India’s Lepidoptera diversity now stands at 3,705 genera, 240 subfamilies, 102 families and 31 superfamilies, spanning ecosystems from the Himalayas to the Western Ghats and the tropical forests.By Antoreep DasIndia has completed its first comprehensive national catalogue of butterflies and moths, bringing together more than a century of scattered taxonomic records into a single reference after a 12-year effort led by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).Announced on Thursday, the catalogue documents 13,703 species of Lepidoptera — the insect order comprising butterflies and moths — found across the country. According to the ZSI, the compilation provides the first updated national baseline for biodiversity research, ecological monitoring and conservation planning.The survey estimates that India is home to 8.25 per cent of the world’s known butterfly and moth species, highlighting the country’s status as one of the world’s megadiverse nations.The project was led by ZSI taxonomists Navneet Singh and Rahul Joshi. Its final volume, published in the international journal Zootaxa, completes a series of 22 catalogue volumes and documents the remaining 1,689 species while resolving taxonomic ambiguities across several insect families.Among its findings, the catalogue records 2,205 species of Geometroidea, a superfamily of moths that includes several important nocturnal pollinators. Spread across 479 genera, these account for 8.8 per cent of the world’s known Geometridae species. The family Geometridae accounts for 2,100 species, followed by Uraniidae (95), Epicopeiidae (nine) and Pseudobistonidae (one).India’s Lepidoptera diversity now stands at 3,705 genera, 240 subfamilies, 102 families and 31 superfamilies, spanning ecosystems from the Himalayas to the Western Ghats and the tropical forests.Story continues below this adScientists say butterflies and moths play a crucial ecological role as pollinators, herbivores and a food source for birds, bats and other wildlife. Several species also have implications for agriculture and forestry, making accurate taxonomic records important for pest management and conservation.The ZSI said the catalogue would serve as a standardised national database for biodiversity monitoring, climate change studies and conservation planning.“This catalogue will serve as a vital national asset for biodiversity research, ecological monitoring and global conservation strategies. Such comprehensive catalogues ensure these species are given an authoritative voice, a clear legal identity, and a permanent place in scientific history,” said ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee.