A Rare Firefly Rediscovered In Bukit Kiara After A Century
Last seen in 1921 at Genting Sempah, the firefly species has resurfaced in an unexpected location.
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A firefly species not seen for over a century has been rediscovered in Taman Persekutuan Bukit Kiara by a 24-year-old master’s student during a routine field survey.
Tan Wei Jack, a master’s student in environmental science at Monash University Malaysia and a research assistant, stumbled upon the rare insect on 23 October 2023 while surveying fireflies in the area.
Initially, Tan believed the firefly belonged to a group known as Colophotia. But something about its appearance stood out. Intrigued, he took microscope images of the specimen and shared them with his academic supervisor, Dr Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh.
After closer analysis, they discovered it wasn’t from the Colophotia genus. It was identified as a bent-winged firefly from the genus Pteroptyx — specifically Pteroptyx gombakia, also known as the Gombak bent-winged firefly.
This species was last recorded in 1921 at Genting Sempah in Gombak, Selangor. Its name, gombakia, was inspired by the location where it was first collected. The species was officially named in 2015 by Australian entomologist Lesly Ballantyne, who came across a preserved specimen at the Natural History Museum in London.
Excited by the rediscovery, Tan and Dr Faridah, a firefly taxonomist and senior lecturer in biodiversity and conservation, returned to Bukit Kiara to gather more data.
“Whenever we saw their flashing lights at twilight, we would catch the fireflies, study their features, note their species, and let them go,” Tan said.
What makes this find especially surprising is its location. Pteroptyx fireflies are typically found in mangrove forests and are famous for flashing in synchronized displays. Yet here was a bent-winged Pteroptyx thriving in a hill park — a first of its kind.
Dr Faridah believes this could mean that the species is more adaptable than previously thought. However, unlike its mangrove cousins, P. gombakia doesn’t seem to gather in large groups.
This unusual behaviour has sparked new research efforts.
Dr Faridah is concerned that P. gombakia may be teetering on the edge of extinction.
She noted that threats such as habitat loss due to urban development and artificial night lighting are major challenges, as they interfere with the fireflies’ light-based communication.
Despite the risks, Dr Faridah remains hopeful.
The question remains: will this rare firefly continue to glow in the dark, or will it vanish once more into history?
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