Cratomorphini

Cratomorphini
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Infraclass:	Neoptera
Superorder:	Endopterygota
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Elateriformia
Superfamily:	Elateroidea
Family:	Lampyridae
Subfamily:	Lampyrinae
Tribe:	Cratomorphini
Genera
Several, see text

The Cratomorphini are a disputed 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" (flashing fireflies) from North America, e.g. the genus Pyractomena. Further south in the American tropics, Aspisoma can be found, but this is very doubtfully placed here.

It appears that this is a paraphyletic group, assembling ancient lineages of Lampyrinae. The eventual fate of this group is not known; pending resolution of the affinities of the type genus Cratomorphus, it might be disassembled or persist without some genera which are closer to other tribes.

Selected genera

• Aspisoma Laporte, 1833 (might belong in Lampyrini)
• Cratomorphus
• Micronaspis Green, 1948
• Pyractomena LeConte, 1845

References

• Stanger-Hall, Kathrin F.; Lloyd, James E. & Hillis, David M. (2007): Phylogeny of North American fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Implications for the evolution of light signals. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 45(1): 33-49. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.05.013 PMID 17644427 PDF fulltext