Inventory of lepidoptera: Rhopalocera in lowlnad rain forests of Sabah: A quantative assessment of beta-diversity

Butterflies are an abundant and diverse group of animals and a conspicuous part of virtually all of the world's terrestrial ecosystems (New, 1997). They appeal to people in a unique way, and in the popular mind, people often separate "butterflies" from "insects," as if these are different groups of animals. Studying and watching butterflies perhaps ranks second only to ornithology as a pastime for naturalists interested in animal life (Pyle, 1992). Unlike most other insects, even their closest relatives the moths, butterflies are accepted readily as aesthetically and culturally desirable (New, 1997). They are seen as being intrinsically worthy of protection. Conservation of butterflies is also a field of increasing interest in many parts of the world. It is important to communicate the need for invertebrate conservation to people who might not otherwise be sympathetic to it. Butterflies are an important flagship group for advocacy of invertebrates - a bridge between the publicly acceptable world of conserving mammals and birds, and the widespread antagonism toward the mass of less conspicuous animals that dominate our natural world (New, 1997). Recently, many species have declined markedly in abundance, or become extinct due to environmental pollution, habitat disturbance, and loss of vegetation as a consequence of human activities