Bioluminescent insects

The Lampyridae are a family of elateroid beetles with more than 2,400 described species, many of which are light-emitting. They are soft-bodied beetles commonly called fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms for their conspicuous production of light, mainly during twilight, to attract mates. The type species is Lampyris noctiluca, the common glow-worm of Europe. Light production in the Lampyridae is thought to have originated as a warning signal that the larvae were distasteful. This ability to create light was then co-opted as a mating signal and, in a further development, adult female firefl

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thumb|Fossil in Baltic amber

The beetle family Phengodidae is known also as glowworm beetles, whose larvae are known as glowworms. The females and larvae have bioluminescent organs. They occur throughout the New World from extreme southern Canada to Chile, numbering over 250 species in total. The recently recognized members of the Phengodidae, the Cydistinae, are found in Western Asia. The family Rhagophthalmidae, an Old World group, used to be included in the Phengodidae.

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Glowworm is any member of various groups of insect larvae and adult larviform females that glow through bioluminescence. They include the European common glow-worm and other members of the Lampyridae, but bioluminescence also occurs in the families Elateridae, Phengodidae and Rhagophthalmidae among beetles; as well as members of the genera Arachnocampa, Keroplatus and Orfelia among keroplatid fungus gnats.

genus of insects

Lampyris is a genus of beetles in the Lampyridae. In most of western Eurasia, they are the predominant members of this family and includes the European common glow-worm, which is the type species. They produce a continuous glow; the larvae and larviform females are among those organisms commonly called "glowworms".

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Luciola is a genus of flashing fireflies in the family Lampyridae. They are especially well known from Japan and are often called Japanese fireflies, but their members range farther into Asia and reach southern Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, among other countries) and Africa. This genus is traditionally held to extend to Australia, but these species do not seem to belong herein (see below for details).

The Rhagophthalmidae are a family of beetles within the superfamily Elateroidea. Members of this beetle family have bioluminescent organs on the larvae, and sometimes adults, and are closely related to the Phengodidae (American glowworm beetles), though historically they have been often treated as a subfamily of Lampyridae, or as related to that family. Some recent evidence suggested that they were the sister group to the Phengodidae, and somewhat distantly related to Lampyridae, whose sister taxon was Cantharidae, but more reliable genome-based phylogenetics placed (Rhagophthalmidae + Phengod

species of insect

Arachnocampa is a genus of nine fungus gnat species which have a bioluminescent larval stage, akin to the larval stage of glowworm beetles. The species of Arachnocampa are endemic to Australia and New Zealand, dwelling in caves and grottos, or sheltered places in forests.

genus of beetles

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Phausis is a genus of firefly beetles (family Lampyridae). These beetles are for the most part unimpressive in their appearance and behaviour, so have not drawn much study, and little is known about many of the species. Species in this genus are at least known from North America. Ten species are described in North America, ranging throughout much of the continent.

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species of firefly

Pyractomena is a genus of fireflies in the family Lampyridae. There are at least 20 described species in Pyractomena.

Aspisoma is a genus of fireflies in the family Lampyridae. There are at least 70 described species in Aspisoma.

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Microphotus is a genus of fireflies in the family Lampyridae. Microphotus are usually found in the southwestern region of the United States of America and adjoining parts of Mexico. There are seven described species in Microphotus in the United States and three more in Mexico.

Pteroptyx is a genus of fireflies in the subfamily Luciolinae found in Southeast Asia. It has long been noted for the ability to perform synchronous flashing, though not all species synchronize. These synchronizing species have been found on so-called 'firefly trees' and created a growing firefly-watching tour industry in some regions. Species of the genus have been identified in Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Hong Kong.

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Cenophengus is a genus of glowworm beetles in the family Phengodidae. There are at least 30 described species in Cenophengus.

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Rhagophthalmus is the type genus of the Rhagophthalmidae: a family of Asian glow-worm beetles erected by Victor Motschulsky in 1854. Species have been recorded from India, China, Taiwan, Japan and Indochina.

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Lucidota is a genus of fireflies in the beetle family Lampyridae. There are more than 160 described species in Lucidota. thumb|Lucidota punctata

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Keroplatus is a genus of predatory fungus gnats in the family Keroplatidae. Several species are known to be bioluminescent.

Vesperelater is a genus of click beetle (family Elateridae). They are one of several genera in the tribe Pyrophorini, all of which are bioluminescent. This genus was established by in 1975, with 4 species split from Pyrophorus.

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Pleotomus is a genus of fireflies in the family Lampyridae. There are about five described species in Pleotomus.