THE INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION ON BUTTERFLY NAMES

Describing and naming of organisms in the Linnean system is an important exercise that facilitates broadly understood scientific communication. Standardizing English and other regional names of organisms also makes it possible to facilitate communication among scientists, naturalists, general public, and policy making/implementing agencies. To serve these necessary goals in the context of Indian butterflies, the Indian National Commission on Systematics and Nomenclature of Butterflies, also known by its shortened name, The Indian National Commission on Butterfly Names, is tasked with:

  1. compiling and continually updating the systematics and taxonomy of Indian butterflies based on new scientific works and assessments of total evidence (genetic/genomic, genitalia structures and other morphological distinctions, distributional ranges, biology, etc.)
  2. standardise scientific names of Indian butterflies based on: (a) evaluating total evidence for genus-species combinations based on literature, inspection of museum specimens, and current opinions of subject experts, (b) compliance of scientific names, especially species and subspecies names, used in the Indian context with internationally well-established systematics and taxonomic practices based on the ICZN Code and other standard scientific authorities, (c) inspection of specimens in museums, and (d) advice of international subject experts on molecular systematics and taxonomy of butterflies.
  3. standardise English names of Indian butterflies based on: (a) names used in the past, (b) names that confirm to current social norms.

    Proposed Composition of The Indian National Commission on Systematics and Scientific and English Names of Butterflies:

    Chair: Prof. Krushnamegh Kunte (NCBS, Bengaluru)
    Secretary: Mr. Fahim Khan (Indian Foundation for Butterflies Trust, Bengaluru)
    Members of The Commission (proposed, yet to be finalised):

    • Prof. Ullasa Kodandaramaiah (IISER TVM)
    • Mr. Sanjay Sondhi (Titli Trust, Dehradun)
    • Dr. Navneet Singh (Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata)
    • Mr. Purnendu Roy (Andorra)
    • Mr. Hemant Ogale (Whistling Woods, Amboli)
    • Dr. Abhijeet Bayani (Indian Foundation for Butterflies Trust, Bengaluru)
    • Dr. Rupak Dey (former PCCF Wildlife, Uttar Pradesh)
    • Dr. Sanjai Mohan (former PCCF Wildlife, Karnataka)

    International Scientific Advisory Committee (proposed, yet to be finalised):

    • Dr. Michael Braby (Australia)
    • Mr. Adam Cotton (Thailand)
    • Dr. Blanca Huertas (Natural History Museum, London, UK)
    • Prof. Akito Kawahara (McGuire Centre for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, USA)
    • Prof. David Lohman (New York University, USA)
    • Prof. Naomi Pierce (Harvard University, USA)
    • Prof. Niklas Wahlberg (Lund University, USA)
    • Prof. Keith Wilmott (McGuire Centre for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity, USA)
    • Dr. Masaya Yago (University Museum, University of Tokyo, Japan)
       

    Also see our other butterfly naming projects:


     

    Page citation

    Kunte, K., and S. Sondhi. 2025. THE INDIAN NATIONAL COMMISSION ON BUTTERFLY NAMES . In Kunte, K., S. Sondhi, and P. Roy (Chief Editors). Butterflies of India, v. 4.12. Indian Foundation for Butterflies.