MARIPOSAS PIERIDAE (LEPIDOPTERA: PAPILIONOIDEA) DE LA CUENCA DEL RíO COELLO (TOLIMA), COLOMBIA

this study analyzed the composition, richness, diversity, and structure of pieridae butterflies in the coello river basin (tolima), colombia, located in the central mountain chain of the colombian andes. 11 sampling stations were established, ranging in altitude from 433 to 3600 m. samples were collected in march and october 2003 using three different habitats for sampling (meadow, edge, and forest). collections were made from 08:00 to 16:00 h in variable length transects, using entomological nets. data analyses for determining community structure included calculation of relative abundance percentage for subfamilies and species, richness (ice, chao1, jack2, and bootstrap), rarefaction curve estimation and diversity valued by sampling unit. 42 butterfly species in this study exhibited a wide altitudinal distribution along the established gradient. the estimators pointed out the 44 samples were insufficient, thus demonstrating the need for increased sampling. the community fit a log-series distribution and it was apparent that the highest richness and diversity was affected by the dry season and existed in zones located below 2.000 m.