Flashing
Guides
Photurinae
lightning bugs
Photurinae is a subfamily of fireflies (Lampyridae) characterized by bioluminescent flashing signals used in sexual communication. Members exhibit a distinctive 'hunched' posture due to elevated anterior elytra relative to the pronotum. The subfamily contains four genera: Photuris (widespread in North and South America), Bicellonycha (Arizona and Mexico), Pyrogaster (principally Brazil), and Presbyolampis (Caribbean). The evolutionary origin of flashing in Photurinae relative to the related Lampyrinae remains unresolved.