AUSTRALIAN FIREFLIES album
Aquilonia costata (Lea)
A little known species with an unusual colouration pattern even for a firefly; it is dorsally orange with black tips to the elytra. For a species that not many know about, it has a wide range of places where it can be found, mainly in the Northern Territory especially around rivers: Groote Eylandt, Moa (Banks) island, Tortilla flats near Darwin, Edith Falls, Daly River, Katherine, and Katherine Gorge, as well as near Weipa in Cape York Peninsula, and the Wenlock River. 7.7-9.7 mm long; has been taken from November through to February. It is hoped that a site like this and the information here will spur readers on to discover more about this widespread but largely unknown species. What we do know is that the female can fly but we know nothing about its habitat or immature stages. However since it is found in far northern Australia, your safety must be paramount if you are searching for this species. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 fig. 4.
Atyphella atra (Lea)
Known from three disjunct mountain rainforest systems, the Lamington Plateau on the border between Queensland and NSW, and the D'Aguilar and Conondale Ranges, approx. 40 km and 90 km respectively NNW of Brisbane. From above it appears quite dark, hence the specific name of atra. And like all the other Australian Atyphella species we know of, it has a flightless female. Unlike other Atyphella females this one has forewings (elytra) that cover the abdomen, but no flight wings, which are the hind wings . 5-7 mm long. Taken from October to December; I collected males females and larvae of this species at Mt Glorious near Maiala National Park. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 figs 9, 10, 83-85.
Atyphella lychnus (Olliff)
Atyphella lychnus is the Blue mountains firefly. It is really the only firefly in Australia well known enough to have been given a common name! It was also the first Australian firefly to have been described, in 1890, and originally it was only known from Mt Wilson in the Blue Mountains hence the common name. Now we know that it can be found all over the place from as far south as Kangaroo Valley in NSW through to the wet sclerophyll forests of the New England tablelands and in the rain forest there, even to some records in Queensland. Recorded from Kenilworth, Dorrigo, Macksville, Barrington Tops, Buladelah, near Kiama, and of course Kangaroo Valley. Sometimes all we are working from is a pinned specimen in a museum collection that should have a locality label on it and a date of collection, but that might not tell us much apart from a general area. That is why getting the public interested (we can call this citizen science) will mean such a lot in terms of finding out just what species is where as now with our climate changing so much we are not sure of the range of them. It has a very wide distribution and that is a little odd as well. It will be the female carrying all those fertilised eggs who will fly around to find a place to lay them and that is how the range of a species will gradually expand. But the odd thing? It seems that the female of this species has short flight wings and probably can’t fly very far, if she can fly at all. We don't know. Another problem for our citizen scientists to investigate. It is 6-9.5 mm long. David Finlay (see in the picture of the flashing pattern) is helping map the incidence of this species but your observations will help too. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 figs 11, 78, 79. Check out this site from Margarita Steinhardt about the Blue Mountains firefly https://www.thewildlifediaries.com and go to Finding fireflies and glowworms in the Blue Mountains.
Australoluciola australis (Fabricius)
Almost golden yellow underneath and 5-7 mm long. I have given a common name to this firefly although it is not well known. Meet Joseph Banks’ firefly. It was collected at the Endeavour River in an area of mangroves where Cooktown now is in 1770 by Joseph Banks himself! It then fell off its pin and it was many years before we were able to work out just what species it was. We know it occurs down the eastern coast of Queensland in mangroves as far south as Bundaberg, where I know of a population on an island in the middle of the Burrum River. It was the first firefly I ever saw. And yes the female can fly! It is also the species that occurs along the Ross River in Townsville. But a caveat, I find it in mangroves, and this is one place where we need to be very careful of our own safety. And of course additionally we need to avoid the mozzies and midges!!
Atyphella flammans Olliff
One of the larger of our fireflies at 8-13 mm long, and a bright and easily recognised colour pattern. Found in far north Queensland just north of the Bloomfield River to as far south as Mackay. The habitat seems to be tropical coastal mostly in lowlands. The female is probably flightless, and is paler than the male with faint traces of the bright pattern you can see here. It appears to like lowland coastal tropical environments. Seen flying at head height at Crystal Cascades near Cairns and very easy to catch in a net. Appears from October - December. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 figs 123,130, 131.
