Photuroluciola deplanata Pic, 1931

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 : 77

Photuroluciola deplanata Pic, 1931

( Figs 38–55)

Photuroluciola deplanata Pic, 1931:12 . Luciola (Photuroluciola) deplanata (Pic) . McDermott, 1966:115. Ballantyne, 2008:9. Fu & Ballantyne, 2008:1.

Holotype. Male. MADAGASCAR: Labelled ( Fig. 56) 1. (printed) H. Taravellier Madagascar; 2. (Red printed) type; 3. (handwritten) Baie d’untoiyil; 4. (handwritten) nov. genre Photuroluciola ; 5. (handwritten) Photuroluciola deplanata n. sp. ( MNHN). Unique specimen.

Male. 14.7 mm long; 5.4 mm wide; almost 3 X as long as wide. Colour: Pronotum pinkish orange, semitransparent and fat body is irregularly retracted beneath cuticle; MN orange; MS black; elytra dull black (this specimen has a superficial semitransparent layer on the elytra that is peeling in places and it may have been accidentally covered in another substance like glue); underside dull black except for creamy white LO segments; basal abdominal tergites dark brown, T 7 and 8 pale yellow, T8 semitransparent; dorsally reflexed edges of V2–5 brown, of V6 and 7 white. Pronotum: 3.5 mm wide across widest posterior portion (2.8 mm across anterior 1/3, 3.2 mm across middle), 2.7 mm long; W/L 1.3; 1/6 as long as whole body. Elytra 12 mm long. Head with GHW 2.7 mm; SIW 0.6 mm; SIW/GHW 0.2; frons not defined, area of frons-vertex junction rounded.

Female and larva unknown.

Remarks. The phylogenetic analysis reveals the distinctiveness of this single specimen, and this is emphasised by the form of its treatment here. Fu and Ballantyne (2008) included this species in a key to Luciolinae genera and figured some aspects of the aedeagus and sheath. The distinctive features of the aedeagus (especially the shape of the ML apex) suggest reproductive strategies different to those explored here in the Discussion.