Article
Entomology
Luiz Felipe Lima da Silveira, William Lima, Claudio Ruy Vasconcelos da Fonseca, Joseph McHugh
Summary: The Amazon Rainforest is an important area for studying insect biodiversity, but deforestation is threatening its species. Researchers identified and described new species and a new genus of fireflies from the Amazon, which have unique abdominal morphology related to mating. The study also confirmed a monophyletic lineage and proposed a new genus for these fireflies.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Laura N. Sutherland, Gareth S. Powell, Seth M. Bybee
Summary: The coastal areas of Vanuatu face threats from commercialization, human development, and climate change. The firefly genus Atyphella Olliff, endemic to these areas, requires protection. Species distribution models are crucial in filling knowledge gaps and predicting potential areas for conservation efforts.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Gavin J. Martin, Sarah E. Lower, Anton Suvorov, Seth M. Bybee
Summary: Different animal groups rely on different primary senses to perceive the world around them, with fireflies being a unique option for studying sensory niche adaptation. By examining genes related to sight in the eye, researchers can uncover patterns of evolution and selection within different firefly species. This research provides new insights into the evolution of the animal visual system and contributes to a better understanding of sensory adaptation in different ecological contexts.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Luiz Silveira, Paula Souto, Gabriel Khattar, Daniela M. Takiya, Viviane Nunes, Jose Ricardo M. Mermudes, Ricardo Monteiro, Margarete Macedo
Summary: Understanding the evolution of genitalic traits and their co-evolution between sexes is essential in Evolutionary Biology. The cross-species co-variation of reproductive traits can be the result of hybrid avoidance or sexual selection. In the case of Luciuranus, it was found that male terminalia co-evolved with female abdominal morphology, suggesting lineage-specific sexual selection has shaped their unique abdominal morphologies.
Article
Entomology
Yara Maquitico, Aldair Vergara, Ilana Villanueva, Jaime Camacho, Carlos Cordero
Summary: This study examines the hunting behavior of female fireflies of the species Photuris lugubris as femmes fatales towards male fireflies of the species Photinus palaciosi, providing experimental evidence and discussing the impact on the prey population as well as the implications of multiple matings on the switch between hunting and mating modes of the females. The research also sheds light on the natural history of the synchronous firefly Photinus palaciosi, which has become a focus of tourist activities in central Mexico.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Avalon C. S. Owens, Sara M. Lewis
Summary: The study found that artificial light at night significantly suppressed courtship activity of fireflies, especially bright amber light had the greatest impact. This suggests that current artificial lighting may have a negative impact on biodiversity, and there is controversy surrounding a universal standard for ecologically sustainable artificial light at night.
INSECT CONSERVATION AND DIVERSITY
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Xinhua Fu, Lesley Ballantyne
Summary: This study investigates the process of sperm transfer and reception in fireflies during mating, as well as the reproductive anatomy of females. The research reveals that different firefly species have distinct reproductive traits, highlighting the significance of studying mating behavior and reproductive ecology in fireflies.
Article
Entomology
Linyu Yang, Zishun Zhao, Dan Luo, Mingzhong Liang, Qilin Zhang
Summary: By studying the metabolomes of Aquatica leii and Lychnuris praetexta, we found that aquatic fireflies exhibit changes in metabolites and pathways related to freshwater adaptation, including oxidative stress, immunity response, energy metabolism, and sense function.
Article
Zoology
Cisteil X. Perez-Hernandez, Santiago Zaragoza-Caballero, Alberto Romo-Galicia
Summary: The updated checklist of fireflies from Mexico includes 5 subfamilies, 8 tribes, 2 subtribes, 25 genera, and 232 species. Mexico has a diverse and rich distribution of firefly species, with Veracruz and Oaxaca being the richest states while some states have very few or no recorded species.
Article
Zoology
Milada Bocakova, Lucas Campello-Goncalves, Luiz Felipe Lima da Silveira
Summary: The phylogenetic relationships of Vestini were investigated using extensive sampling and morphological characteristics. The study revealed the existence of a new subfamily Cladodinae and described four new Andean species.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Entomology
Xueying Ge, Lilan Yuan, Ya Kang, Tong Liu, Haoyu Liu, Yuxia Yang
Summary: The classification of Lampyridae remains debated, with recent efforts shedding light on the relationships of fireflies. The first complete mitochondrial genome for Cyphonocerinae was generated and comparative analyses showed its conservation compared to other firefly species. Phylogenetic analyses suggested Cyphonocerinae's independent lineage closely related to Drilaster, emphasizing the importance of more species in phylogenetic reconstructions.
Article
Entomology
Avalon C. S. Owens, Sara M. Lewis
Summary: Traditional studies have focused on the impact of artificial light at night (ALAN) on adult insects, rather than larvae. However, new research shows that ALAN can also affect larval development and behavior, potentially leading to downstream consequences for adult fitness.
JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Leandro Felipe Zeballos, Andre Silva Roza, Lucas Campello-Goncalves, Stephanie Vaz, Claudio Ruy Vasconcelos Da Fonseca, Sara Cristina Rivera, Luiz Felipe Lima da Silveira
Summary: Photinini is the largest tribe of Lampyrinae fireflies, with a wide variety of species. A recent study has found new information about the phylogenetic relationships of Scissicauda and its transfer to Photinini. This study also discovers new species of Scissicauda and provides evidence for the sisterhood of certain genera. The findings emphasize the importance of continued research on South American fireflies for classification and understanding of this lineage.
Article
Entomology
Andreas Berger, Georg Petschenka, Thomas Degenkolb, Michael Geisthardt, Andreas Vilcinskas
Summary: This study identified lucibufagins in European species of fireflies and discovered bufadienolides in Lampyrinae beetles. By using a non-destructive approach to analyze compounds extracted from museum specimens, the research highlighted the value of insect collections as a resource for ecological and evolutionary research. The findings emphasize the potential of natural history collections as an untapped source of novel bioactive compounds.
Review
Ecology
Avalon C. S. Owens, Mira van den Broeck, Raphael De Cock, Sara M. Lewis
Summary: Bioluminescent insects, such as fireflies, are facing threats from anthropogenic light pollution. Research has shown that artificial lights can disrupt their courtship behaviors, and provides lighting recommendations to balance public safety and ecological sustainability.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
