Speaking of fireflies, many friends may have dreamy and beautiful associations and memories. Recently, researchers at the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discovered 3 new species of fireflies and 4 new chinese record species in many places in Yunnan, which has also added a new color to the chapter of biodiversity in Yunnan.
Li Xueyan, an associate researcher at the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, began to study fireflies in 2002, using the Yunnan flat firefly as a representative species to carry out related research. The three new species recently discovered are: the alpine flat firefly found in Lijiang Yulong, the Lu Persuasion flat firefly found near Lu Persuasion Mountain, and the giant-breasted flat firefly found in Honghe Yuanyang. In addition, four new species that had not been recorded in China were also discovered: the small flat firefly found in Fugong in the Nujiang River, the flat fluorescent firefly found in the fan window found in Lincang Zhenkang, the Nepalese flat firefly found in Mengla in Xishuangbanna, and the Kurosawa flat firefly found in Gaoligong Mountain.
Li Xueyan, associate researcher of the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: "The meaning of the new species is that these species have not been discovered before the entire scientific community, it is different from the previously discovered species, it is newly discovered, and the new record species means that it should have a geographical boundary, for example, the new record species we found this time is to say that these species have been reported before, but they have not been reported in our country. ”
Li Xueyan introduced that the new discoveries released this time, in fact, as early as 2005 to 2008, basically completed the collection of specimens, why after more than ten years, the official release of new species and New Chinese record species?
Li Xueyan, associate researcher at the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences: "The collection of specimens is definitely part of it, because firefly collection needs to work at night, and the other part is the pattern specimen just mentioned, most of the type pattern specimens are in Western countries, and there is another one, which is also the difficulty of all classification work, some literature is relatively old, all after the mid-19th century, collecting some of these documents itself is also particularly difficult. ”
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. Both male and female types emit green light of varying intensity.
Li Xueyan, associate researcher at the Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences: "All these species are found in Yunnan, which also shows that the species diversity in Yunnan is very high, including some specimens that we are studying ourselves, and there should also be new species, new record species, and many more." ”
Fireflies prefer to live in well-fed, moist wastelands and forests. If you're careful and lucky enough, you'll even find them in some parks and zonings in Downtown Kunming.
Li Xueyan, associate researcher of the Kunming Institute of Zoology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: "Many of us in the 70s, when we were young, we could find fireflies at our doorstep, and now we can't see it, it is because of the changes in the environment that it is getting farther and farther away from us, in this sense#, it lives in a better environment, including places with good vegetation and good water quality, and it is the flagship species of ecological environmental protection that can be protected by publicizing its protection. ”
65333333 reporters report.