Redescription of immature stages of central European fireflies, Part 3: Phosphaenus hemipterus (Goeze, 1777) larva, and notes on its life cycle and behaviour, with a key to three central European lampyrid larvae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)

Abstract

The mature larva of the elusive firefly Phosphaenus hemipterus (Goeze, 1777) is thoroughly redescribed and illustrated with detailed images, including scanning electron microscope figures. The external sense organs and their significance is discussed, as well as the predatory behaviour and specific lifestyle of the larva. A key to the central European lampyrid larvae (viz. P. hemipterus, Lamprohiza splendidula (Linnaeus, 1767) and Lampyris noctiluca (Linnaeus, 1758)) is provided as well as a comparative table of their morphological features.

A comprehensive review and call for studies on firefly larvae

“…1C , e.g. , Psilocladus Blanchard , 1846, Lamprigera Motschulsky, 1853) (e.g., Costa, Vanin & Casari-Chen, 1988 ; Novák, 2018a ; Novák, 2018b ; Vaz, Silveira & Rosa, 2020 ).…”

“…The light becomes more visible when the larva twists or arches their posterior end, but some species have translucent areas in the tergites above the lanterns that make the light visible above the body (Fig. 1C, e.g., Psilocladus Blanchard, 1846, Lamprigera Motschulsky, 1853) (e.g., Costa, Vanin & Casari-Chen, 1988;Novák, 2018a;Novák, 2018b;Vaz, Silveira & Rosa, 2020).…”

Life cycle and description of the immature stages of a terrestrial firefly endemic to Mexico: Photinus extensus Gorham (Coleoptera, Lampyridae)

“…For the morphological description of larval instars, we followed the terminology of Novák (2018a) and Fu et al (2012) . A table 1 was made to compare morphological larval characters of Photinini ( Pyractonema , Pyropyga , Lucidota , Lucidina , Phosphaenus and Photinus ) ( Branham and Archangelsky 2000 ; Archangelsky and Branham 2001 ; Archangelsky 2010 ; Novák 2018b ), after Archangelsky (2010) and Kawashima (2017) .…”

“…Besides, no tools to compare microstructures have been implemented. Of the 29 genera belonging to Photinini ( Martin et al 2019 ; Zaragoza-Caballero et al 2020 ), there are detailed descriptions only for some species of Pyractonema Solier in Gay, 1849, Pyropyga , Motschulsky, 1852 Lucidina Gorham, 1883, Lucidota Laporte, 1833, Phosphaenus Laporte 1833 ( Bugnion 1929 ; Beutel 1995 ; Branham and Archangelsky 2000 ; Archangelsky and Branham 2001 ; Archangelsky 2010 , Kawashima 2017 ; Novák 2018b ).…”