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Photinus ignitus
Ignited Firefly
Photinus ignitus is a North American firefly species distinguished by its bioluminescent courtship displays. Males produce characteristic flash patterns to attract females, who respond from perches in vegetation. Research has documented seasonal plasticity in female mate choice behavior, with females becoming less selective as the breeding season progresses. Like other Photinus species, it produces defensive compounds called lucibufagins that protect against predators.
firefly bioluminescence mate-choice seasonal-plasticity nuptial-gift aggressive-mimicry Lampyridae Coleoptera North-America flash-communication lucibufagin sexual-selection operational-sex-ratio cold-light photocytes luciferin luciferase nocturnal courtship predation-defense insect-decline light-pollution habitat-loss insecticide-exposure soil-dwelling-larvae glowworm predatory-larvae soft-bodied-prey snails slugs worms soil-insects biological-control flash-pattern female-choice male-choice body-size lantern-size reproductive-investment egg-provisioning spermatophore flash-signal mating-success selectivity breeding-season dusk night vegetation grass lawns forests fields edges canopy airspace Columbia-Maryland Washington-Baltimore-area University-of-Virginia-study light-pollution-impact mating-disruption urbanization residual-insecticides lawn-treatment weather-cycles food-availability larval-predation population-fluctuation banner-year spectacle July-4th Independence-Day Mother-Nature's-fireworks pyrotechnic twinkling galaxy cold-light-efficiency no-heat-production photocyte-cells specialized-light-organ terminal-abdominal-segments lightly-colored giant-eyes flash-detection visual-acuity nocturnal-vision chemical-ecology defensive-chemistry steroidal-pyrones toad-toxins spider-repellent bird-repellent femme-fatale predatory-exploitation chemical-acquisition defense-sequestration nuptial-feeding reproductive-success sexual-conflict flash-manipulation photographic-challenge flash-recharge female-contortion flash-directionality aimed-signal male-expendability female-investment offspring-production battery-life conservation-concern population-monitoring citizen-science Boston-Museum-of-Science firefly-data-project Allegheny-National-Forest synchronous-fireflies Photinus-carolinus Photuris-pennsylvanica Pennsylvania-Firefly-Festival FIRE-Team Lynn-Faust Sara-Lewis Thomas-Eisner Aerial-Firebaugh Kyle-Haynes chemical-ecology-pioneer experimental-study field-observation natural-history behavioral-ecology ethology journal-article peer-reviewed-research scientific-investigation insect-conservation nocturnal-insect beetle soft-winged-beetle not-true-bug not-fly Elateroidea Polyphaga Elateriformia Lampyrinae Lucidotini accepted-name Fall-1927 36-observations iNaturalist GBIF Catalogue-of-Life NCBI Wikipedia Bug-of-the-Week Entomology-Today incomplete-information data-limited research-opportunity further-study-needed