HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp

Clickable Guide

Calendar

2012 gathering in Alabama is being planned now!

More upcoming events

Photos of insects and people from the 2011 gathering in Iowa

Photos from the 2010 Workshop in Grinnell, Iowa

Photos from the 2009 gathering in Washington

Photos from the 2008 gathering in Tennessee

Photos from the 2007 gathering in Minnesota

TaxonomyBrowse

Info

ImagesLinksBooksData

Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles (Polyphaga) » Click, Firefly and Soldier Beetles (Elateroidea) » Fireflies (Lampyridae) » Lampyrinae » Photinini » Photinus

Genus Photinus

Classification · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Explanation of Names · Numbers · Size · Identification · Range · Remarks · See Also · Print References · Works Cited

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Insecta (Insects)

Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

Suborder Polyphaga (Water, Rove, Scarab, Longhorn, Leaf and Snout Beetles)

Superfamily Elateroidea (Click, Firefly and Soldier Beetles)

Family Lampyridae (Fireflies)

Subfamily Lampyrinae

Tribe Photinini

Genus Photinus

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

Photinus LaPorte 1833

Explanation of Names

Greek photeinos 'shining'(1)

Numbers

almost 50 spp. in our area, incl. several unnamed ones(2)

Size

6-14 mm

Identification

Elytral fold, seen from side, complete--left, as opposed to incomplete fold of Photuris--right(3):

Range

most of NA but mostly eastern (only scattered in riparian location w of KS-TX)(2)

Remarks

Have potent chemical defenses, primarily the steroid-like lucibufagins. These chemical defenses are known to make the beetles distasteful to jumping spiders and birds. Female Photuris are known to lure in males of this genus in order to consume them and obtain the defensive compounds(4).

See Also

Photuris

Print References

Eisner et al., 1978. Lucibufagins: Defensive steroids from the fireflies Photinus ignitus and P. marginellus (Coleoptera: Lampyridae). Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 75: 905-908.

Eisner et al., 1997. Firefly “femmes fatales” acquire defensive steroids (lucibufagins) from their firefly prey. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 94: 9723–9728.

Works Cited

1.	Composition of scientific words By R.W. Brown

2.	American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea By Arnett, R.H., Jr., M. C. Thomas, P. E. Skelley and J. H. Frank. (eds.)

3.	Peterson Field Guides: Beetles By Richard E. White

4.	For Love of Insects By Thomas Eisner

Contributed by Richard Leung on 6 March, 2005 - 10:29pm
Additional contributions by cotinis, v belov
Last updated 30 December, 2011 - 11:03am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2012 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version