Photinus indictus
| Photinus indictus | |
|---|---|
| |
| Photinus indictus photographed in Wheatley, Ontario, Canada | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Lampyridae |
| Genus: | Photinus |
| Species: | P. indictus
|
| Binomial name | |
| Photinus indictus LeConte, 1881
| |
| Synonyms | |
|
Pyropyga indicta LeConte, 1881 | |
Photinus indictus, or silent firefly,[2] is a species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is a diurnal firefly, active during the day rather than at night, with no lanterns. It is found in eastern North America.[3][4][5]
Description
[edit]P. indictus is a small to medium-sized beetle, with adults approximately 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. The head shield, or pronotum, is pale yellow with a thick, black, rectangular central mark with red or pink on both sides. The wing covers, or elytra, are dark with wide, well-defined, light-colored margins. Unlike fireflies that produce light as adults, P. indictus has no lanterns on its abdomen. The female is often slightly larger than the male.[2]
Etymology
[edit]Photinus is from the Greek word for shining or bright.[6] The specific epithet, "indictus", is Latin meaning "not said" or "unspoken", referring to the fact that this species does not flash as an adult.[7]
Life Cycle
[edit]Beetles such as P. indictus 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]
Behavior
[edit]Adult P. indictus fireflies are believed to attract mates through airborne pheromones.[8]
Habitat
[edit]They can be found in meadows, pastures, and fields.[2]
Range
[edit]P. indictus is found in eastern North America, most commonly in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada.[1]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Walker, A. (2021). "Photinus indictus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021: e.T164077202A166771843. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T164077202A166771843.en. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d Faust, Lynn Frierson (2017). Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs. University of Georgia Press. ISBN 978-0-8203-4872-8.
- ^ "Photinus indictus Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Photinus indictus". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "Photinus indictus species Information". BugGuide.net. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
- ^ "φωτεινός". Wiktionary, the free dictionary. 17 March 2023.
- ^ "indictus". Wiktionary, the free dictionary. 9 April 2022.
- ^ Lloyd, J.E. (1972). "Chemical communication in fireflies". Environmental Entomology. 1 (2): 265-266. doi:10.1093/ee/1.2.265.
Further reading
[edit]- Green, J. W. (1956). "Revision of the Nearctic species of Photinus (Lampyridae: Coleoptera)" (PDF). Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. Fourth Series. 28: 561–613. ISSN 0068-547X.
- Lobl, I.; Smetana, A., eds. (2007). Catalogue of Palaearctic Coleoptera, Volume 4: Elateroidea - Derodontoidea - Bostrichoidea - Lymexyloidea - Cleroidea - Cucujoidea. Apollo Books. ISBN 978-8788757675.