Photuris
Genus of beetles
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Photuris is a genus of fireflies (beetles of the family Lampyridae). The adult females of this genus are notable for preying on other fireflies. They engage in aggressive mimicry, imitating the light signals that other firefly species' females use 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 (rover fireflies) or Pyractomena.[1]
| Photuris | |
|---|---|
| |
| P. lucicrescens | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Clade: | Pancrustacea |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Suborder: | Polyphaga |
| Infraorder: | Elateriformia |
| Family: | Lampyridae |
| Subfamily: | Photurinae |
| Genus: | Photuris Dejean, 1833 |
| Species | |
|
See text | |
Species
At least 64 species are currently recognized,[2] all restricted to temperate North America.[3] They mainly occur from the East Coast to Texas.[4] Species include:
- Photuris aureolucens – Barber, 1951
- Photuris bethaniensis– McDermott, 1953 (Bethany Beach Firefly)
- Photuris caerulescens – Barber, 1951
- Photuris cinctipennis – Barber, 1951
- Photuris congener– LeConte, 1852
- Photuris divisa– LeConte, 1852
- Photuris fairchildi– Barber, 1951
- Photuris flavicollis– Fall, 1927
- Photuris floridana – Fall, 1927
- Photuris frontalis – LeConte, 1852
- Photuris hebes – Barber, 1951
- Photuris lineaticollis – Motschulsky, 1854
- Photuris llyodi – McDermott, 1966
- Photuris lucicrescens – Barber, 1951 (July Comet)
- Photuris missouriensis – McDermott, 1962
- Photuris mysticalampas – Heckscher, 2013 (Mysterious Lantern Firefly)
- Photuris pensylvanica – De Geer, 1774 (Pennsylvania Firefly)
- Photuris potomaca – Barber, 1951
- Photuris pyralomina – Barber, 1951
- Photuris quadrifulgens– Barber, 1951
- Photuris salina– Barber, 1951
- Photuris versicolor – Fabricius, 1798
- Photuris walldoxeyi– Faust and Davis, 2019