow spots on its fore- and hindwings. This butterfly contributes to pollination while bringing some vibrancy to its natural environment [15]. Belenois aurota butterflies, known as the caper white, are small to medium-sized butterflies favouring warm environments, including deserts, steppes, and areas with thorny vegetation, and they feed on the blossoms of Capparis spinosa [16]. Additionally, Colotis phisadia thrives throughout the warmer months of the year, with their larvae feeding on Salvadora persica (Salvadoraceae) [17]. Colotis amata is characterized by salmon-pink-colored outer edges, with thick black borders on its forewings. These butterflies typically fly close to the ground, gather in groups for roosting, and settle in dried-out herbaceous regions to blend in [18].

Due to its hot weather and lack of water year-round [1], Qatar’s butterfly fauna is relatively species-poor in addition to the building constructions around some of the investigated sites. Junonia orithya, Danaus chrysippus, and Vanessa cardui sometimes migrate and can be found in several countries within the Arabian Peninsula, including Saudi Arabia [15], Oman [19], United Arab Emirates [­20], and Qatar. Adults of these species rely on the nectar of Asystasia gangetica and Ziziphus spina-christi for nutrition. There are no endemic species or subspecies. Nevertheless, there are three primary kinds of reasons contributing to the decline of butterflies around the world that can be applied on Qatar as well such as, degradation and loss of habitat, chemical pollution, and climate change [21, 22, 23, 24, 25].

The human population of Qatar is rapidly increasing, with a 13.2% increase in 2021, leading to increased urbanization and demands for food resources. Natural and seminatural habitats are disappearing from agricultural landscapes worldwide as a result of these influences [26]. Significant efforts by the government and private sectors to increase crop production and initiate local farms may attract migrant butterfly species. In Europe, the decline of small-scale farms is associated with declines in butterfly abundance and richness [27]. In this study, most butterflies were captured from areas well known for agriculture and flowers, such as Al-Shamal Farm (Al-Shamal municipality), Baladna and Qatar University Farm (Al-Khor municipality), and Khubayb Al Reem and Al Rifaa Farm (Al-Rayan municipality). Some butterflies, such as Pieris rapae and Papilio demoleus, can consume cruciferous and Citrus crops, respectively [28, 29]. In the present study, Pieris rapae was not detected, but Papilio demoleus was found in Qatar. While expanding agriculture has been shown to attract more butterfly species in some countries, its impact on Qatar’s butterfly populations remains uncertain and may vary. On the other hand, the use of synthetic pesticides in industrial agriculture raises serious concerns since these chemicals have the ability to drastically reduce native wildlife, which in turn might negatively harm current butterfly populations. In addition, the extensive use of pesticides may produce an unattractive environment that prevents new migratory species from arriving in the region, negating the possible advantages of further agricultural growth [30, 31]. Long-term monitoring of butterfly populations in Qatar to evaluate the impacts of urbanization, agriculture, and climate change should be the focus of future study. Furthermore, focused research on recently discovered species may shed light on their ecological functions. The difficult environment in Qatar and the lack of historical data, however, might compromise the validity of the conclusions.

Conclusion

In this study, we present an updated checklist of butterfly species found in Qatar, shedding light on their diversity and distribution across the country’s diverse habitats. With a total of 15 species documented, including four newly reported species, our findings contribute to the growing understanding of Qatar’s butterfly fauna. These delicate insects, with their intricate color patterns, serve as vital environmental indicators, reflecting the unique ecological conditions of Qatar’s hot and arid climate. Our comprehensive survey spanning eight municipalities over three years provides valuable insights into the geographic distribution and abundance of butterfly families, highlighting the importance of various habitats in supporting butterfly diversity. Moving forward, the rapid urbanization and increasing demands for food resources in Qatar pose both challenges and opportunities for butterfly conservation. Efforts to expand agriculture and establish local farms may attract more butterfly species to the region, but the use of synthetic pesticides in commercial agriculture threatens existing fauna and may deter new migrants. Therefore, it is imperative to strike a balance between development and conservation to safeguard Qatar’s rich butterfly heritage for future generations.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interest or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Acknowledgments

We thank the department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Qatar University, for providing the needed samples found in the Biology Museum. We would like to extend our thanks to Dr. Farzin Shabani for his invaluable assistance in editing and proofreading the English of the manuscript. Also, Special thanks to Dr. Zahoor Ul-Hassan for reviewing the manuscript, Dr. Perumal Balakrishnan for providing GIS maps, our senior student; Muneera Al-Thani and to Muneera Al-Mesaifri, Ahmed Abdul-Aziz (Biology photographer) and Mr.Abdul-Ali M. K. Moghadasi for providing photos for some of butterflies.