Systematics and Phylogenetics of Indo-Pacific Luciolinae Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) and the Description of new Genera
Author
Ballantyne, Lesley A.
lballantyne@csu.edu.au
Author
Lambkin, Christine L.
lballantyne@csu.edu.au
text
Zootaxa
2013
2013-05-22
3653
1
1
162
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3653.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3653.1.1
1175-5326
5265340
72A07BC6-AEB0-4EBC-AFA8-F5871065680F
Medeopteryx tarsalis
(Olivier)
comb. nov.
Luciola tarsalis
Olivier, 1885: 360
;
1902:72
.
Pteroptyx tarsalis
(Olivier)
.
Olivier, 1909b:319
.
McDermott, 1966:117
.
Ballantyne & McLean, 1970:253
.
Pteroptyx tarsale
Olivier, 1910b:48
;
1913b:417
.
Ballantyne & McLean, 1970:253
(synonymy).
Holotype
.
Male.
NEW
GUINEA
:
143.00E
,
9.00S
,
Western Pr.
,
Fly River
(
MCSN
).
Other specimens examined. NEW
GUINEA
:
New Ireland
:
150.48E
,
2.34S
,
Kavieng
,
11.ii.1966
,
G. Monteith
,
2 males
,
8 females
(
Tube
222
UQIC
)
.
NEW
GUINEA
:
143.00E
,
9.00S
,
Western Pr.
,
Sturt Is.
,
Fly River
,
5.x. 1936
, male,
2 females
;
7.x. 1936
,
2 males
,
4 females
;
8.x. 1936
,
2 males
,
3 females
;
14–16.x. 1936
,
15 males
,
18 females
(
AMNH
)
.
Mediri
,
60 miles
up
Fly River
,
8.xi.1922
,
A. McCulloch
, male,
2 females
(
AMSA
)
.
Diagnosis.
6.2–9.1 mm
long; dorsally yellow with elytral apices dark brown: the apical brown area may extend anteriorly in strips of decreasing width, sometimes reaching humeral angles; distinguished from all other New Guinean
Medeopteryx
by its dorsal colouration.
Remarks.
This species is only known from mainland New
Guinea
at the Fly River, and on New Ireland. There are no details of light production and the two populations may not be conspecific.
The pale dorsal colouration with dark tipped elytra which are sometimes dark margined probably provides some protective advantage. To the unaided eye the outline of the lateral margin of the body is totally disrupted.