Pygatyphella limbatipennis ( Pic, 1911 )

Ballantyne, Lesley A. & Lambkin, Christine, 2009, Systematics of Indo-Pacific fireflies with a redefinition of Australasian Atyphella Olliff, Madagascan Photuroluciola Pic, and description of seven new genera from the Luciolinae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), Zootaxa 1997, pp. 1-188 : 90-92

Pygatyphella limbatipennis ( Pic, 1911)

( Figs 330–337, 339, 340, 342–361, 364–369, 372–376)

Atyphella salomonis var limbatipennis Pic, 1911:165 .

Luciola (Luciola) salomonis var. limbatipennis (Pic) . McDermott, 1966:112.

Holotype. Male. SOLOMON ISLANDS: labelled 1. printed label ‘Type’; 2. printed ‘ Solomon Is R A Lever’; 3. Lunga; 4. handwritten ‘ Atyphella salomonis var limbatipennis Pic ; 5. handwriting unclear could be Gauda (? = Guadalcanal) 7 Dec ( NHML).

Other specimens examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Bougainville, 6.0S, 155.0E, Kukugai village 150m, xii.1960 WB 2 males ; 5.6S, 154.9 E Mutahi 700m 18 km SE Tinputz 1–7.iii.1968 Tawi 2 males ( BPBM) . SOLOMON ISLANDS: Western Pr., 7.10S, 156.95E, Choiseul, Kitipi River , 80m, 17.iii.1964 PS 3 males , female; Malangona River 10–30m, 2–7.iii.1964 PS 4 females ( BPBM); Malangona 25.viii.1963 P

Greenslade male, female ( NHML) . Western Pr., 7.95S, 157.05E, Kolombangara 9–11.vi.1922 E Armytage female, 2 males ( NHML) ; Pepele 30m, 7–9.ii.1964 PS, 4 males malaise trap ; Iriri 2 m 3.vii.1964 JS 2 males ( BPBM) . Isabel Pr., 8.00S, 159.10E Santa Isabel, Kolotuve 15–16.vi.1960 COB male, 2 females ; SE Tatamba 14.ix.1964 RS male ; Haguelu 10 km SW Tatamba 400 – 650m 1–3.x.1964 native collector male ( BPBM) . Rasa 12.ii.1964 P Greenslade 2 males 2 females ( NHML) ; Rasa 25.v.1963 P Greenslade male ( NHML) . Guadalcanal Pr., 9.28 S, 159.52E, Guadalcanal, 10 mi NW Honiara, at Mavo Bridge , 25–26.xi.1969, J E Lloyd, 11 males (G649–652, 654, 655, 657–658, 660–662 of which 660, 662 have flashes recorded) ( JELC) . 9.35S, 160.12E, Betikama River , ix.1960, WB, 5 males, female ( BPBM) ; Honiara 0–200m, xii.1976 NK 2 males ( NHML) , i–ii.1985 5 males NK ( BPBM) ; Kolosulu , native garden, 20.v.1960, COB 4 males 4 females ; Lame near Mt Tatuve 300m, 18.v.1960 COB, 12 males 2 females ; Lunga River (bridge) 4.ix.1960 COB male ; Mt Austen 50m, palms, 11.x.1981 JG male ( BPBM) ; Mt Galliego, Royal society BSIP 1965, lower camp site, male ( NHML) ; Paripao , 21.v.1960 COB 2 males ; Poha River 5 m, 2.vii.1956 JG male ; Sahuluatea 200 – 400m, i.1973 NK male ; Tambalia , 30 KM W Honiara, 22.v.1964 RS male ; Tetere , 17.6 km E Roroni-Tathimani, 12.v.1960 COB 6 males ( BPBM) ; Kukun 3.x.1963 P Greenslade male ( NHML) . Central Pr., Florida Group, Gairava , 14.ix.1960 COB 8 males, 3 females ( BPBM) ; 9.08S, 160.25E, Nggela Is, Haleta 0–100m, 2–17.x.1964 RS 2 males (1 male sago stumps), 3 females (1 female malaise trap) ( BPBM) ; 0–250m, Takopekope , 12.ix.1960, COB 10 males, female ( BPBM) . Malaita Pr. , 9.00 S, 161.00E, 14.iv.1954 E Brown male ( NHML) .

Diagnosis. One of the Pygatyphella B complex; dorsal colouration orange pronotum with dark brown elytra which are pale margined along their lateral margins; most similar to Pygat. limbatifusca sp.n., distinguished by the absence of small paired dark markings on the pronotum, the very dark brown elytra and the narrower lateral pale band. Distinguished from other similarly coloured species by features listed on page 69 and from Pygat. salomonis in Tables 8, 9.

