The Firefly Genus Vesta in Taiwan (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)

Abstract

The species of the firefly genus Vesta occurring in Taiwan are revised. Three species are recognized: Vesta scutellonigra Olivier (nomen emendatum), V. impressicollis Fairmaire, and V. rufiventris (Motschulsky). Vesta chevrolatii var. scutello nigro Olivier is automatically emended to scutellonigra under ICZN rules. Okada described as a distinct species V. scutellonigra, employing the same name and material as Olivier, thereby automatically rendering his taxon a junior synonym (n. syn.). The name V. scutellonigro, simultaneously employed by Okada, is considered an incorrect subsequent spelling and therefore unavailable. Vesta formosana Pic (n. syn.) is a new junior synonym of V. scutellonigra. The spelling chevrolati, employed by Gemminger and Harold, is determined to be an incorrect subsequent spelling of chevrolatii and thus unavailable. Lectotypes are newly designated for V. scutellonigra Olivier, V. impressicollis Fairmaire, and V. formosana Pic. A key to the species of Taiwan is provided. Vesta flaviventris (Fairmaire) (n. comb.) from China is transferred from Lucernuta.

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

“…It has gone through extensive modifications in familial assignment, ranked hierarchy, definition, and spectrum of included taxa through time, and become stabilized only recently (Olivier 1907, 1910, Wittmer 1944, McDermott 1964, 1966, Crowson 1972, Branham and Wenzel 2001, Geisthardt and Satô 2007, Jeng 2008, Janisova and Bocakova 2013). Several new genera and species, including Oculogryphus Jeng, Engel & Yang, were added over the last two decades (Kawashima 1999, 2007, Kawashima et al 2005, Jeng et al 2007, 2011, Brancucci and Geiser 2009, Bocakova and Janisova 2010, Janisova and Bocakova 2011, 2013, Jeng and Engel 2014, Bocakova et al 2015, Bocakova and Bocak 2016).…”

Systematic review of the firefly genus Scissicauda (Coleoptera, Lampyridae, Amydetinae) from Brazil

“…A unique feature amongst the Psilocladina is the abdominal sternum VIII covering sternum IX. However, Psilocladina was deemed polyphyletic on the most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis for the Lampyridae (Jeng 2008). …”

“…However, several other taxa lack it, as Lampyrinae: Lampyrini (Geisthardt, 1982), Cratomorphini and Photinini (Zaragoza, 1995), and Pleotomini (Jeng et al, 2006). Phallus dorsally fused to parameres is a derived condition in the phylogenetic analysis of Jeng (2008) based on morphological characters, the most comprehensive for the lampyrids. This condition is also found in some Lampyrinae, Photurinae and Amydetinae, putatively as an evolutionary convergence, supported by its low consistency index (CI=0,15, Jeng 2008).…”

“…Phylogenetic relationships of Amydetinae genera sensu McDermott (1966) has not been clarified yet. The monophyly of Amydetinae has been challenged by Jeng (2008, unpublished), whose analyses involved morphological characters, concluding that the subfamily is polyphyletic.…”

“…He supposedly retained these subtribes under Amydetini, although not explicitly quoting this tribe in his catalogue (1966). Though such Psilocladina has been challenged (Jeng 2008, unpublished), we refer to McDermott (1966) subdivisions as to the latest comprehensive study.…”