An Overview of the Firefly Genus Pygoluciola Wittmer, a Phylogeny of the Luciolinae Using Mitochondrial Genomes, a Description of Six New Species, and an Assessment of a Copulation Clamp in This Genus (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae) †

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Abstract

Pygoluciola Wittmer 1939 is overviewed, with an expanded generic redescription comprising 28 species, including 6 new species from China, described from features of males, associated females, and larvae. Their placement in the genus is confirmed by a phylogenetic analysis of their mitogenomes. They include Pygoluciola baise Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Baise City, Guangxi Province; P. manmaia Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Yunnan Province; P. quzhou Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from the City of Quzhou in Zhejiang Province; P. tunchangia Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Tunchang county, Hainan Island; P. yingjiangia Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Yingjiang county in Yunnan Province; and P. yupingia Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Mt. Yuping, Hongya County in Sichuan Province. Specimens are assigned to Luciola davidis Olivier, which is transferred to Pygoluciola and redescribed. Species are assigned to one of five Groups we define in the genus, and this classification is challenged by molecular information. We reject the possibility of a copulation clamp in P. kinabalua Ballantyne by dissection of pinned type females and comparison with other species newly described here.

Original languageEnglish
Article number394
JournalInsects
Volume16
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2025

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