Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767)

Ghosh, Srinjana, Sarkar, Subhankar Kumar & Chakraborty, Susanta, 2023, New distributional records of fireflies (Coleoptera, Lampyridae, Luciolinae) from two Eastern States of India with notes on their biology and an updated Indian checklist, Biodiversity Data Journal 11, pp. 98948-98948 : 98948

Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767)

Materials

Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males, 4 females; occurrenceID: AB0E20C1-3457-5C1B-9559-3082E7AEDB29; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: Odisha; locality: Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°25'12''N, 86°43'48''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Sweep net; eventDate: 24-April-17; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0002, VUEC-0003, VUEC-0004, VUEC-0005, VUEC-0006, VUEC-0007; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 1 male, 6 females; occurrenceID: AA35C61D-0225-51DD-AA9E-5EE08EEA9701; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: Odisha; locality: Area near Rissia Dam adjacent to Kuldiha Wildlife Sanctuary ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°27'46''N, 86°35'30''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 27-April-17; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0008, VUEC-0009, VUEC-0010, VUEC-0011, VUEC-0012, VUEC-0013, VUEC-0014; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 3 males; occurrenceID: 903426A8-D149-55CF-820E-2AC20FB6DE6F; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: area near Sajnekhali Bird Sanctuary , South 24 Pargana ; verbatimCoordinates: 22°7'12''N, 88°46'49''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 7-July-17; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0022, VUEC-0023, VUEC-0024; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 maless; occurrenceID: E6A23DBE-2E55-5D13-9339-BAC0EDA1C5B2; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Egra , East Midnapor ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°53'56''N, 87°31'48''E; Event: samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 11-February-18; Record Level: collectionCode: VUEC-0028, VUEC-0029; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males; occurrenceID: 57CA9944-BFE0-5BB7-AC86-AB4D2F5B0292; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Sonarpur , South 24 Pargana ; verbatimCoordinates: 22°26'57''N, 88°23'25''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking, Net sweeping; eventDate: 11-March-18; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0030, VUEC-0031; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 1 male; occurrenceID: A2FD83B4-8675-54D4-8ECD-9F1D16C228A9; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Indrapore village , South 24 Pargana ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°39'00''N, 88°24'36''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking,; eventDate: 15-March-18; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0033; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 4 males; occurrenceID: 49E7C22A-2DBF-5D84-97F1-B80C2453E2F8; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Enayetpur , Kulpi , South 24 Parganas ; verbatimCoordinates: 22°04'44''N, 88°14'42''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 3-May-18; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0036, VUEC-0037, VUEC-0038, VUEC-0039; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males ;; occurrenceID: D420B15D-41BA-5D37-8904-061AF251FA89; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: Odisha; locality: near Chandipore coast, Balasore ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°29'36'' N, 86°55'19''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 8-May-18; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0040, VUEC-0041; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males; occurrenceID: CAE05A54-5AEC-5A0E-9BC0-C9F33802AE87; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Kawakhali village , Darjeeling ; verbatimCoordinates: 26°41'41''N, 88°23'28''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Net sweeping; eventDate: 15-July-18; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0057, VUEC-0058; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males; occurrenceID: AA254A00-E2F3-5443-80A6-DCE0566D1028; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: North Bengal University Campus , Darjeeling ; verbatimCoordinates: 26°41'24''N, 88°23'59''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Net sweeping; eventDate: 16-July-18; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0061, VUEC-0062; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 4 males; occurrenceID: E26D41E7-BCEC-56A4-9574-42284D9FB059; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Naihati , North 24 Parganas ; verbatimCoordinates: 22°52'48''N, 88°25'48''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Net sweeping; eventDate: 25-August-18; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0066, VUEC-0067, VUEC-0068, VUEC-0069; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 5 males; occurrenceID: 13F07B37-3990-5D5D-B509-45517EEB941A; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Pailan , South 24 Parganas ; verbatimCoordinates: 22°25'12''N, 88°17'59''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 22-February-19; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0071, VUEC-0072, VUEC-0073, VUEC-0074, VUEC-0075; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males; occurrenceID: 7299EACE-E4AA-57B9-97D5-0D70D6FF5A02; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Kalash Island , South 24 Parganas ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°35'24''N, 88°34'50''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 15-March-19; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0082, VUEC-0083; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males; occurrenceID: 61900470-36F7-5008-A6F8-8B0B393CC555; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Bonnie Island , South 24 Parganas ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°49'50''N, 88°37'26''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 17-March-19; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0084, VUEC-0085; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males; occurrenceID: E3B0AE9D-3CF3-5953-8FFB-A9CF0A994424; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: West Bengal; locality: Dhainchi Island , South 24 Parganas ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°42' 05''N, 88°26'00''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 18-March-19; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0086, VUEC-0087; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen Type status: Other material. Occurrence: recordedBy: Srinjana Ghosh; sex: 2 males, 2 females; occurrenceID: BE06C6E0-3C5B-5DE0-A584-92ACD3CE7290; Taxon : scientificName: Abscondita chinensis (L., 1767); family: Lampyridae ; Location : country: India; countryCode: IND; stateProvince: Odisha; locality: Judia , Keonjhar ; verbatimCoordinates: 21°37'48''N, 86°34'14''E; Event : samplingProtocol: Hand picking; eventDate: 24- March-19; Record Level : collectionCode: VUEC-0092, VUEC-0093, VUEC-0094, VUEC-0095; basisOfRecord: Preserved specimen

Diagnosis

Length 8-10 mm; Width 2.8-3.2 mm; Abs. chinensis is one of the three species of Abscondita ( Abs. chinensis , Abs. perplexa and Abs. terminalis ) present in India, which is characterised by the pale dorsum with dark brown to black elytral apices (Fig. 2). PN, MS, ventral thorax and elytra pale brown with the elytral apices black and occupying approximately 1/6 of its total length, MN pale yellow, antennae and palpi dark brown, terminal abdominal tergites dark brown, ventral abdomen brownish-yellow, white LO on V6 and V7, legs brownish-yellow with the tips of tibae and tarsi dark brown. The species can be distinguished from other Abscondita species known from India by the following set of male characters: completely dark brown V5 (in Abs. perplexa and Abs. terminalis , the V5 is partly dark along the posterior margin only). Male genitalia (Fig. 3): Aedeagal sheath sternite terminated into two apically acute divergent lobes (in Abs. perplexa and Abs. terminalis , aedeagal sheath sternite is terminated into two apically rounded lobes); ML shorter than LL, gradually narrowed towards the apex, with the tips of LL blunt and extended beyond the tip of ML (in Abs. perplexa , both LL are longer than ML and the tip of ML is projecting beyond the tips of LL).

Biology

Adults of Abs. chinensis generally prefer open forested and grassland areas. These fireflies emit a luminescent flashing pattern, particularly during their mating season in early monsoon. During flight, males generally achieve an average height of 2 to 3 metres in forest and grassland habitat. Females answer to male courtship flashes from the substratum level or from the perching sites on ground vegetation. Bioluminescent larvae, which are terrestrial and inhabit places near aquatic bodies, show a carnivorous diet pattern and sometimes also cannibalism particularly when there is a scarcity of food ( Ballantyne et al. 2013).