Male. 7.2–11.3 mm long; 3.0– 4.2 mm wide; W/L 0.4. Colour ( Figs 330–337, 339, 340): Pronotum orange yellow, semitransparent with underlying fat body visible; elytra very dark brown, lateral margins pale yellow, semitransparent, pale margins extending from outer edge of humerus narrowly around apex, not to suture; apical ¼ lateral margin brown in single Malaita male; margins either wider than underlying epipleuron, or as narrow as epipleuron (Figs 421,422; Table 8); 10 Takopekope males with lateral elytral margins narrowly paler brown enhanced by microscope illumination, 1 male with paler elytral margin visible macroscopically; Haleta male with paler brown elytral margins enhanced by microscope illumination, second male with narrow very dingy orange elytral margins; MS and MN pale yellow, MS appearing dusky brown if semitransparent; head, antennae and palpi very dark brown; venter of thorax pale orange yellow except for very dark brown tarsi; abdomen ( Figs 342, 345, 346, 350, 353, 354, 359) ( Table 8) with basal ventrites yellowish, ventrite colour patterns in Table 8 (either V3, 4 and 5 dark, or V3 pale, V4 and 5 dark; or only V5 dark); V5 always very dark brown, V7 yellowish and semitransparent behind LO; basal tergites yellowish, T4–6 marked irregularly in light brown; T7 and 8 orange yellow and semitransparent. Pronotum: 1.6–2.4 mm long; 2.5–4.0 mm wide; W/ L 1.5–1.6; lateral margins with rounded convergence in posterior areas; lacking indentation near posterolateral corners; with slight irregularities along rounded posterolateral corners, which project at least as far as median posterior margin. Elytron: convex-sided; 5.6–8.1 mm long; interstitial lines not well–defined. Head: large, moderately exposed, not able to be completely retracted into prothoracic cavity; GHW 1.7–2.3 mm; SIW 0.15–0.2 mm; SIW/GHW 0.1; ASD<ASW, sockets very close but not contiguous; frons not defined. Abdomen, ventrites: LO in V7 occupies half or less V7, does not reaching sides, posterior margin of LO not emarginated; muscle impressions clearly visible through cuticle in posterior half which is arched but not swollen; posterolateral corners of V7 angulate. MPP ( Figs 342–359) with broad dorsal ridge slightly to left of centre; MPP either symmetrical with apex rounded or truncate, or asymmetrical, with apex squarely or obliquely truncate (see Tables 8, 9). Tergites ( Figs 360, 361): T8 ( Table 8; conforms to patterns 1 or 4 except 3 in Malaita male) as wide as long, with low rounded curved elevation in posterior area to one side of mid-line; lateral margins converge posteriorly and median posterior margin (from above) usually narrowly rounded; anterolateral prolongations of T8 ( Figs 360, 361, 377) elongate, narrow, expanded vertically; ventrally directed pieces on bases of prolongations of T8 present. Aedeagal sheath ( Figs 360, 361) subparallel-sided for 1/3–1/2 of its length past articulation with sheath tergite, then right side emarginate; anterior margin of tergite not emarginated; tergite with slight projection to R. Aedeagus ( Figs 364–369, 372–376): L/W <3; LL/ML wide; LL diverging along most of length dorsally, slightly shorter than ML, LL apices rounded subequal in width to ML; ML bearing paired narrow pointed lateral teeth, apex of ML rounded truncate; base of LL not asymmetrically produced, slightly irregularly rounded.

Female. 8.5–10.2 mm long. Coloured as for male with these exceptions: lateral pale margin not extending around apex in 3 Gairava females; 2 Haleta females with narrow dusky orange lateral margins, 1 Haleta female with wide bright orange lateral margin; V6 with yellowish LO; V7, 8 semitransparent yellow. V7 lacking anterolateral depressions; with median posterior margin shallowly emarginate, and posterolateral areas broadly rounded; V8 median posterior margin narrowly emarginate; T8 with lateral margins converging posteriorly and posterior margin rounded.

Larva. Unknown.

Remarks. LB has been guided by geographical locations in the placement of many of these specimens in addition to differences in colour and morphology. Pronotal colour may be difficult to interpret as areas of retraction of underlying muscles may appear as coloured patches (see Discussion). Microscopic illumination can make determination of the extent of paler lateral margins more difficult, (particularly so in the Takopekope and Haleta specimens)). Both these populations are tentative assignments only. Pygat. limbatipennis and Pygat. salomonis were taken together at several locations, and Tables 8, 9 give comparisons between them. Comparisons between different populations were limited by paucity of specimens from some areas, and discussion following Pygat. salomonis suggests that further studies are necessary.