Pteroptyx
| Pteroptyx | |
|---|---|
_Lightning_Bug_14_mm_Lampyridae_(20754785916).jpg)
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| Pteroptyx valida in Chaiyaphum, Thailand | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Lampyridae |
| Subfamily: | Luciolinae |
| Genus: | Pteroptyx Olivier, 1902 |
| Type species | |
| Pteroptyx testacea (Motschulsky, 1854)
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| Species | |
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See text | |
Pteroptyx is a genus of fireflies in the subfamily Luciolinae found in Southeast Asia. It has long been noted for the ability to perform synchronous flashing, though not all species synchronize.[1] These synchronizing species have been found on so-called 'firefly trees' and created a growing firefly-watching tour industry in some regions. Species of the genus have been identified in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Hong Kong.[2]
Identification[edit]
The genus Pteroptyx was first proposed by Ernest Olivier in 1902 for Luciola-like species. He identified two species, Luciola malaccae and Luciola testacea, which were later reassigned to the Pteroptyx genus. Three subsequent species, P. tener, P. bearni, and P. valida were described by Olivier between 1907 and 1909.[3] Much of the work revising the genera within Luciolinae has been done by Australian entomologist Lesley Ballantyne, beginning in 1970.[4]
The genus was originally defined based on characteristics of adult males: deflexed elytral apex, trisinuate ventrite 7, and a metafemoral comb. However some of the recently assigned species do not have either the deflexed elytral apex or the metafemoral comb. Developments in molecular sequencing techniques have improved the ability of entomologists to identify and delineate new species based on only female or larval specimens that were not collected in association with males. Jusoh et al. (2014) used these techniques to propose a new species, P. balingiana, as distinct from P. malaccae, but it has not been widely accepted.[5][6]
Ecology[edit]
The males of two species, P. malaccae and P. tener, are often found in large groups on certain trees and perform synchronized flashing displays to attract females for mating. The first report of these synchronous displays was recorded in Thailand over a century ago, although the number of fireflies have decreased, likely due to the reduction of the necessary mangrove forests due to urbanization and shrimp farming in Thailand. Pollution and habitat loss have resulted in the loss of nearly all Pteroptyx populations from the area around Bangkok.[1]
Many of the species examined by Jusoh et al. in 2018 using genetic sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA were associated with mangroves, as their larva need a continuously damp environment to develop.[7] As a result, many of the species in the genus are at risk of habitat loss due to damage of mangroves as a result of rising sea levels from climate change.
Human interaction[edit]
Boat tours for observing the congregating, synchronous flashing of Pteroptyx species are popular in the Sundaic region of southern Thailand and Malaysia. This form of ecotourism has been used to stress the importance of mangrove protection and preservation, as many of the tour operators are local fishermen earning supplemental income.[8]
Species[edit]
As described by Ballantyne & Lambkin in 2015, there are 17 known species in Pteroptyx.
- Pteroptyx asymmetria Ballantyne, 2001
- Pteroptyx bearni Olivier, 1909
- Pteroptyx decolor Olivier, 1911
- Pteroptyx galbina Jusoh, 2015
- Pteroptyx gelasina Ballantyne, 2001
- Pteroptyx gombakia Ballantyne, 2015
- Pteroptyx maipo Ballantyne, 2011
- Pteroptyx malaccae (Gorham, 1880)
- Pteroptyx macdermotti McLean, 1970
- Pteroptyx masatakai Kawashima, 2003
- Pteroptyx sayangia Ballantyne, 2015
- Pteroptyx sulawesiensis Kawashima, 2003
- Pteroptyx surabayia Ballantyne, 2015
- Pteroptyx tener Olivier, 1907
- Pteroptyx testacea (Motschulsky, 1854)
- Pteroptyx trucata Ballantyne, 2001
- Pteroptyx valida Olivier, 1909
References[edit]
- ^ a b Sartsanga, Channarong; Swatdipong, Akarapong; Sriboonlert, Ajaraporn (23 March 2018). "Distribution of the Firefly Genus Pteroptyx Olivier and a New Record of Pteroptyx asymmetria Ballantyne (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae) in Thailand". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 72 (1): 171–183. doi:10.1649/0010-065X-72.1.171. ISSN 0010-065X. S2CID 90806682.
- ^ Ballantyne, Lesley; Fu, Xin Hua; Shih, Chun-Hat; Cheng, Chui-Yu; Yiu, Vor (27 June 2011). "Pteroptyx maipo Ballantyne, a new species of bent-winged firefly (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) from Hong Kong, and its relevance to firefly biology and conservation". Zootaxa. 2931 (1): 8–34–8–34. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.2931.1.2. ISSN 1175-5334.
- ^ Ballantyne, Lesley A.; McLean, Miriam R. (1970). "Revisional Studies on the Firefly Genus Pteroptyx Olivier (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae: Luciolini)". Transactions of the American Entomological Society. 96 (2): 223–305. ISSN 0002-8320. JSTOR 25077994.
- ^ Ballantyne, Lesley; Lambkin, Christine L.; Boontop, Yuvarin; Jusoh, Wan F. A. (20 May 2015). "Revisional studies on the Luciolinae fireflies of Asia (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): 1. The genus Pyrophanes Olivier with two new species. 2. Four new species of Pteroptyx Olivier and 3. A new genus Inflata Boontop, with redescription of Luciola indica (Motsch.) as Inflata indica comb. nov". Zootaxa. 3959: 1–84. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3959.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 26249372.
- ^ Jusoh, Wan F. A.; Hashim, Nor Rasidah; Sääksjärvi, Ilari E.; Adam, Nur Azura; Wahlberg, Niklas (December 2014). "Species Delineation of Malaysian Mangrove Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) using DNA Barcodes". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 68 (4): 703–711. doi:10.1649/0010-065X-68.4.703. ISSN 0010-065X. S2CID 86004352.
- ^ Jusoh, Wan F A.; Ballantyne, Lesley; Chan, Kin Onn (2020). "DNA-based species delimitation reveals cryptic and incipient species in synchronous flashing fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) of Southeast Asia". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 130 (3): 520–532. doi:10.1093/biolinnean/blaa072. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
- ^ Jusoh, Wan F. A.; Ballantyne, Lesley; Lambkin, Christine L.; Hashim, Nor Rasidah; Wahlberg, Niklas (6 August 2018). "The firefly genus Pteroptyx Olivier revisited (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae)". Zootaxa. 4456 (1): 1–71. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4456.1.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 30314190. S2CID 52977161.
- ^ Ng, Casey Keat-Chuan; Ong, Robert Cyril (5 April 2022). "A review of anthropogenic interaction and impact characteristics of the Sundaic mangroves in Southeast Asia". Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science. 267: 107759. Bibcode:2022ECSS..26707759N. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2022.107759. ISSN 0272-7714. S2CID 246439532.