Aggressive Mimicry in Photuris: Firefly Femmes Fatales

@article{Lloyd1965AggressiveMI,
  title={Aggressive Mimicry in Photuris: Firefly Femmes Fatales},
  author={James E. Lloyd},
  journal={Science},
  year={1965},
  volume={149},
  pages={653 - 654}
}
Firefly females of the genus Photuris, long known to be carnivorous, attract and devour males of the genus Photinus by mimicking the flash-responses of Photinus females. Although suspected, this behavior had not been observed previously. 
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148 Citations
Highly Influential Citations
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63
Methods Citations
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148 Citations

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Aggressive Mimicry in Photuris Fireflies: Signal Repertoires by Femmes Fatales
TLDR
The capabilities of the firefly brain are more complex than previously suspected, and females of Photuris versicolor prey on males of other species by mimicking the flash responses of the prey's own females.
Mating-induced behavioural switch in female fireflies
TLDR
It is found that non-mated Photuris versicolor females answer their homospecific male flashes almost exclusively and become aggressive mimics which respond to the flashes of Photinus macdermotti males.
OCCURRENCE OF AGGRESSIVE MIMICRY IN FIREFLIES
TLDR
Evidence suggests that predation by aggressive mimicry in fireflies probably occurs in all species of the pennsylvanica-versicolor group, though there could be idiosyncratic exceptions.
Effect of mating on response of female Photuris firefly
Flash communication between the sexes of the firefly, Photuris lucicrescens
TLDR
The courtship signal of the male firefly, Photuris lucicrescens Barber, is a brilliant crescendo flash which grows in intensity, reaches a peak and abruptly ends.
Thieves in the Night: Kleptoparasitism by Fireflies in the Genus Photuris Dejean (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)
TLDR
This work presents the first description of kleptoparasitic behavior by female Photuris fireflies, which it has observed stealing wrapped fireflies of the genus Photinus Laporte from spider webs.
The Compleat Angler: Aggressive Mimicry in an Antennariid Anglerfish
TLDR
A case of aggressive mimicry is described in which an anglerfish of the genus Antennarius utilizes a lure that mimics a small fish to provide a low-frequency pressure stimulus for potential prey with a minimum of energy expenditure.
How to design a predatory firefly? Lessons from the Photurinae (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)
Firefly "femmes fatales" acquire defensive steroids (lucibufagins) from their firefly prey.
TLDR
It is found that by feeding on Photinus males, Photuris females gain more than nutrients, and acquire defensive steroidal pyrones called lucibufagins, which are contained in Photinus but which photuris fireflies are unable to produce on their own.
Male photuris fireflies mimic sexual signals of their females' prey.
TLDR
Photuris males emit flashed signals matching those of unrelated sympatric forms (Photinus and Pyractomena species), which explains why the genus Photuris has been a frustrating mystery to taxonomists who have long used flash patterns to distinguish sibling species in other genera.
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References

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No attempt was made to identify the Photuris specimens because of the confused taxonomic situation which exists in this genus
  • I thank Thomas J. Walker of the University of Florida, and Richard D. Alexander of the University of Michigan for their helpful suggestions and criticisms of the manuscript
  • 1951
2 mg) were counted in duplicate under a gas-flow detector with micromil window to the 0.9 level of confidence. Counter efficiency was 30 percent, and corrections were made for self absorption
Los Angeles State and County Arboretum, Arcadia, California, for providing the plants
The incorporation of pregnenolone into the alkaloid fraction is described by
Work conducted under a cooperative agreement with the California Institute of Technology, at the Division of Biology