Medeopteryx tarsalis (Olivier) Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2013

Ballantyne, Lesley A. & Lambkin, Christine L., 2013, Systematics and Phylogenetics of Indo-Pacific Luciolinae Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) and the Description of new Genera, Zootaxa 3653 (1), pp. 1-162 : 96

Medeopteryx tarsalis (Olivier) comb. nov.

Luciola tarsalis Olivier, 1885: 360 ; 1902:72.

Pteroptyx tarsalis (Olivier) . Olivier, 1909b:319. McDermott, 1966:117. Ballantyne & McLean, 1970:253.

Pteroptyx tarsale Olivier, 1910b:48 ; 1913b:417. Ballantyne & McLean, 1970:253 (synonymy).

Holotype. Male. NEW GUINEA: 143.00E, 9.00S, Western Pr. , Fly River ( MCSN).

Other specimens examined. NEW GUINEA: New Ireland : 150.48E, 2.34S, Kavieng, 11.ii.1966, G. Monteith, 2 males, 8 females (Tube 222 UQIC) . NEW GUINEA: 143.00E, 9.00S, Western Pr. , Sturt Is., Fly River, 5.x. 1936, male, 2 females; 7.x. 1936, 2 males, 4 females; 8.x. 1936, 2 males, 3 females; 14–16.x. 1936, 15 males, 18 females ( AMNH) . Mediri , 60 miles up Fly River, 8.xi.1922, A. McCulloch, male, 2 females ( AMSA) .

Diagnosis. 6.2–9.1 mm long; dorsally yellow with elytral apices dark brown: the apical brown area may extend anteriorly in strips of decreasing width, sometimes reaching humeral angles; distinguished from all other New Guinean Medeopteryx by its dorsal colouration.

Remarks. This species is only known from mainland New Guinea at the Fly River, and on New Ireland. There are no details of light production and the two populations may not be conspecific.

The pale dorsal colouration with dark tipped elytra which are sometimes dark margined probably provides some protective advantage. To the unaided eye the outline of the lateral margin of the body is totally disrupted.