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 an honest warning signal that the larvae were distasteful; this was co-opted in evolution as a mating signal in the adults. In a further development, female fireflies of the genus Photuris mimic the flash pattern of Photinus species 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, kill, and eat the males. 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.
Glowworm or glow-worm is the common name for various groups of insect larvae and adult larviform females that glow through bioluminescence. They include the European common glow-worm and other members of the Lampyridae, but bioluminescence also occurs in the families Elateridae, Phengodidae and Rhagophthalmidae among beetles; as well as members of the genera Arachnocampa, Keroplatus and Orfelia among keroplatid fungus gnats.
The large red damselfly is a species of damselflies belonging to the family Coenagrionidae. It is native to the western Palearctic.
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.
Photinus pyralis, known by the common names common eastern firefly and big dipper firefly, is the most common species of firefly in North America. P. pyralis is a flying and light-producing beetle with a light organ on the ventral side of its abdomen. This organism is sometimes incorrectly classified as Photuris pyralis, which likely results from mistaking the similar-sounding genus Photuris.
Photinus carolinus 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.
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.
Pyractomena punctiventris is a species in the family Lampyridae (fireflies), in the order Coleoptera (beetles). It is found in North America, where it is known from east-central Texas south to Veracruz, Mexico.
Photinus consanguineus, or Double Cousin Firefly is a species of firefly in the genus Photinus. It is found in eastern North America.
Lucidota atra, the black firefly or woodland lucy, is a diurnal species of firefly — a member of the Lampyridae family of beetles.
Photuris frontalis is a synchronous-flashing firefly species in the beetle family Lampyridae.
Pyractomena lucifera is a species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is found in North America.
Photuris fairchildi is a species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is found in North America.This species is known to use aggressive mimicry in order to lure in and prey upon the males of other species of fireflies. This species inhabits marshes, spruce forests, and other low-lying swampy areas.
The keel-necked firefly is an endangered species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae.
Pyractomena angulata is a species of firefly in the family of beetles known as Lampyridae. It is found in North America and is the state insect of Indiana. It is also known as Say's firefly named after Thomas Say, and the angle candled firefly.
Photuris mysticalampas, also called the mysterious lantern firefly, is an endangered synchronous-flashing firefly species described in 2013.
Photuris bethaniensis is a species of firefly in the genus Photuris.
Abscondita chinensis, is a species of firefly beetle found in India, China and Sri Lanka.
Sara Margery Lewis is an American biologist, professor, author, and firefly expert.
