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COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS IN JAPANESE FIREFLIES
| System1 |
Activity |
Description |
Example |
| LB |
Diurnal |
Adults non-luminescent. Larvae can produce continuous
light. Both males and female fly. Male approaches
female based upon chemical communication. |
Lucidina sp., Drilaster
sp., Stenocladius sp. & Pristolycus
sp. |
| CR |
Nocturnal |
Males and females fly during day. Chemical communication
after sunset and weak glow may aid communication
in dark areas. |
Cyphonocerus sp., Pyrocoelia
fumoa, P. discicollis, P. matsumurai
& P. abdominalis |
| PR (I) |
Nocturnal |
After sunset male flies and emits continuous light.
Female larviform and glows, male approaches and
copulation follows. |
Pyrocoelia rufa, P. atripennis
and P. miyako |
| HP (II) |
Nocturnal |
Females flash respond to males flashes. Male is
attracted by females light signal and copulation
follows. |
Hotaria parvula, H. tsushimana,
Luciola yaeyamana, L. kuroiwae |
| LL (II) |
Nocturnal |
Male flies and flashes single pulse. Female flashes
response. Male approaches female remains in close
proximity or attempts copulation. Male changes flash
pattern to single flashes with ‘twinkling’
and copulation follows. |
Luciola lateralis, Curtos
costipennis, C. okinawana |
| LC (C) |
Nocturnal |
Males fly and flash slowly eventually synchronising.
Females emit irregular flashes not in synchrony
with males. Male locates female and rests in close
proximity then changes its flash pattern, copulation
follows. |
Luciola cruciata and L.
owadai |
1. Ohba's system followed in brackets
with Lloyd's system, where applicable - C refers to
a complex.
Reference
Ohba N (2004) Flash Communication
Systems of Japanese Fireflies. Integr. Comp. Biol.
44, 225-233.
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