Photuris is a genus of fireflies (beetles of the family Lampyridae). The adult females of this genus are notable for preying on other fireflies. They engage in aggressive mimicry, imitating the light signals that other firefly species' females use to attract matesbut Photuris use it to attract, kill and eat the unsuspecting males of those other species. Their flashing bioluminescent signals seem to have evolved independently and eventually adapted to those of their prey, mainly unrelated Lampyrinae, such as Photinus (rover fireflies) or Pyractomena.
Species At least 64 species are currently recognized, all restricted to temperate North America. They mainly occur from the East Coast to Texas. Species include: – Barber, 1951 Photuris bethaniensis – McDermott, 1953 (Bethany Beach firefly) – Barber, 1951 (slow blues) – Barber, 1951 – LeConte, 1852 (Florida single snappy) – LeConte, 1852 Photuris fairchildi – Barber, 1951 – Fall, 1927 Photuris floridana – Fall, 1927 Photuris frontalis – LeConte, 1852 (snappy single sync) Photuris hebes – Barber, 1951 (heebie-jeebies) Photuris lineaticollis – Motschulsky, 1854 Photuris lloydi – McDermott, 1966 (Lloyd's predator) Photuris lucicrescens – Barber, 1951 (July comet, big scary) Photuris missouriensis – McDermott, 1962 Photuris mysticalampas – Heckscher, 2013 (mystic lanterns, mysterious lantern firefly) Photuris pensylvanica – De Geer, 1774 (Pennsylvania firefly) Photuris potomaca – Barber, 1951 Photuris pyralomina – Barber, 1951 Photuris quadrifulgens – Barber, 1951 (spring 4-flasher) Photuris salina – Barber, 1951 Photuris tremulans – Barber, 1951 (Christmas lights) Photuris versicolor – Fabricius, 1798 Photuris walldoxeyi – Faust and Davis, 2019 (cypress firefly) References