Abstract:
The firefly genus Harmatelia is endemic to Sri Lanka, and H. bilinia was
originally described by Walker (1858) based on a specimen collected from
‘Udawaththa’ Forest Reserve, low-wet zone of Sri Lanka. After the original
description, there has been no confirmed record of this species in type locality,
hence the status of this species in Sri Lanka remained uncertain. However, a
male specimen of H. bilinia was rediscovered from ‘Ranmale’ Forest Reserve
(6°14'36.7"N, 80°39'09.1"E, 184m above sea level, Walasmulla) in the
Southern-Intermediate Zone of Sri Lanka, almost after 164 years of its first
record. A living specimen was observed during a recent visual encounter
survey of fireflies (2022). It was captured using an insect hand net for close
examination and photographs (Nikon Digital Camera D90/60mm-12mpxl),
and released back to the same location. Obtained photographs were compared
with the pictures of syntype male H. bilinia (NHMUK014006260) in Natural
History Museum, London. The external morphology of the observed specimen
appeared identical to the original description of H. bilinia. The morphology of
the recorded male H. bilinia is presented herein. H. bilinia, male: 8 mm long;
antennae flabellate and dark reddish brown, black mesoscutellum and
pronotum, lateral and fore edges of pronotum yellowish gold, elytra subparallel,
black with a yellowish gold oblique vitta in each elytron; apex of
elytra deflexed, legs yellowish brown, six visible abdominal ventrites
yellowish brown, eight marginal luminous spots in both sides of ventrites IIVI.
It is vital to note the rediscovery of endemic H. bilinia from the Southern
intermediate forest after their first record from the wet zone forest in Sri
Lanka. Therefore, future studies are recommended on the distribution of H.
bilinia in different floristic zones of Sri Lanka.
