[NatureNS] Fireflys

From: Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Sat, 30 Jul 2011 18:08:19 -0300
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Hi Jim,

The Fireflies of Ontario:

	http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/lmb_16/lmb_16.html

Was just published on 2 June 2011. Nevertheless Luk, Marshall, &  
Branham's treatment of Photuris in Ontario:

	http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/lmb_16/lmb_1616.htm

Is simply based on historical nomenclature and taxonomy, so (except in  
relation to Nova Scotia where they mention Photuris fairchildi) they  
call everything else in Canada Photuris pennsylvanica.

James Lloyd and Marc Branham, the two foremost experts on lampyrids in  
North America, have a paper in press sorting out at least some of the  
confusion in relation to the name "Photuris pennsylvanica".

In much of North America it may still be impossible to say with  
certainty what a particular Photuris specimen is until Lloyd & Branham  
actually publish their revision of the entire genus, which although  
its been on the books since at least 2002, still isn't anywhere near  
completion.

Photuris is really complicated genus since many species look  
superficially almost identical, and even comparing genitalia won't  
always allow you to separate them. The concept of "species" as it  
applies to this genus, has been developed by James Lloyd who feels  
that male-contact flashing-patterns allow one to distinguish between  
species. It's a complicated formula that takes into account the number  
of flashes, the flash duration, the intervals between flashes, and the  
intervals between pulses (repeated flash patterns given by males).

It's made more complex by virtue of the fact that the exact timing  
varies according to ambient temperature. Males also flash at different  
times in the evening, and in different species males fly at different  
heights and execute different flight paths in the air. Identifying  
Photuris makes identifying just about anything else seem trivial in  
comparison.

My paper still need be reviewed (and who knows how quickly that will  
go), but mid-fall is probably a reasonable estimate.

Cheers!

Chris

On 30-Jul-11, at 4:03 PM, Jim Edsall wrote:

> THanks Chris, i was going by the key on the Canadian Journal of  
> Arthropod Identification website which (apparently incorrectly)  
> lists pennsylvanica as occurring here. This key was written in 2011  
> but is obviously incomplete..when is your paper coming out??
> Jim Edsall
> Dartmouth, N.S.
> check out my personal website at
> http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/jim.edsall/



Christopher Majka  <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca> | Halifax, Nova Scotia,  
Canada

* Research Associate: Nova Scotia Museum | http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/research-asfr.htm
* Review Editor: The Coleopterists Bulletin | http://www.coleopsoc.org/
* Subject Editor: ZooKeys | http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index
* Review Editor: Zootaxa | http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/taxa/Coleoptera.html
* Associate Editor: Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society | http://www.acadianes.org/journal.html
* Editor: Atlantic Canada Coleoptera | http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/PDF/index.html
* Editor: Bugguide, Coleoptera http://bugguide.net

Whenever I hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like an old war- 
horse at the sound of a trumpet. - Charles Darwin


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<html><body style=3D"word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; =
-webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Hi Jim,<div><br></div><div>The =
Fireflies of Ontario:</div><div><br></div><div><span =
class=3D"Apple-tab-span" style=3D"white-space:pre">	<a =
href=3D"http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/lmb_16/lmb_16.html">ht=
tp://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/lmb_16/lmb_16.html</a></span></d=
iv><div><span class=3D"Apple-tab-span" =
style=3D"white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div><span =
class=3D"Apple-tab-span" style=3D"white-space:pre">W</span>as just =
published on 2 June 2011. Nevertheless Luk, Marshall, &amp; Branham's =
treatment of <i>Photuris</i> in Ontario:</div><div><br></div><div><span =
class=3D"Apple-tab-span" style=3D"white-space:pre">	<a =
href=3D"http://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/lmb_16/lmb_1616.htm">h=
ttp://www.biology.ualberta.ca/bsc/ejournal/lmb_16/lmb_1616.htm</a></span><=
/div><div><span class=3D"Apple-tab-span" =
style=3D"white-space:pre"><br></span></div><div><span =
class=3D"Apple-tab-span" style=3D"white-space:pre">I</span>s simply =
based on historical nomenclature and taxonomy, so (except in relation to =
Nova Scotia where they mention<i> Photuris fairchildi</i>) they call =
everything else in Canada&nbsp;<i>Photuris =
pennsylvanica</i>.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>James Lloyd and Marc =
Branham, the two foremost experts on lampyrids in North America, have a =
paper in press sorting out at least some of the confusion in relation to =
the name "<i>Photuris =
pennsylvanica</i>".&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>In much of North =
America it may still be impossible to say with certainty what a =
particular <i>Photuris</i> specimen is until&nbsp;Lloyd =
&amp;&nbsp;Branham actually publish their revision of the entire genus, =
which although its been on the books since at least 2002, still isn't =
anywhere near completion.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div><i>Photuris</i> =
is really complicated genus since many species look superficially almost =
identical, and even comparing genitalia won't always allow you to =
separate them. The concept of "species" as it applies to this genus, has =
been developed by James Lloyd who feels that male-contact =
flashing-patterns allow one to distinguish between species. It's a =
complicated formula that takes into account the number of flashes, the =
flash duration, the intervals between flashes, and the intervals between =
pulses (repeated flash patterns given by =
males).&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>It's made more complex by virtue =
of the fact