Lucibufagins
Guides
Photuris
femme fatale lightning bugs, predatory fireflies
Photuris is a genus of predatory fireflies in the family Lampyridae, comprising at least 64 species restricted to temperate North America. Adult females are notable for aggressive mimicry: they imitate the bioluminescent flash signals of females from other firefly genera—primarily Photinus and Pyractomena—to attract, capture, and consume unsuspecting males. This predatory behavior allows Photuris females to obtain high-quality protein meals and acquire defensive chemicals called lucibufagins from their prey. The genus has been extensively studied for its remarkable coevolution of signal systems and chemical ecology.