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TUESDAY | JUNE 10, 2025

Rare firefly find in Bukit Kiara park

KUALA LUMPUR: A Malaysian student has made a rare discovery during a firefly survey in the city’s Bukit Kiara forest. Tan Wei Jack, 24, a research assistant and master’s student at Monash University Malaysia, collected a firefly on Oct 23, 2024, that turned out to be Pteroptyx gombakia , also known as the Gombak bent winged firefly – a species last seen in 1921. At first, Tan thought it was a common species. But after taking a closer look on Jan 9 this year, he realised it was something unusual. His find is only the third known specimen of P. gombakia and the ninth firefly species recorded in Bukit Kiara, Malaysia’s first federal park. The species was officially named in 2015 by entomologist Lesly Ballantyne, based on a single species could survive outside ecosystem: Academic o Discovery of bent winged Pteroptyx gombakia outside mangrove habitat by student suggests

gombakia and the more common Colophotia ) was spotted in the (P. gombakia) firefly’s light-producing organ called the ‘lantern,’ which is located in the insect’s abdomen,” she said. “Indeed, it’s truly magical we have this rare group of fireflies living in the heart of our city. she said. She also said out of the 14 known bent-winged Pteroptyx species, nine are found in mangrove ecosystems. The habitats of the remaining species, including P. gombakia, remain unclear due to a lack of ecological data. Fireflies belong to the Lampyridae family of bioluminescent beetles. Wan Faridah said over 2,600 firefly species exist worldwide, with more than 60 in Malaysia, of which at least 10 live in mangrove swamps. She explained territorial fireflies usually fly alone, while mangrove fireflies (congregating fireflies) gather and flash their lights in groups. Of nine Pteroptyx species in mangroves, four are endangered on the IUCN Red List. “Two to three species often gather on one mangrove tree and need proper water and temperature to survive,” she said. Most flying fireflies are males; some females can’t fly and stay on the ground. Males use light to find them. Congregating fireflies attract ecotourism, but solitary fireflies live in other forests, Wan Faridah added. Bukit Kiara urban forest is now home to nine firefly species,

including Lamprigera – the world’s largest female firefly – and the newly discovered P. gombakia. Wan Faridah said this bent winged species, unlike most Pteroptyx fireflies, does not gather in large groups. “We still lack data on P. gombakia , and it may already be close to extinction,” she said, adding that they’re racing against time to learn more. She warned that habitat loss and light pollution from urban development threaten this species, disrupting the flashing signals fireflies use to communicate. Despite fireflies’ ecotourism value, Wan Faridah said conservation is hindered by the lack of a national firefly species inventory and natural history collection in Malaysia. “Many historical specimens from Malaysia are now in museums overseas due to colonial-era practices. “I’ve had to travel to places like the Netherlands and England to study them.” Verifying new firefly discoveries takes over two years and requires funding and proper facilities. “Even with new finds, it’s hard to confirm if they’re truly new or known species,” she said. Wan Faridah hopes to build a complete species database and national inventory. “My goal is to create a resource future generations can use to study and protect Malaysia’s fireflies.”

Bukit Kiara urban forest is now home to nine firefly species, including the world’s largest female firefly Lamprigera and the P. gombakia . – SUNP IX

the IUCN Firefly Specialist Group, said P. gombakia belongs to the Pteroptyx genus, typically found in mangroves and known for its synchronous flashing displays. She said there is a subgroup of “bent-winged” Pteroptyx , named for their folded wings, which are also usually found in mangrove areas. Tan’s specimen, she noted, was the first ever found outside that habitat, making the discovery even more surprising. “This suggests that the species can actually survive outside that ecosystem,” she said. Wan Faridah also said she did not realise Tan’s specimen was the bent winged Pteroptyx until she examined its microscopic images. “The difference (between P.

specimen collected in 1921 from Genting Sempah, Gombak. Tan initially thought the firefly he collected in October was from the common Colophotia genus, often found in Bukit Kiara. But on closer examination, he noticed it looked different. “I took photos through a microscope and sent them to my supervisor Dr Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh. After discussing it, we realised it was actually a bent-winged Pteroptyx gombaki a,” he told Bernama. Tan and Wan Faridah, a firefly taxonomist and senior lecturer at Monash University Malaysia, later returned to Bukit Kiara for further research. Wan Faridah, who also co-chairs

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