Atyphella flammulans Ballantyne
Yes this one looks a lot like Atyphella flammans above but they are different species. An uncommon species from north Queensland where it is a rainforest species, occurring from lowlands to moderately high elevations. We do not know what the female is like. It is 6-8 mm long. Usually seen from September - November.
Atyphella immaculata Ballantyne
Another rare species from north Queensland, named because it is unusual among Atyphella species in having no darker markings on its pronotum. Found around the Mt Finnigan area, and strictly an upland rainforest species, ranging from 750-1200 metres. It is 7-9 mm long. Early sighting of this species was near Mareeba (Tinaroo Creek Road); latest sighting is November. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 fig. 127.
Atyphella inconspicua (Lea)
As its name suggests a small species 5-7 mm long, but remarkably common in north Queensland where it occurs in the Cooktown area and as far south as Ingham. Common at many rainforest areas usually above 500 metres (it has been recorded up to 1330 metres). Appears to not be a lowland species. Most prevalent from October - December but has been seen as late as January. This specimen is from the Bellenden Ker Range. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 figs 125, 133.
Atyphella conspicua Ballantyne
It was so named as it looks like Atyphella inconspicua but is longer (7-nearly 10 mm long), it is found in north Queensland at a high elevation (750-1300 metres) from near the Bloomfield River to north of Cairns. Usually the only species taken. We know of two records where it was taken at 350 metres with Atyphella inconspicua. Appears from September - December.
Atyphella olivieri Lea
A pretty and widespread species, occurring in the wet tropics from sea level to above 1000 metres and one of the few species to occur around the area of the Paluma Dam. Easily taken in flight. Female might be able to fly, her flight wings are just a little short. 5.5-10 mm long. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 fig. 128.
Atyphella scintillans Olliff
The firefly with the wonderful name. Perhaps Olliff, who described it, was taken with the wonderful light display. SE Queensland and NE NSW in rainforest or remnant rainforest, often coastal. Can also be seen in suburban areas in Brisbane. Displays of this species often attract the most attention as they emerge in large numbers and the local ABC radio gets excited reporting it. This is probably the species seen this year (2022) around Bellingen. 6.6- almost 10 mm long. Flightless female. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 figs 129, 132, 135.
Australoluciola flavicollis (MacLeay)
A small but widespread species occurring in New Guinea and across northern Australia south along the Queensland coast as far as Woolgoolga near Gympie. I have always found it in open forest where it may be attracted to light; not known from rain forest. The elytra always have paler orange margins and the base may also be orange. Notice the shape of the side margins of the pronotum, which taper towards the elytra; this is very characteristic of this species. 4.5-6.5 mm long. Winged female. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2013 figs 45, 48.
Australoluciola nigra (Olivier)
Close to the species above but this one has elytra which are entirely black. Very widespread species and may be seen in suburban backyards in Brisbane. I have collected it there in areas of rain forest or relict rainforest where there is much lantana, and I have taken it with Atyphella scintillans. Usually in sclerophyll forest across northern Australia and down the east coast of Queensland to Burleigh Heads. Yes I have seen it in the National park there. Flighted female. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 fig. 75.
Atyphella brevis Lea
Widespread in mountain rainforest zones of North Queensland from just south of Cooktowh to a little south of Ravenshoe where it ranges from 400-1160 metres. An early record at sea level from Cairns was probably inaccurate. 5.5-7.0 mm long. We haven't found the female. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 fig. 122.
Pygoluciola cowleyi (Blackburn)
A small species, 5-5.5 mm long, and found in the Northern Territory around Darwin. Distinctive because of its colour, and that very large head. Look at the back of the head and the eyes which have a big chunk taken out of them (we call this a posterior eye emargination). No females known and whenever we don't see the females we surmise that they may be flightless.
