Biology:Photinus consimilis
| Photinus consimilis | |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia
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| Species: | P. consimilis
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| Binomial name | |
| Photinus consimilis Green, 1956
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Photinus consimilis, or cattail flash-train firefly,[1] is a species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is found in eastern North America.[2][3][4]
Description
P. consimilis is a medium-sized beetle, with adults that measure about 10—11 mm (0.4 in) long. The head shield, or pronotum, is pale yellow with a dark, central bar that is sometimes wider at the front, bounded by red or pink. The wing covers, or elytra, are dark with light-colored margins. The male has lanterns on 2 segments of its abdomen and the female has a lantern on only one segment. The rest of the abdominal segments are dark.
Life Cycle
Beetles such as P. consimilis 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]
Behavior
Adult male P. consimilis fireflies fly usually about eye level or lower, flashing a series of quick pulses to attract the attention of females. Their flash pattern consists of 3 to 9 quick pulses of light, with each series, or flash train, about 2 seconds in length, with a period of 9 to 12 seconds of darkness before the next flash train, depending on temperature. A female responds with an answering double flash from a perch on low vegetation, and the communication continues until the male and female locate each other in order to mate.[1]
Habitat
This firefly is found in wetlands, along streams, on riverbanks, and in marshes.[1]
Range
P. consimilis is native to the eastern United States and has been found as far west as eastern Oklahoma and north to southern Ontario.[5]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Faust, Lynn Frierson (2017). Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs. University of Georgia Press. ISBN 978-0-8203-4872-8.
- ↑ "Photinus consimilis Report". https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=722464. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
- ↑ "Photinus consimilis". https://www.gbif.org/species/1162779. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
- ↑ "Photinus consimilis species Information". https://bugguide.net/node/view/478425. Retrieved 2019-09-23.
- ↑ Walker, A. & Pérez Hernández, C. 2021. Photinus consimilis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T164076640A166771793. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T164076640A166771793.en. Accessed on 27 October 2023.
Further reading
- Green, J. W. (1956). "Revision of the Nearctic species of Photinus (Lampyridae: Coleoptera)". Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences. Fourth Series 28: 561–613. ISSN 0068-547X. https://fireflyersinternational.net/s/Green-1956.pdf.
Wikidata ☰ Q2839616 entry
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