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Species Phausis reticulata - Blue Ghost Firefly

lampyrid - Phausis reticulata lampyrid - Phausis reticulata Phausis reticulata - male Phausis reticulata - male Phausis reticulata Phausis reticulata
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Hexapoda (Hexapods)
Class Insecta (Insects)
Order Coleoptera (Beetles)
Suborder Polyphaga
No Taxon (Series Elateriformia)
Superfamily Elateroidea
Family Lampyridae (Fireflies)
Subfamily Lampyrinae
Tribe Lucidotini
Genus Phausis
Species reticulata (Blue Ghost Firefly)
Other Common Names
glowworm firefly(1)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Phausis reticulata (Say)
Orig. Comb: Lampyris reticulata Say 1825
Size
5-8.5 mm(1)
Identification
One of three luminescent species in the genus. According to the description by Fender (1966), males of this all-brown species have large eyes, a short second antennomere (less than half the length of the third), semi-elliptical pronotum (two-thirds as long as wide), and light organs that occupy most of sternites 5-6.
The female is larviform, not described in detail until 2008 (1).
Range
se US (NC-FL-AR-OK)(1)(2)
Habitat
woodlands, stream-sides especially (2)
Life Cycle
Males, unlike most other glowworm fireflies, are luminous(1)
Males emit a bright green glow (blue to some people!(2)); the period of light emission varies between individuals, from a few seconds to a minute or more(1)
Remarks
can be seen in abundance in the Appalachian Mountains(1)
Works Cited
1.Morphology and behavior of Phausis reticulata (Blue Ghost Firefly)
Frick-Ruppert J.E., Rosen J.J. 2008. J. N. Carolina Acad. Sci. 124: 139–147.
2.Checklist and keys to fireflies of east-central Alabama.
Lloyd, J.E. 1990. Stridulator 4(3): 9-21.