The floral associates of fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae) as recorded in two eastern Indian states with reference to their display plants

Abstract

The association of fireflies to local plants was observed at twenty-eight randomly selected sites throughout eight different ecoregions in two eastern Indian states of Odisha and West Bengal, between March 2017 to February 2022. Seven firefly species, belonging to four genera, utilized fifty-six different plant species under twenty-five families. Maximum plant species preferred by them belonged to Fabaceae (11). Display plant based net sweeping counts from different plants varied significantly (at p ≤ 0.05, t = 7.6); the same was noticed for the visual field count (at p ≤ 0.05, t = 9.61). Counts from different height ranges varied significantly (at p ≤ 0.05, t = 4.1). The number of families (t = 5.22, p = 0.002) and species (t= 3.97, p = 0.007) of associated plants visited by different firefly species also varied significantly. A combined sampling methodology involving both display plant-based net sweeping counts and visual field count had resulted in a significant difference (t = 3.21, p = 0.01, df= 8) between the male and female abundance on display plants. The upper leaf-surface was maximally utilized (54%) by the adult males for perching, while the undersurface (26%) was well utilized for their luminescent courtship displays. Information regarding associated and display plants will facilitate their conservation at the native habitat.

Keywords

• conservation
• courtship display
• display plants
• Indian fireflies