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Decline of luminous firefly Abscondita chinensis population in Barrankula, Andhra Pradesh, India

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Abstract

Luminous fireflies are a roadside attraction group of insects which act as environmental indicators and indicate the quality of surrounding milieus. However, recent studies suggest that water pollution and climate change are involved in the decline of firefly populations around the world, and have sounded an alarm regarding the conservation of the firefly population. Therefore, the present study aimed to assess the current status of the firefly population in a remote place called “Barrankula” in the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh, India, which is surrounded by paddy fields. Two decades ago (during 1996), the population of the firefly Abscondita chinensis Kiesenwetter 1874 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae) around the freshwater canal of Barrankula was documented in the several hundreds (>500) of individuals within a 10-m2 area. However, the same site was found to have a declining population of Abs. chinensis (only 10 to 20 individuals) within a 10-m2 area in January 2019. Thus, further population modeling studies are imperative to investigate the factors influencing the distribution and abundance of Abs. chinensis and to conserve this species. In addition, this study also investigated the luminescence emission patterns of Abs. chinensis under captive conditions, where gradual depletion of luminescence was detected under starved conditions. Abs. chinensis documented in this study is the first record of faunal diversity in Andhra Pradesh.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR), NCCR Field Office, Mandapam, Tamil Nadu, 623519, India

    Chatragadda Ramesh

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  1. Chatragadda Ramesh
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Correspondence to Chatragadda Ramesh.

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Chatragadda, R. Decline of luminous firefly Abscondita chinensis population in Barrankula, Andhra Pradesh, India. Int J Trop Insect Sci 40, 461–465 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-019-00078-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42690-019-00078-7

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