Atyphella similis Ballantyne
I was surprised when I found this species near the Binna Burra Lodge on Lamington Plateau, and couldn't identify it. I gave it a most unimaginative name, similis, but you can see from the pictures above that lots of these fireflies look alike. This one has been confused with Atyphella lychnus. It is 5.8-7.5 mm long, and taken in flight flying in large numbers. I found the flightless females on the ground by their slower rhythmic flashing, and larvae as well when we spotted their light. SE Queensland and northern NSW in high cool mountain areas, mostly in rainforest. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 fig 134.
Atyphella ellioti Ballantyne
The smallest of our Australian fireflies 3.6-3.9 mm long; found in far north Queensland on the upper parts of Mt Elliot in rainforest (hence its name), and at Eungella, never below 900 metres. This and Atyphella flammans are the only two species of Atyphella which occur both north and south of the dry barrier between Townsville and Mackay.
Atyphella lewisi Ballantyne
Another small species (4.8-5.7 mm long) and superficially similar to both Atyphella brevis and Aty. ellioti. It is distinguished from all other Australian fireflies by the reduced area of the light organs in the last abdominal segment. If you look closely at the picture to the left it almost appears as it the light organ is split into two. An upland species restricted to the northern mountains of the wet tropics zone of Queensland. Only one record below 600 m is from the Cape Tribulation coast area where other upland species from adjacent mountains are also found at sea level. We might have a female! She has very short elytra and large fleshy abdomen, so quite incapable of much movement. See also Ballantyne & Lambkin 2009 figs 124, 136.
Atyphella monteithi Ballantyne
Named for the person who collected most of these species in the northern tropics, and who has many species named after him in appreciation. A rare species presently only known from the Crystal Cascades area near Cairns where they were netted while flying and flashing. No females or larvae known.
Australoluciola orapallida Ballantyne
This is a female from Thursday Island taken in August 2021, and thanks to Domf for letting me use it here. This species is only known from salt water couch along the Massey River in the east coast of Cape York Peninsula, and at Breakfast Creek in mangroves. The occurrence of females (I know of another from Saibai Island) on northern islands suggests the species also occurs in New Guinea. The colour pattern is very like that of Aus. flavicollis but the pronotum and elytral margins are reddish rather than yellow. We found it on damp drift wood which collects and is left by the high tides during every part of the year. Beetles could be picked off the driftwood by hand.
Medeopteryx platygaster (Lea)
This is a male of a group of fireflies known as bent wings. If you look closely you might just see the tips of the elytra (the fore wings) are downturned. The end of the abdomen has a distinctive shape also it is trisinuate. From above this has an orange pronotum and black elytra so it will look like quite a few other species from far North Queensland.
Taken at Lakeland near Cooktown in February 2021 and thanks to Martin Lagerway for the use of this image.
Also found at the Claudie River, around Cairns, Mossman, Meringa, Gordonvale and Coorumba. Was seen at Gordonvale in a type of synchronous display on and beneath a species of Acacia where it displayed in small numbers. Female is flighted. We know very little about the ecology of this species or just where the larvae are developing.
Pyrophanes beccarii Olivier
From above this is another species with orange pronotum and black elytra so it resembles quite a few other species. However this is the surprise find in North Queensland - this genus Pyrophanes is common in the Philippines and we are not quite sure just how this species found its way into N. Queensland. It is found in Cape York peninsula at Coen, and Iron Range and Claudie River. Differs from all other Australian fireflies in that the male has the light organ in the last segment split into two, and at the junction between femur and tibia of the hind leg there is a distinctive set of short bristles - called a metafemoral comb. As this only occurs in males we think it might have some significance in a mating context but so far no one has observed just what it might be for. Females can fly.
Lloydiella majuscula (Lea)
Our largest firefly 10.7 to over 13 mm long and found in Cape York Peninsula in rain forest at Claudie River, Iron Range and Silver Plains near Coen. Another species with orange pronotum and black elytra but much bulkier looking than the others above (the ratio of its length to its width is smaller). It has a flighted female and the larvae look like those of an Atyphella. Has also been recorded from New Guinea. The pictures here are of Lloydiella wareo from New Guinea but are very similar in all respects to majuscula and will suffice until I find another good picture.