| Photinus consanguineus | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Elateriformia |
| Family: | Lampyridae |
| Genus: | Photinus |
| Species: | P. consanguineus |
| Binomial name | |
| Photinus consanguineus LeConte, 1852 | |
Photinus consanguineus, or double cousin firefly, [2] is a species of firefly in the genus Photinus. [3] It is found in eastern North America. [3]
P. consanguineus is a medium-sized beetle, with adults that measure about 10 mm (0.4 in) long. The head shield, or pronotum, is pale yellow with a black, rectangular central mark bounded by red or pink. The wing covers, or elytra, are dark with well-defined, light-colored margins. The male has lanterns in segments 6 and 7 of its abdomen, and the female has only one lantern. It is nearly identical in appearance to Photinus macdermotti and Photinus greeni . [2]
Photinus is from the Greek word for shining or bright. [4] The specific epithet, consanguineus, is a Latin word meaning "related by blood" or "kindred". [5]
Beetles such as P. consanguineus go through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Photinus fireflies spend the majority of their lives as larvae, which are bioluminescent and likely live below the soil surface, eating snails, worms, and other soft-bodied invertebrates. [1] [2]
Adult male P. consanguineus fireflies fly 0.5–1.5 m (1.6–4.9 ft) off the ground and flash to attract the attention of females. Their flash pattern consists of two quick pulses of light, with each pulse approximately 0.2 seconds in length, with a period of 0.4 to 0.6 seconds of darkness before the next set of 2 pulses. A female responds with an answering flash from a perch on low vegetation. The male and female communicate in this way until the male finds the female and they mate. [6]
P. consanguineus is found in the eastern United States from Texas to the west and in Canada in Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Ontario. [1]
