Photinus indictus

Photinus indictus
Photinus indictus photographed in Wheatley, Ontario, Canada
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Elateriformia
Family: Lampyridae
Genus: Photinus
Species:
P. indictus
Binomial name
Photinus indictus
(LeConte, 1881)
Synonyms

Pyropyga indicta LeConte, 1881

Photinus indictus, or silent firefly, is a species of firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is a diurnal firefly, active during the day rather than at night, with no lanterns. It is found in eastern North America.

Description

P. indictus is a small to medium-sized beetle, with adults approximately 6–10 mm (0.2–0.4 in) long. The head shield, or pronotum, is pale yellow with a thick, black, rectangular central mark with red or pink on both sides. The wing covers, or elytra, are dark with wide, well-defined, light-colored margins. Unlike fireflies that produce light as adults, P. indictus has no lanterns on its abdomen. The female is often slightly larger than the male.

Life Cycle

Beetles such as P. indictus 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.

Behavior

Adult P. indictus fireflies are believed to attract mates through airborne pheromones.

Habitat

They can be found in meadows, pastures, and fields.

Range

P. indictus is found in eastern North America, most commonly in the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Walker, A. (2021). "Photinus indictus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2021 e.T164077202A166771843. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T164077202A166771843.en. Retrieved 19 March 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Faust, Lynn Frierson (2017). Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs. University of Georgia Press. ISBN 978-0-8203-4872-8.
  3. ↑ "Photinus indictus Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  4. ↑ "Photinus indictus". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  5. ↑ Lloyd, J.E. (1972). "Chemical communication in fireflies". Environmental Entomology. 1 (2): 265-266. doi:10.1093/ee/1.2.265.

Further reading