Luciola jengai Nada, 2019

Ho, - Z., 2019, The Luciolinae of S. E. Asia and the Australopacific region: a revisionary checklist (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) including description of three new genera and 13 new species, Zootaxa 4687 (1), pp. 1-174 : 93-96

Luciola jengai Nada sp. nov.

Figs 270−283

Types. Holotype male, paratype male. MALAYSIA. Pahang: Fraser’s Hill, Bishop Trail, 19.ix.2016, B. Nada ( B 1 III) ( FRIM). Terengganu: Jengai Forest Reserve , Compt.52, 30.vi.2016, B. Nada ( JI 52 [5]) ( FRIM).

Diagnosis. 8.7 mm long. Very pale semitransparent yellow with small dark brown markings at elytral apex ( Figs 270, 273 ). Most obviously distinguished from other Luciola by the colour of abdominal ventrites V4 and 5 ( Figs 271, 272, 275 ), where the median area is dark brown with margins which narrow anteriorly, and the very close interocular distance which occurs above the insertions of the antennae. Macropterous females tentatively associated by similarity of colour pattern only and described separately below. These two specimens are tentatively included in Luciola s. str. (see comments below).

Male. 8.7 mm long. Colour ( Figs 270−275 ): pronotum creamy yellow semitransparent, with main colour due to underlying white fat body, which is retracted along anterior and posterior margins, (anterior margin may appear black because of underlying dark head); fat body retracted in four other patches in median area of disc corresponding to underlying muscle attachments and these areas appear slightly darker; MN creamy white; MS and elytra semitransparent and pale yellow, with elytral apex black; lateral and sutural elytral margins are very narrowly white due to underlying fat body which is scattered near apex and near inner margin in apical third; head, antennae and palpi black; venter of thorax orange-yellow, legs same with tibiae and tarsi and apices of femora black; basal abdominal ventrites orange yellow, V4, 5 with median dark brown markings: in B1 V5 has extensive dark markings with sloping sides, not reaching anterior margin, and V4 has darker markings restricted to two spots along posterior margin; J1 the dark markings in V5 reach the anterior margin of this ventrite, and V4 has similarly shaped markings which are narrower; all abdominal tergites except T8 are dark brown with T6, 7 almost black; T8 is pale semitransparent. Pronotum: width slightly less than humeral width. Elytron: interstitial lines not well defined; subparallel-sided. Head: barely depressed between eyes; GHW 10 X SIW which occurs above the antennal insertions; ASD < AS, sockets close but not contiguous; apical labial palpomere with inner margin dentate. Abdomen ( Figs 274−276 ): LO occupying all of V6, and V7 except for very narrow area of MPP which is short and apically rounded. T8 ( Fig. 276 ): with posterior margin rounded, no median emargination; anterolateral projections short narrow and apically acute. Aedeagal sheath ( Fig. 275 ). Aedeagus ( Figs 277−279 ): approx. 2.5 as long as wide; basal piece narrow well defined reaching almost half length at sides of LL; ML elongate strongly curved with sheath covering basal 2/3 of ventral surface and apex narrowed but not curved ventrally; ML not strongly expanded in basal area being only slightly wider in basal ¾ than apical ¼; attachment of ML to LL elongate, well defined; LL parallel sided with inner dorsal margins close and slightly divergent posteriorly; apices not strongly narrowed and slightly obliquely truncated (outer edge shorter); preapical inner margins of LL produced into short points; anterior margin of base of LL slightly produced and evenly rounded; leaf like lobes absent.

Female. ( Figs 280–283 ). 8.3 mm (GL350)–11.1 mm (GL 1400) long. Macropterous. Not reliably associated but the similarity of abdominal colour pattern in five females suggests they could belong to this species. Colour: Pronotum yellowish; elytra yellowish semitransparent with small black area at tip; head antennae palpi very dark almost black; venter of thorax orange yellow; legs orange yellow with dark brown tibiae and tarsi; basal abdominal ventrites yellow; V4, 5 with yellow margins and median dark brown markings which are wider across posterior margin and narrow anteriorly, with that of V4 narrower than V5; LO in V6 white occupying all of the visible area; V7, 8 pale yellow semitransparent, with underlying fat body visible through cuticle with most of posterior margin clear; basal abdominal tergites brown (usually visible through the semitransparent elytra), with T8 pale yellow and semitransparent (T7 and 8 usually protruding beyond the elytral apices). Abdomen: median posterior margin of V7 widely and shallowly emarginated, with rounded corners; V8 without median posterior emargination.

Female specimens examined. All specimens are preserved in 70% ethanol. MALAYSIA. Perak: Gunung Liang 350 m a.s.l., 21.vi.2015, B. Nada, female ( GL 350); 18.vi.2015, 1400 m a.s.l., B. Nada, female ( GL 1400); 21.vi. 2015, 345 m a.s.l., B. Nada, female ( GL 345) ( FRIM) . Negeri Sembilan: Gunung Besar Hantu , 9.vi. 2015, 350 m a.s.l., B. Nada, female ( GBH 350 ) ( FRIM) . Terengganu: Pasir Raja Barat Forest Reserve , Compt. 87, 2.viii. 2016, B. Nada, female ( PB 87 [4]) ( FRIM) .

Etymology. The locality name is used as a noun in apposition with the generic name.

Remarks. The two males described here are tentatively assigned to Luciola s. str. as they differ from the conventional description in certain aspects. The ML of the aedeagus is strongly curved but not inclined ventrally at its apex; the LL are not expanded at their apices and there are no elongated leaf like lobes on the inner ventral margin. Females are addressed separately and are not reliably associated, however their colour patterns, size, and especially the pattern on the ventral abdomen, strongly suggest this species.

Figures

FIGURES 270−279. Luciola jengai sp. nov. type males. 270, 273 habitus dorsal; 271, 272 habitus ventral; 274, 275 abdomen: 274 dorsal; 275 ventral; 276 tergite 8 and aedeagal sheath ventral; 277−279 aedeagus: 277 dorsal; 279 ventral; 279 left lateral. Scale lines are 1 mm.

FIGURES 280–283. Luciola jengai sp. nov. possible females. 284−291. Luciola niah sp. nov. type male and female. 280, 284, 286 habitus dorsal; 281, 285, 287 habitus ventral; 282, 283 abdomen: 282 ventral; 283 dorsal; 288, 289 aedeagal sheath: 288 ventral; 289 dorsal; 290, 291 aedeagus: 290 ventral; 291 dorsal. Scale lines are 1 mm.