Abscondita terminalis ( Olivier 1883 )

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 : 42

Abscondita terminalis ( Olivier 1883)

Luciola terminalis Olivier 1883: 330 ; 1891: 602; 1902: 87; 1907: 54; 1912: 90.

Luciola praeusta Kiesenwetter. Gorham 1895: 305 . McDermott 1966: 112. Partim.

Abscondita terminalis ( Olivier 1883) . Ballantyne et al. 2013: 1. Yiu 2012: 85; 2017: 85. Fu, 2014: 92.

Type. VIETNAM. ( MNHN) .

Other specimens examined. LAOS N E: N 20.12 E 104.01 Hua Phan province Ban Saleui, Pho Pan ( Mt. ) 1300−1900m 11.iv−15.v.2012 C. Holzschuh, 14 males 6 females ( NHML) ; same locality and collector 27.iv−1. vi.2011, 5 males 5 females ( NHML) . THAILAND. S.N. = Sorasak Nak-eiam . 20°15’ N, 100°03’ E, Chiang Rai province, Chiang Saen district , 370 msl., 3.v.2010, freshwater area, 3 males ( SN ˗ CRA ˗005) S.N. ( NUNHM) . 19°59’ N, 99°50’ E, Chiang Rai province, Muang district , 398 msl., 9.viii.2009, freshwater area, 1 male, 1 female ( SN ˗ CRB ˗001) S.N. ( NUNHM) .

Diagnosis. Having yellowish orange pronotum and elytra with a apical dark brown area; males distinguished most obviously from the similarly coloured Abs. chinensis by the colour of the abdominal ventrites ( Abs. chinensis usually has V5 completely dark and few specimens have dark markings on the preceding ventrites; Abs. terminalis usually has V5 with lateral dark markings and as many as 3 other ventrites similarly marked), the outline of the tip of the male aedeagal sheath sternite, and the flashing pattern which is a train of pulses. Females macropterous coloured like male; usually distinguished from females of Abs. chinensis by the more extensive ventral abdominal colouration ( Abs. chinensis females have dark markings restricted to the posterolateral areas of V5 only; most terminalis females have dark posterolateral markings on at least V4, 5 and sometimes more. Larvae very similar to those of Abs. terminalis with paired pale patches in the anterolateral areas of the protergum. The male flashing pattern (determined for the Chinese populations only), most often seen in paddies and open areas, is a train of pulses lasting ca 1 sec with ca 1.5 sec intervals.

Remarks. Loatian males ranged from 10.2–12.2 mm long and 4.0–4.1 mm wide; females were 11.8–12.4 mm long and 5.0 mm wide. Ballantyne et al. (2013) recorded a somewhat smaller size range in Chinese males (8.8–11.3 mm long; 2.6–4.2 mm wide).

Fairmaire (1891) described Luciola fissicollis from China as like L. chinensis but larger at 11 mm long. The colour suggests both this species and Abs. chinensis . (See also species incertae sedis). Flashing patterns were determined for Chinese populations only by Ballantyne et al. (2013). Yiu (2017) illustrated the flash pattern, and commented on the large numbers of males and larvae he could collect in a square metre of ground following rain. Fu (2014: 92) illustrated the mud pupal cases as well as luminosity of the pupae.