''Atyphella'' is a genus of 'flashing' firefly (family

Lampyridae The Lampyridae are a family (biology), family of Elateroidea, elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are bioluminescence, light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, ...

) found in the Australasian region, particularly in the eastern and northern regions of

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The genus consists of 23 recognized species, 14 considered to be endemic to Australia.Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2006

Description

The larval stage of ''Atyphella'' is morphologically similar to the ''

Luciola ''Luciola'' is a genus of "flashing" fireflies (family Lampyridae), especially well known from Japan. They are often called "Japanese fireflies", but their members range farther into Asia and reach southern Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Portuga ...

'' larval stage, the key difference being that the ''Atyphella'' possess a series of flat projections on the sides of the body (known as explanate tergites).Ballantyne, 1987 ''Atyphella'' antennae are relatively short, shorter than the widest part of the head. This is almost unique among the genera of the subfamily

Luciolinae 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 Euro ...

with '' Bourgeoisia'' being the only other to feature this. The adult ''Atyphella'' head is concealed under an extended pronotum and recessed into the prothoracic cavity. This effectively eliminates upwards vision when in flight and in a resting state. However, it has been observed that some species can extend the head beyond the pronotum in active searching when on the ground. Other notable morphological features of the genus ''Atyphella'' include a head longer than it is wide and ventrally subcontiguous eyes. Most ''Atyphella'' females are flightless and possess reduced

elytra An elytron (; ; , ) is a modified, hardened forewing of beetles (Coleoptera), though a few of the true bugs (Hemiptera) such as the family Schizopteridae are extremely similar; in true bugs, the forewings are called hemelytra (sometimes alterna ...

Taxonomy

The taxonomic ranking of the ''Atyphella'' has been somewhat disputed. It was originally described in 1889 as a separate genus under Lampyridae. This was changed in 1964 when it was grouped under the genus ''Luciola'' as a subgenus (along with '' Pygoluciola''). In 2000 it was again distinguished as a separate genus. This is the current accepted taxonomy, sitting as a sister group to ''Pygoluciola''.

Species list

Twenty-three species are currently recognised:Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2009 *'' Atyphella aphrogeneia'' (Ballantyne, 1979) *'' Atyphella atra'' Lea, 1921 *'' Atyphella brevis'' Lea, 1909 *'' Atyphella conspicua'' Ballantyne, 2000 *'' Atyphella dalmatia'' Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2009 *'' Atyphella ellioti'' Ballantyne, 2000 *'' Atyphella flammans'' Olliff, 1890 *'' Atyphella flammulans'' Ballantyne, 2000 *'' Atyphella guerini'' (Ballantyne, 2000) *'' Atyphella immaculata'' Ballantyne, 2000 *'' Atyphella inconspicua'' (Lea, 1921) *'' Atyphella kirakira'' Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2009 *'' Atyphella lamingtonia'' Ballantyne & Lambkin, 2009 *'' Atyphella leucura'' (Olivier, 1906) *'' Atyphella lewisi'' Ballantyne, 2000 *'' Atyphella lychnus'' Olliff, 1890 *'' Atyphella monteithi'' Ballantyne, 2000 *'' Atyphella olivieri'' Lea, 1915 *'' Atyphella palauensis'' Wittmer, 1958 *'' Atyphella scabra'' Olivier, 1911 *'' Atyphella scintillans'' Olliff, 1890 *'' Atyphella similis'' Ballantyne, 2000 *'' Atyphella testaceolineata'' Pic, 1939

Footnotes

References

* * (1987): Lucioline morphology, taxonomy and behaviour: A reappraisal (Coleoptera, Llampyridae). ''Transactions of the American Entomological Society'' 113(2): 171–188
Fulltext
* (2008): ''Pygoluciola satoi'', a new species of the rare southeast Asian firefly genus ''Pygoluciola'' Wittmer (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae) from the Philippines. ''Raffles Bulletin of Zoology'' 56(1): 1–9
PDF fulltext
* (2006): A phylogenetic reassessment of the rare S.E. Asian firefly genus ''Pygoluciola'' Wittmer (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae). ''The Raffles Bulletin of Zoology'' 54(1): 21-4
PDF fulltext
* (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: 1–18
PDF abstract
* (1964): The Taxonomy of the Lampyridae (Coleoptera). ''Transactions of the American Entomological Society'' 90(1): 1-7
Fulltext

External links

Australian distribution of ''Atyphella''

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4818880 Lampyridae Lampyridae genera Bioluminescent insects