Three new species of fireflies and four new chinese record species were found in Yunnan

Recently, according to the official website of the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the evolutionary genomics and gene origin research group of the Institute found 3 new species of fireflies and 4 new chinese record species in Yunnan.

Fireflies are the most famous terrestrial luminescent creatures, widely distributed around the world, divided into 9 subfamilies and about 100 genera, some of which are distributed only in limited geographical areas. The genus Is a group of fireflies that are found only in countries around the Himalayas in Asia and in Southeast Asian countries.

They are male and female, male adults have black elytra wings, compound eyes are large, can continue to emit weaker green light; female adults are wingless as larvae, the whole body is milky white, can continue to emit strong green light; the larvae body is flat, the whole body is black or has brownish yellow stripes, preying on snail earthworms and other animals. They prefer to live in well-fed wastelands and forests. They can be found in some parks and residential areas in Kunming, and the flat fireflies are a type of fireflies that still live in and around the city and are easily observed by the public.

Li Xueyan, an associate researcher at the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, began to study fireflies in 2002 and carried out relevant research with the Yunnan flat firefly as a representative species. Three new species were found, the alpine flat firefly was found in Lijiang Yulong, the Lu persuasion flat firefly was found near the Palanquin Mountain in Lu persuasion Yi and Miao Autonomous County, and the giant-breasted flat firefly was found in Huangmaoling Township, Yuanyang County, Honghe Hani And Yi Autonomous Prefecture.

In addition, four new Chinese record species were found in Yunnan: Lumaden in Fugong County, Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture, small flat fireflies were found, fan-window flatflies were found in Busy Bing Township, Zhenkang County, Lincang City, Nepalese flat fireflies were found in the Botanical Garden of Menglun Town, Mengla County, Xishuangbanna, and Kurosawa flatflies were found in Gaoligong Mountain.

Li Xueyan said that fireflies live in places with a relatively good ecological environment and can be used as an ecological indicator. Where there are fireflies, it means that the ecological environment of this place is relatively good. (CCTV reporter Chen Hongyan)

(Edited by Guo Lu)