Current work

There are still puzzles to solve in the firefly world and not all can be solved by conventional taxonomy. 

The exciting potential  to collaborate with colleagues overseas using molecular technology continues. By combining their outputs with my taxonomic knowledge we are finding that many of the hardest puzzles are being answered. 

This relates especially to a number of firefly genera in China, including aquatic species, and a paper was published early in 2024. I was invited to contribute by Professor Xin Hua Fu of Huazhong University, one of the leading firefly researchers in China. Prof Fu and I have a paper just published on the firefly genus Pygoluciola. Now we are working on a fascinating collection of specimens belonging to the genus Luciola from China.

As a result of a taxonomic workshop given in Bangalore India in March in 2024 Dr Jusoh and I are preparing an ebook on all aspects of Luciolinae taxonomy.

Issues relating to nomenclature of fireflies have been addressed (a paper on the type species for the genus Luciola is listed in the Publications section) and Dr Jusoh and I have submitted an application to the Commission for Biological nomenclature to address the type species of the genus Pteroptyx Olivier.

I am involved with undergraduate and postgraduate students in the Philippines. This is most gratifying work as some of our really interesting genera and species, like Pteroptyx macdermotti, occur here.

At the recent International Firefly symposium in Mexico I was part of a panel of four all of whom were proud to acknowledge they were taxonomists and advocating for better recognition of the discipline.

In Australia I am part of a group running a Facebook page Fireflies of Australia.  .https://www.facebook.com/groups/firefliesofaustralia. YouTube has talks about Australian fireflies.

But primarily I hope to be a source of information for anyone taking up working on fireflies, and especially the subfamily Luciolinae (the only  group of fireflies in Australia and the Pacific). That is the main reason for this existence of this website. 

And here are connections to others who also work on the Luciolinae in SE Asia: 

Prof Xin Hua Fu in China fireflyfxh@mail.hzau.edu.cn

Dr Wan Jusoh heritagespecies.wordpress.com in Malaysia

Dr Ming-Luen Jeng in Taiwan https://mantisjeng.wixsite.com/home

Vor Yiu in Hong Kong http://fireflies.hk/

Oliver Keller's catalogue of the fireflies of the world is at Lampyridae.world. https://lampyridae.world/#/

A webinar about fireflies in India can be found here

I refer you to the section on So you want to work on Luciolinae fireflies?