Pygatyphella peculiaris (Olivier, 1909)

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 : 97

Pygatyphella peculiaris (Olivier, 1909)

( Figs 259, 315, 316, 318, 321–326)

Luciola peculiaris Olivier, 1909a:317 Atyphella peculiaris (Olivier) . Olivier, 1911:174; 1913:417. Luciola (Luciola) peculiaris Olivier. McDermott, 1966:111 . Synonymy. Lloyd, 1973b:992 (light production); 1977:178,

179 (light production). Luciola (Pygatyphella) peculiaris Olivier. Ballantyne, 1968:112 ; Ballantyne,1987a:179.

Holotype. Male. PAPUA NEW GUINEA ( MCSN).

Material examined. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Morobe Pr., 3.46S, 143.52E, 4mi n Wau elev. c. 2800' nr Kunai Creek, Lae Rd. 1969, J.E. Lloyd, 5 males, 17.x, (G316, 319, 321, 324, 331); 2 males, 18.x (G351, 354); 2 males, 12.xi (G566 orange label, G565); 5 males, 13.xi (G583, 584, 587, 589, 596); male, 14.xi (G604); female, 16.x, (G616) ( JELC) . Northern Pr., 9.02S, 148.2E, Mt Lamington , NE Papua, 1300–1500 feet, C T McNamara, 13 males, 4 females (one male at light) ( SAM) . Northern Pr. , 8.52S, 147.73E, Kokoda, Papua, 1200 feet, 14.vii.1933, at light, L. Cheeseman, 6 males, 4 females ( NHML) .

Code name. Luciola 5 ( Lloyd 1973b)

Diagnosis. A moderate sized species (9.3–9.8 mm long) distinguished from all other Pygatyphella by the possession of paired dorsal protuberances of V 7 in the male; similar to Pygat. eliptaminensis and distinguished by its smaller size, and colour of PN and elytra.

Male. Additional features. Aedeagal sheath ( Figs 325, 326) with posterior half of sternite relatively narrow; tergite short with anterior margin darker than rest. T8 ( Fig. 322) lacking median longitudinal groove.

Remarks. Pygat. peculiaris was sympatric at Kunai Creek with Pygat. huonensis . Lloyd (1973b) described the single flash pattern of the males, which flew singly, with a flash period of 0.5 sec, contrasting with a flash period of 1.5 sec for huonensis . The projections on the dorsal surface of V7 are apparently reflexed parts of the anterior margins of the dorsal cuticle, which ‘faces’ the MPP, and are visible in almost all the males examined. They may be a consequence of drying and appear to have no obvious function.