Inflata indica ( Motschulsky 1854 ), 2015

Ballantyne, Lesley, Lambkin, Christine L., Boontop, Yuvarin & Jusoh, Wan F. A., 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), pp. 1-84 : 50

Inflata indica ( Motschulsky 1854) comb. nov.

( Figs. 117 −131)

Luciola indica Motschulsky, 1854: 53 . Lacordaire, 1857: 338. Olivier, 1885: 369. Gorham, 1880: 103; 1895: 304.

Pyrophanes indica (Motschulsky) . Olivier, 1902: 72. Gorham, 1903: 325. Olivier, 1907: 56. Raj, 1947: 190 (? larva). McDermott, 1966: 116. Tittayavan, 2008: 122. Kazantsev & Nikitsky 2006: 28.

Type. Holotype. Male “Indes orientales” ( ZMMU). Kazantsev & Nikitsky 2006: 28 designated this unique specimen as a lectotype and relabelled it as Pyrophanes indica ( Figs. 117−120 ).

Specimens examined. Unless indicated otherwise specimens were collected by Boontop and are presently in Boontop’s personal collection in Thailand. THAILAND: 7.33°N, 99.46°E, 192 metres, Trang Province, Nayong District , 11.xi.2009, in botanical garden 3 females, 13 males (5 males ANIC) . 9.34° N, 98.35° E, 57 metres, Ranong Province, Kaplur District , in rubber and palm plantation,, 15.vi.2011, 17 males . 10.22°N, 99.02°, 315 metres, Chumpon Province, Sawei District , in palm plantation adjunct to the mountain 16.vi.2011, 1 female, 26 males . 10.23°N, 99.01° 283 metres, Chumpon Province, Sawei District , in banana orchard and palm plantation, 25.ix.2010, 1female, 49 males . 12.33°N, 99.57°E, 70 metres, Prachup Khiri Khun Province, Hua Hin district , 17.vii.2009, S. Poonchaisri, 1 female, 1 male, 1 male ( ANIC) . 14.31° N, 101.22°E, 123 metres, Nakhonratchasima Province, Pak Chong District , 6.iv.2005, N. Yamyim, 2 female, 1 male ( ANIC) .

Diagnosis. A small species (up to 6 mm long) with orange pronotum and dark brown elytra often with narrow pale margins along at least half the lateral margin and ¼ the sutural margin. Females macropterous, coloured as for male except white LO confined to V6.

Male. Features of the type are included here in quotes. 4.5–6.1 mm long (type 4. 5 mm long) 1.8–2.4 mm wide; L/W 2.6−3.0. Colour ( Figs. 117−119, 121, 122 −124): pronotum, MS and MN orange (pronotum may appear darker in the middle as fat body is irregularly retracted beneath the dorsal cuticle; MN appearing paler than rest because of dense accumulation of fat body beneath); pronotum of type “gold brown with yellowish borders”; elytra dark brown with lateral margin narrowly orange in anterior ½, and anterior ¼ of suture orange; elytra of type “light brown with somewhat lighter lateral borders”; head antennae and palpi dark brown; head of type “black with antennae dark brown”; ventral surface of prothorax orange; ventral surface of meso and metathorax mid brown; ventral aspect of thorax of type “light brown medially and gold-brown laterally”; legs with coxae trochanters and most of femora yellow, apex of femora and all of tibiae and tarsi dark brown; basal abdominal ventrites dark brown, V 5 narrowly pale across median posterior margin; LO in V6, 7 white; T8 pale yellow, remainder dark brown; dorsally reflexed margins of V6, 7 white, of remainder dark brown. Pronotum: 0.9–1.5 mm long; 1.0–1.7 mm wide. Elytron: 3.5–5.0 mm long. Head: GHW 0.9–1.3 mm; SIW 0.14–0.4 mm. GHW/SIW 3.2–6.4.

Remarks. The range of distribution is hinted at by the list of references above ( Burma, India, and Andaman islands) but has not translated into large numbers of reliably identified specimens in collections and it is not possible to confirm them. Ballantyne had been aware of the general nature of the type from black and white photos and a brief description provided by Elida Davydova in 1967. However despite Ballantyne’s (1993) opinion that the species had been incorrectly assigned to Pyrophanes , the lack of reliably identified specimens in any collections hindered any further attempt to characterise this species.

Specimens from Boontop’s collection were recognised as unusual at the taxonomic workshop held in conjunction with the Second International Firefly Symposium in Malaysia, 2010, and were considered subsequently to most closely approach the photos and description of L. indica . These records thus indicate a range to include southern Thailand.

Figures

FIGURES 117-122. Inflata indica (Motschulsky) gen. et comb. nov. 117−120 holotype male, Luciola indica Motsch.; 121, 122 Thailand males ANIC): 117, 121 dorsal; 118, 122 ventral; 119 right lateral; 120 holotype labels. Scale line is 1 mm. These figures share scale line: 117, 118, 119.