Photinus pyralis, better known by the common name, the common eastern firefly,[3] and colloquially called a "lightning bug",[4] is a species of flying beetle. An organ on this species abdomen is responsible for its light production.[5] It is the most common species of firefly in North America, and is typically found east of the Rocky Mountains. Photinus fireflies are often confused with fireflies of the similar-sounding genus, Photuris, which are also found in North America.
Common eastern firefly (Photinus pyralis)
These fireflies are most noticeable around twilight in the spring and summer months, and fly close to the ground, usually around long blades of grass.[6] Due to the characteristic flight of the males, this species is also often called the big dipper firefly; the trajectory appears to follow a J-shape, lighting on the upswing.[3][7] During flight, this J-pattern is used alongside light flashing to attract females, who rest on vegetation instead of flying and signal back to males if interested.[8] The firefly flashes are stimulated by light-activated proteins, not rhythmic impulses as originally thought.
^Walker A (2021). Photinus pyralis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2021: e.T164046430A166771623 (Report). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T164046430A166771623.en. Archived from the original on January 19, 2024. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
^"Photinus pyralis". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
^ ab"Animal Pictures Archive". Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2009.
^Feinstein, Julie (2011). Field Guide to Urban Wildlife. Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-0585-1. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
^Roger Segelken Lured and liquidated, gullible male fireflies supply 'femmes fatales' with a lifesaving chemical Archived June 1, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Cornell Chronicle September 1, 1997. Retrieved November 22, 2012.
^Mast, S.O. 1912. Behaviour of fire-flies (Photinus pyralis) with special references to the problem of orientation. 256-272
^Rau, P (1932). "Rhythmic periodicity and synchronous flashing in the firefly, Photinus pyralis, with notes on Photurus pennsylvacicus". Ecological Society of America. 13 (1): 7–11. Bibcode:1932Ecol...13....7R. doi:10.2307/1932487. JSTOR 1932487.
^Maloney, Brenna; Smallwood, James (July 10, 2009). "How These Beetles Create Light". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 8, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2009.
Photinuspyralis, better known by the common name, the common eastern firefly, and colloquially called a "lightning bug", is a species of flying beetle...
trachea. One well-studied luciferase is that of the Photinini firefly Photinuspyralis, which has an optimum pH of 7.8. Also well studied is the sea pansy...
species in the genus Photinus. Photinus abrilae Zaragoza-Caballero y González-Ramírez, 2020 Photinus acuminatus Green, 1956 Photinus advenus E. Olivier...
dehydroluciferyl-AMP. Inouye tested this hypothesis in 2010 by expressing the cDNA of Photinuspyralis and Lychocoriolaus lateralis luciferses in E. coli through cold shock...
(Lampyris noctiluca) from Assos, Turkey Lampyridae: Male common eastern firefly (Photinuspyralis) from Evansville, United States Elateridae: Male headlight click beetle...
Photinini are a large tribe of fireflies in the subfamily Lampyrinae. Photinuspyralis is famous in biotechnology for its luciferase gene. This is sometimes...
Photuris fireflies sometimes mimic the light pattern of another firefly, Photinus, to attract its males as prey. In this way they obtain both food and the...
other species. Photuris versicolor appear to target males, such as Photinuspyralis, specifically for the lucibufagin steroids that their prey produce...
insects by Public Chapter 292 of the Acts of 1975. The firefly species Photinuspyralis is the most familiar firefly species in the state. In 1990, Public...
but in this case the specific species referred to (if any) may be Photinuspyralis, the most common species of firefly in North America. List of U.S....
The compound eyes are smaller than those of nocturnal species like Photinuspyralis. The elytra are black or brown-black and have granulated texture. The...
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