Illuminating Firefly Diversity: Trends, Threats and Conservation Strategies.

Fireflies are a diverse group of bioluminescent beetles belonging to the family Lampyridae. Recent research on their diversity, evolution, behavior and conservation has greatly advanced our scientific understanding of these charismatic insects. In this review, we first summarize new discoveries about their taxonomic and ecological diversity, then focus on recent endeavors to identify and protect threatened fireflies around the world. We outline the main threats linked to recent population declines (habitat loss and degradation, light pollution, pesticide overuse, climate change and tourism) and describe relevant risk factors that predict which species will be particularly vulnerable to these threats. Although global coordination of firefly conservation efforts has begun only recently, considerable progress has already been made. We describe work by the IUCN SSC Firefly Specialist Group to identify species currently facing elevated extinction risks and to devise conservation strategies to protect them. To date, IUCN Red List assessments have been completed for 150 firefly taxa, about 20% of which face heightened extinction risks. The conservation status for many species has yet to be determined due to insufficient information, although targeted surveys and community science projects have contributed valuable new data. Finally, we highlight some examples of successful firefly habitat protection and restoration efforts, and we use the framework of the IUCN SSC Species Conservation Cycle to point out high-priority actions for future firefly conservation efforts.

Three new species of emLamprigera/em Motschulsky (Coleoptera, Lampyridae) from China, with notes on known species.

Lamprigera is found only in those countries from the Himalaya-Karakoran -Tibet region to SE Asia where 17 species have been previously recorded. These 17 include four species from China. In this work, combined molecular data (COI) and morphological traits identified eight species in our collections. Among these, we found three Chinese species (Lamprigera alticola Dong Li, sp. nov., Lamprigera luquanensis Dong Li, sp. nov. and Lamprigera magnapronotum Dong Li, sp. nov.) that are new to science, bringing the total number of species of Lamprigera to 20 (17+3), and four other known species that are herein newly recorded for the first time in China. These four new records, the three new species, and the four previously known records bring the total number of Chinese species to 11. The morphological traits, especially the male genitalia and pronotum, are described for all eight species. We conclude that male genitalia and pronotum are the most important diagnostic traits for separating species of Lamprigera, and this is confirmed by COI data.

Oculogryphus chenghoiyanae sp. n. (Coleoptera, Lampyridae): a new ototretine firefly from Hong Kong with descriptions of its bioluminescent behavior and ultraviolet-induced fluorescence in females.

The first Oculogryphus species with associated males and female was found in Hong Kong and is described as new: O. chenghoiyanaesp. n. Adults of both sexes were collected live in the field and their bioluminescent behavior is reported for the first time in the genus. The captive males emit weak and continuous light from a pair of light spots on abdominal ventrite 6 or do so when disturbed. The larviform (highly paedomorphic) females can glow brightly from a pair of light-emitting organs on the abdomen. The females of Oculogryphus and Stenocladius are to date the only documented representatives of paedomorphism in ototretine fireflies. The finding is consistent with the evidence from male morphology and bioluminescent behavior, supporting the close relationship between the two genera. A key to the Oculogryphus species is provided. The Oculogryphus females can fluoresce with a blue-green light through the whole body under ultraviolet illumination, a phenomenon reported in the Lampyridae for the first time. The co-occurrence of bioluminescence and fluorescence is rare in terrestrial ecosystems, previously known only in some millipedes (Diplopoda). The fluorescence and bioluminescence abilities of Oculogryphus females are functionally independent: abdominal light-emitting organs producing bright yellowish green light while the body wall fluoresces with blue-green light. In contrast, fluorescence and bioluminescence in millipedes are biochemically linked, like in some jellyfish (Cnidaria: Medusozoa).

TiLIA: a software package for image analysis of firefly flash patterns.

As flash signaling patterns of fireflies are species specific, signal-pattern analysis is important for understanding this system of communication. Here, we present time-lapse image analysis (TiLIA), a free open-source software package for signal and flight pattern analyses of fireflies that uses video-recorded image data. TiLIA enables flight path tracing of individual fireflies and provides frame-by-frame coordinates and light intensity data. As an example of TiLIA capabilities, we demonstrate flash pattern analysis of the fireflies Luciola cruciata and L. lateralis during courtship behavior.