FIREFLIES POPULATION AND THE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY (COLEOPTERA: LAMPYRIDAE) OF THE SUNGAI SEPETANG, KAMPUNG DEW, PERAK, MALAYSIA

Abstract

A study on the population of fireflies along the Sungai
Sepetang, Kampung Dew, Perak was conducted on March, May
and June 2014. This study aim to investigate the abundance of
fireflies from the upstream to downstream of the Sungai
Sepetang in regards to the shrimp pond located at the side of
Sungai Sepetang as well as investigating the correlation of water
and soil quality to the abundance of fireflies there. The 2
minutes sweep-netting for fireflies, water and soil sampling was
adopted. The 20 sampling stations indicated by stations before
the shrimp pond (station 1-10) and after the shrimp pond
(station 11-20). A total of 3044 individuals of fireflies were
recorded. The stations before the shrimp pond recorded higher
abundance (2421) of fireflies compared to the later (623). There
was a significant different (p<0.05) on the abundance of fireflies
within the sampling station. The Water Quality Index (WQI) 

obtained was 59% indicated the status polluted. Sungai
Sepetang is categorized in class III based on Interim National
Water Quality Standards (INWQS) for Malaysia. The WQI have
a positive correlation in regards to the abundance of fireflies
indicated the abundance increases as the quality of water
increase. ANOVA test on the abundance of fireflies and heavy
metal showed that there is a significant different (p<0.05) but
fireflies have a negative correlation with heavy metal. The
abundance of fireflies decreases with the increasing
concentration of heavy metal in the river. Fireflies are more
abundance at the area where the percentage of silt in soils is
high indicates that the eggs and larva of fireflies are suitable to
live in soils with high percentage of silts. It can be concluded
that fireflies are sensitive to the environmental changes, and the
abundance of fireflies are highly dependent on the
environmental factor such as water quality.