Firefly

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For other things named "firefly", see firefly (disambiguation).

Fireflies

SEM image

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Arthropoda

Subphylum: Hexapoda

Class: Insecta

Subclass: Pterygota

Infraclass: Neoptera

Superorder: Endopterygota

Order: Coleoptera

Suborder Polyphaga

Infraorder Elateriformia

Superfamily Cantharoidea

Family: Lampyridae

Genera

Curtos
Cyphonocerus
Drilaster
Ellychnia
Hotaria
Lampyris
Lucidina
Luciola - (Japanese fireflies)
Photinus - (common eastern firefly)
Photuris
Pristolycus
Pyractomena
Pyrocoelia
Stenocladius

Fireflies (family Lampyridae), also known as Lightning Bugs, are nocturnal, luminous beetles. They use special light-emitting organs to communicate, primarily as part of mating. The light-emitting chemical, luciferase, is of scientific interest, and genes for producing it have been spliced into bacteria.

There are more than 2000 species of firefly, found in temperate and tropical environments around the world.

External link

Facts about Lampyridae

References

TSN: 113836
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi