There is nothing sadder than seeing an animal species go extinct due to humans destroying their habitat. So today’s news is heartening as the Gombak bent-winged firefly (Pteroptyx gombakia) which was last seen alive in 1921 has been rediscovered by Tan Wei Jack, a research assistant and undergraduate student in environmental science at Monash University Malaysia.
The species was discovered in the Bukit Kiara Federal Park in October last year. He only realised the specimen he had collected was Pteroptyx gombakia after looking at it under a laboratory microscope in January this year.
Pteroptyx gombakia was only identified as a new firefly species in 2015 although the first specimen was collected in 1921 in Genting Sempah, Gombak. This is the history behind the scientific name used.
The specimen collected by Tan is only the third ever collected with the Bukit Kiara Federal Park being the habitat for nine firefly species. Because they are difficult to find, it is believed that these fireflies are an endangered species.