An Overview of the Firefly Genus Wittmer, a Phylogeny of the Luciolinae Using Mitochondrial Genomes, a Description of Six New Species, and an Assessment of a Copulation Clamp in This Genus (Coleoptera: Lampyridae: Luciolinae).

Wittmer 1939 is overviewed, with an expanded generic redescription comprising 28 species, including 6 new species from China, described from features of males, associated females, and larvae. Their placement in the genus is confirmed by a phylogenetic analysis of their mitogenomes. They include Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Baise City, Guangxi Province; Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Yunnan Province; Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from the City of Quzhou in Zhejiang Province; Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Tunchang county, Hainan Island; Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Yingjiang county in Yunnan Province; and Fu & Ballantyne sp. nov. from Mt. Yuping, Hongya County in Sichuan Province. Specimens are assigned to Olivier, which is transferred to and redescribed. Species are assigned to one of five Groups we define in the genus, and this classification is challenged by molecular information. We reject the possibility of a copulation clamp in Ballantyne by dissection of pinned type females and comparison with other species newly described here.