Luciolinae

Taxobox
name = Luciolinae


image_width =
image_caption =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
subphylum = Hexapoda
classis = Insecta
subclassis = Pterygota
infraclassis = Neoptera
superordo = Endopterygota
ordo = Coleoptera
subordo = Polyphaga
infraordo = Elateriformia
superfamilia = Elateroidea
familia = Lampyridae
subfamilia = Luciolinae
subfamilia_authority =
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision = Several, including:
"Atyphella"
"Bourgeoisia"
"Colophotia"
"Curtos"
"Hotaria" (disputed)
"Lampyroidea"
"Luciola" (paraphyletic)
"Photuroluciola" (disputed)
"Pristolycus" (see text)
"Pteroptyx"
"Pygoluciola"
"Pyrophanes"

The Luciolinae are among the largest subfamilies of fireflies (Lampyridae). They seem to be all "flashing" (as opposed to "continuous-glow") fireflies. They are a diverse lineage, spreading throughout the warm parts of Eurasia into temperate Europe and East Asia and south to the Australian region. [Stanger-Hall "et al." (2007)]

Several tropical species, notably of the genus "Pteroptyx", are of local economic importance. Their displays will self-synchronize until the entire local firefly population flashes in the same rhythm, creating a stunning spectacle that is popular with tourists. The most well-known location to witness these displays is on the Selangor River at Kampong Kuantan, Malaysia.

Two Japanese species of "Luciola", collectively known as "hotaru" (蛍), are highly significant in Japanese culture and folklore. They are symbols of the "hitodama" (人魂 or 人玉), the souls of the newly-dead. See also the explanations at the article on the movie "Hotaru no Haka" ("Grave of the Fireflies") for a discussion of the cultural significance of the "hotaru".

ystematics

This subfamily is usually divided into two tribes, the monotypic Curtosini and the larger Luciolini. Occasionally, the Ototetrinae are contained in this subfamily as a third tribe Ototetrini. The genus "Pristolycus", usually placed in the Lampyrinae, appears to belong in this subfamily instead and represents a quite basal lineage.Ballantyne & Lambkin (2006), Stanger-Hall "et al." (2007), Fu & Ballantyne (2008)]

While "Curtos" certainly stands apart from the other genera, its precise relationships are far less resolvable than the placement as a distinct tribe presumes; it appears to share more autapomorphies with "Atyphella" and especially "Pygoluciola" – both were for some time included in "Luciola" – than with other genera, but whether this means an evolutionarily closer relationship (rendering the Curtosini invalid) remains to be tested.

"Photuroluciola", usually included in "Luciola", might also warrant recognition as a distinct genus. [Fu & Ballantyne (2008)]

From phylogenetic analyses of morphology, 3 possible clades (which could be considered tribes) can be inferred:
* A basal group containing "Bourgeoisia", "Lampyroidea", and the "typical" "Luciola" which apparently includes "Hotaria". "Pristolycus" and "Curtos" might belong here.
* A robustly-supported and distinct group containing "Colophotia", "Pteroptyx", "Pyrophanes", and "Luciola" species from Australia. They might be distinguished by larvae with soft terga that lack paranota, but this might alternatively be a plesiomorphic trait also present in other Luciolinae. [Ballantyne & Menayah (2002)]
* A weakly-supported group of "Atyphella" (formerly in "Luciola"), "Pygoluciola" and possibly "Curtos", which each seems very distinct but of unclear relationships with the other genera and groups.

Footnotes

References

* (2006): A phylogenetic reassessment of the rare S. E. Asian firefly genus "Pygoluciola" Wittmer (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae). "Raffles Bulletin of Zoology" 53(1): 21-48. [http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/54/54rbz021-048.pdf PDF fulltext]
* (2002): A description of larvae and redescription of adults of the firefly "Pteroptyx valida" Olivier in Selangor, Malaysia (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae), with notes of Luciolinae larvae. "Raffles Bulletin of Zoology" 50(1): 101-109. [http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/rbz/biblio/50/50rbz101-109.pdf PDF fulltext]
* (2008): Taxonomy and behaviour of lucioline fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae) with redefinition and new species of "Pygoluciola" Wittmer from mainland China and review of "Luciola" LaPorte. "Zootaxa" 1733: 1–44. [http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008/f/z01733p044f.pdf PDF abstract]
* (2007): Phylogeny of North American fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Implications for the evolution of light signals. "Mol. Phylogenet. Evol." 45(1): 33-49. doi|10.1016/j.ympev.2007.05.013 (HTML abstract)