Pygoluciola stylifer Wittmer, 1939

Jusoh, Wan F. A. & Ballantyne, Lesley, 2024, A catalogue and redescription of type specimens of fireflies (Coleoptera, Lampyridae, Luciolinae) deposited in Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, Contributions to Entomology 74 (1), pp. 63-80 : 63-80

Pygoluciola stylifer Wittmer, 1939

Fig. 6 A – D

Pygoluciola stylifer Wittmer, 1939: 21–32. Ballantyne 2008: 2. Ballantyne and Lambkin 2006: 33.

Luciola (Pygoluciola) stylifer . Ballantyne 1968: 119. McDermott 1966: 115.

Holotype.

1 ♂ (by original description, as indicated by Wittmer’s original type label and determined by authors in this study).

Type locality.

“ Long Petah ” (from page 3, “ Fundort: “ M. O. - Borneo Expedition, Long Petah, 450 in, IX – X. 1925 (leg. H C. Siebers) ”).

Material examined

(1 ♂ specimen). Holotype: INDONESIA ● ♂; (1) “ Holotype ”; (2) “ H. C. Siebers / M. O. Borneo Exp. / 1200 M. bij L. Petak / 15–20 X. 1925 VIII – IX ”; (3) Pygoluciola / stylifer / Wittm. / det. W. Wittmer ”; (4) “ T. Y. P. US. ” (Fig. 6 A ).

Diagnosis.

P. stylifer belongs to that group of Pygoluciola where males have the posterior margin of V 7 and T 8 narrowly prolonged and curving (Fig. 6 B, C ). It and P. guigliae are the only species of this genus to have curved tibiae, and it is distinguished from guigliae by the median emargination of the apex of the prolonged posterior margin of V 7 (visible in Fig. 6 B ).

Notes.

McDermott (1966) submerged Pygoluciola under Luciola as a subgenus, and Ballantyne (1968) briefly addressed Luciola stylifer with line figures of the terminal abdomen and aedeagus. Ballantyne and Lambkin (2006) returned Pygoluciola to generic status and gave a more extensive description of the male holotype with line figures of pronotum, aedeagus and terminal abdominal segments.

Here, we have the first opportunity to present coloured pictures of the type male and verify the original labels that come with the specimen. Wittmer (1939), in the original description of P. stylifer , made it clear that the type is “ in coll. Rijksmuseum Leiden ” (now RMNH). However, upon comparing Wittmer’s original species description with the original labels attached to the type specimen in RMNH, we find that the information he provided was not consistent: (1) He wrote “ 450 m ”, but it was “ 1200 M ” on the label; (2) He spelt the locality name “ Long Petah ”, but it should be “ L. Petak ” or “ Long Petak ”; (3) The months of 1925 from his description were “ IX – X ”, but then it was written “ VIII – IX ” on the label.

Species inquirenda

Figures

Figure 6. Pygoluciola stylifer Wittmer, 1939 holotype male. A. Specimen labels; B. Dorsal habitus and dissected abdomen; C. Abdomen ventral; D. Aedeagus ventral. All images are to scale, except specimen labels.