The Luminescence of Fireflies

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses fireflies, soft-bodied insects who inhabit temperate and tropical environments. The paper describes their characteristics, how they produce light and how this bioluminescence has an important role in the male beetles.

From the Paper:

"Fireflies are soft-bodied insects inhabiting temperate and tropical environments. They belong to the Lampyridae family. Today more than 2000 species of fireflies have been described. The elytra, or shard, on fireflies is more leathery than on other species of beetles. The size of fireflies is small to medium and there are different coloured species in existence. Fireflies' larvae can usually be found in wooded areas and around ponds, marshes or other bodies of water."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Brenham, M.A. & Wenzel, J.W. (2003) The origin of photic behaviour and the evolution of sexual communication in fireflies (Coleoptera: lampyridae). Cladistics, 19, 1-22
• Michaelidis, C.I., Demary, K.C. & Lewis, S.M. (2006) Male courtship signals and female signal assessment in Photinus greeni fireflies. Behavioural Ecology, 17, 329-335
• Dubuisson, M., Marchand, C. & Rees, J.F. (20040. Firefly luciferin as antioxidant and light emitter: the evolution of insect bioluminescence. Luminescence, 19, 339-344.
• De Cock, R. (20040. Larval and Adult Emission Spectra of Bioluminescence in Three Eurpopean Firefly Species. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 79, 339-342
• Viviani, V.R., Oehlmeyer, T.L., Arnoldi, F.G.C. & Brochetto-Braga M.R. 2005. A New Firefly Luciferase with Bimodal Spectrum: Identification of Structural Determinants of Spectral pH-Sensitivity in Firefly Luciferases. Photochemistry and Photobiology, 81, 843-848.

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