DOI: 10.15468/gj362m
title: A New Species of Photuris Dejean (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) from a Mississippi Cypress Swamp, with Notes on its Behavior

description: This dataset contains the digitized treatments in Plazi based on the original journal article Faust, Lynn Frierson, Davis, Jeff (2019): A New Species of Photuris Dejean (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) from a Mississippi Cypress Swamp, with Notes on its Behavior. The Coleopterists Bulletin 73 (1): 97-113, DOI: 10.1649/0010-065X-73.1.97, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1649/0010-065x-73.1.97ABSTRACTPhoturis walldoxeyi Faust, new species, is described as a member of the Photuris versicolor species - group. It can be distinguished by its complex, unique flash-train + glow (FT+G) male courtship flash pattern, one of the most easily recognizable displays in North America. The primary FT+G male courtship pattern consists of a flash-train of 4–9 bright, quick, rhythmic pulses given every 0.4 seconds followed by a prolonged diffuse glow (ca. 1 second) of medium intensity at 17° C while the male hovers flashing near the tips of the branches of bald cypress and swamp vegetation growing in water. The primary FT+G is often followed immediately by a 2-pulsed secondary FT+G that effectively increases the male’ s visibility. Photuris walldoxeyi has thus far been confirmed in cypress and tupelo-cypress swamps of Mississippi, west Tennessee, and Indiana. During its month-long flight from May to mid-June, peak numbers are present ca. 900–1200 modified growing degree days.Key Words: taxonomy, firefly, Photuris versicolor, flash-train + glow, Wall Doxey State Park, Taxodium distichumDOI.org/ 10.1649/0010-065X-73.1.97 Zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub: E2FC1ACB-C403-4764-AA84-391844773F04Despite Photuris Dejean being an extremely widespread and showy firefly genus occurring throughout the Americas (Zaragoza Caballero 1995; Lloyd and Ballantyne 2003; Faust 2017; Souto et al. 2018), the species of the North American Photuris versicolor species-group are morphologically similar with wide variations among and within each species, especially in pronotal, elytral, and abdominal markings and coloration (Barber and McDermott 1951; McDermott 1953, 1967; Lloyd 1969, 1997; Heckscher 2012, 2013; Faust 2017; Buschman 2017). Prior to 2018, there were 17 established members of the P. versicolor speciesgroup (Barber and McDermott 1951; McDermott 1967; Heckscher 2013). Lloyd (2018) recently proposed 34 new species in the group, two of which, Photuris forresti Lloyd and Photuris barberi Lloyd, are discussed in this paper. Thus far, few clear-cut physical characters distinguish the species from one another, even at the DNA level (Martin et al. 2017). Barber and McDermott (1951) stated “all structures, even those of the male genitalia, appear identical in our numerous species.” Herbert Barber, the 20 th century pioneer in Photuris studies, based his species definitions primarily on what he called“pure colonies” that are the primary male courtship flash patterns observed in large numbers of males flying at the same time of the year, year after year, and at specific sites and habitats, as described in the publication following his death (Barber and McDermott 1951). The newly proposed Photuris species in Lloyd’ s (2018) monograph are also grouped primarily by flash pattern. Lloyd agrees that male primary courtship flash patterns, as defined by Barber’ s “pure colonies” concept, are the most definitive way at this time to distinguish species of the P. versicolor species-group.Making positive species identifications from museum specimens of the P. versicolor speciesgroup is extremely difficult and usually uncertain without accompanying phenological, habitat, and “pure colony” male courtship flash patterns and data noted by Barber and McDermott (1951) and McDermott (1967) and as recently described by Heckscher (2013), Faust (2017), and Lloyd (2018). McDermott (1967) writes of Barber’ s lifelong pursuit of defining species of Photuris: “Barber actually based his specific identifications of the members of the versicolor group on the pattern of the flash of the males; unfortunately, this essential information is usually not available to the museum worker.” McDermott (1967) further published a modification of the key originally prepared by Barber and stated “constant morphological and color differences between most of the (Photuris) species just does not exist.” He then added that size and geographic distribution are also important clues but that “there is essentially no variation in the aedeagus”. It should be noted that the majority of Barber and McDermott’ s field work on the P. versicolor species-group occurred within a 161 km radius of rich Maryland and Delaware habitats. Thus, the farther one gets from that epicenter of these Photuris species descriptions of the last century by Barber and McDermott, the more tenuous identifications become using only physical characters, especially when combined with suspected potential geographical variations in size, color, and morphological features.Using the style of Barber and McDermott (1951), this paper describes a new member of the P. versicolor species-group based on its uniquely distinct and complex male courtship flash and manner of flight, its occurrence in swamp habitat among bald cypress, Taxodium distichum (L.) (Cupressaceae) and tupelo gum, Nyssa aquatica L. (Nyssaceae), its relatively early season appearance, and its physical characters. Flash patterns are described as a human observer would see them in the wild at differing temperatures. Field studies in this challenging habitat were conducted 14–27 May 2017 at the type locality, a small cypress swamp in Spring Lake at Wall Doxey State Park in northern Mississippi. Studies were later expanded to other cypress-tupelo gum sites in Mississippi, west Tennessee, and Indiana during 5 May to 17 June 2018. The importance of this discovery is threefold: 1) A new Photuris species is described; 2) The showy flash pattern will draw people into the night and increase appreciation for insects in a positive way; and 3) The importance of preserving our extant natural areas where this species is found is reinforced.