The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,000 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production of light, mainly during twilight, to attract mates. Light production in the Lampyridae is thought to have originated as a warning signal that the larvae were distasteful. This ability to create light was then co-opted as a mating signal and, in a further development, adult female fireflies of the genus Photuris mimic the flash pattern of the Photinus beetle in order to trap their males as prey.
Photuris is a genus of fireflies. These are the femme fatale lightning bugs of North America. This common name refers to a behavior of the adult females of these predatory beetles; they engage in aggressive mimicry, imitating the light signals of other firefly species' females to attract mates – but Photuris use it to attract, kill and eat the unsuspecting males of those other species. Their flashing bioluminescent signals seem to have evolved independently and eventually adapted to those of their prey, mainly unrelated Lampyrinae, such as Photinus or Pyractomena.
Phausis is a genus of firefly beetles. These beetles are for the most part unimpressive in their appearance and behaviour, so have not drawn much study, and little is known about many of the species. Species in this genus are at least known from North America. Ten species are described in North America, ranging throughout much of the continent.
The Photurinae are a subfamily of fireflies (Lampyridae). They contain many of the well-known North American species, such as the Pennsylvania firefly, state insect of Pennsylvania. They are among the "flashing" fireflies known as "lightning bugs" in North America, although they are not too distantly related to the flashing fireflies in the Lampyrinae; as the most basal lineages of that subfamily do not produce light at all, the Photurinae's flashing signals seem to be convergent evolution.
The Luciolinae are among the largest subfamilies of fireflies (Lampyridae). They seem to be all "flashing" fireflies. They are a diverse lineage, spreading throughout the warm parts of Eurasia into temperate Europe and East Asia and south to the Australian region.
The Cratomorphini are a tribe of fireflies of the large subfamily Lampyrinae. The genera placed here often contain well-sized members of their family. The larvae of many species climb trees to feed on snails. This group contains a few "lightning bugs" from North America, e.g. the genus Pyractomena. Further south in the American tropics, Aspisoma can be found.
The Photinini are a large tribe of fireflies in the subfamily Lampyrinae. Photinus pyralis is famous in biotechnology for its luciferase gene. This is sometimes employed as a marker gene; genetically modified organisms which contain it start to glow like the firefly when brought in contact with a luciferin-containing medium. Firefly luciferases differ slightly between taxa, resulting in differently colored light and other properties, and in most cases where "firefly luciferase" is used in some application or study, it is the specific luciferase of P. pyralis.
The Lampyrini are a tribe of fireflies in the large subfamily Lampyrinae. The lineage formerly separated as Pleotomini seems to be a specialized offshoot of the Lampyrini not too distant from the type genus Lampyris and is therefore included here. This tribe occurs throughout the Holarctic and contains the typical "glowing" or "continuous-light" fireflies from that region. Some otherwise very advanced Lampyrini, like species in Paraphausis and Pyrocoelia, have degenerated light-producing organs again and communicate primarily or even exclusively with pheromones like the ancestors of the fireflies did.
Photinus pyralis, also known by the common names the common eastern firefly or big dipper firefly, and sometimes called a "lightning bug", is a species of flying beetle. An organ on its abdomen is responsible for its light production. It is the most common species of firefly in North America, and is typically found east of the Rocky Mountains. Photinus fireflies are often confused with fireflies of the similar-sounding genus, Photuris, which are also found in North America.
The Lamprocerini are a tribe of fireflies in the large subfamily Lampyrinae, though at least some Lamprocerini species are not bioluminescent in the adult stage. They are generally neotropical, found in North America only as vagrants.
Photinus carolinus, commonly known as the Smokies synchronous firefly, is a species of rover firefly whose mating displays of synchronous flashing have fascinated both scientists and tourists. As individual females synchronize with males nearby, waves of alternating bright light and darkness seem to travel across the landscape. Firefly displays typically occur in early June near Elkmont, Tennessee, in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, near Gatlinburg. The species can be found in isolated pockets of the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States.
Ellychnia is a genus of fireflies. First defined by Émile Blanchard in 1845, the genus contains 24 species, which are widespread in the United States. Adults are black, with rose-colored marks on the pronotum; sexual dimorphism is unknown. These beetles are active during the day, and have no light-producing organs as adults; instead, they attract mates using chemical signals. The larvae of Ellychnia fireflies live in rotting logs.
Photuris versicolor, is a species complex of firefly common throughout the Eastern United States. Fireflies famously use flash-based visual signalling to find mates at a distance and each species of firefly has a unique flash pattern sequence that males and females of the same species use to identify one another. Researchers have documented the ability of female P. versicolor to hunt males of other firefly species by mimicking the flash responses of female fireflies of other species. Photuris versicolor appear to target males, such as Photinus pyralis, specifically for the lucibufagin steroids that their prey produce.
Photinus consanguineus, or double cousin firefly, is a species of firefly in the genus Photinus. It is found in eastern North America.
Photinus macdermotti, or Father Mac's firefly or Mr. Mac, is a species of firefly in the family Lampyridae. It is found in North America.
Photinus brimleyi, or sidewinder firefly is a species of firefly in the Photinus genus. It is found in the southeastern United States.
Photinus cookii, or Cook's firefly is a species of day-active firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is found in North America in the Eastern USA, including Florida and Texas.
Photinus concisus is a species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is found in Kerrville, Texas. It the species most closely related to Photinus pyralis.
Photinus tenuicinctus, or thinly-girdled firefly or Ozark spark, is a species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is found in the Ozarks in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
