The synchronously flashing aggregative fireflies of peninsular Malaysia

Abstract

Fireflies such as Pteroptyx tener form an integral part of the biological diversity of Malaysia. They are a valuable commodity to certain communities in Peninsular Malaysia as they contribute to ecotourism and generate substantial local income through job creation as well as the procurement of goods and services. A review of the history and influence of lampyrids (fireflies) on civilization and discoveries about these creatures is revealed through research being carried out in the fields of biotechnology and medicine. To date, there are numerous scattered reports and anecdotal observations of firefly sightings in several mangrove forests in Peninsular Malaysia, but no literature is available on the distribution of specific firefly species and their interactions within a habitat. The lack of recorded reports and scientific documents on the number of species and their preferred habitat has hampered conservation efforts to protect these fireflies and preserve their habitats from man-made catastrophes. Urbanisation and industrialisation have not only caused a decline in the firefly population but have also degraded the mangrove ecosystems through pollution and habitat fragmentation. The nightly aggregations of adult P. tener on the mangrove tree Sonneratia caseolaris along the Selangor River is linked to nectaries found on young trees. These nectaries are a source of nutrition for adult fireflies and catalyse a series of chemical reactions in the firefly's body that in turn release photon flashes seen as synchronous flashing. This article draws attention to the relative fragility of the P. tener population and its vulnerability to the on-going process of human encroachment along the Selangor River in Peninsular Malaysia.