Photuris versicolor has the ability to mimic other fireflies and lure them to their death. This creates a taxonomic puzzle, since scientists identify fireflies by their flashes, and often it is hard to determine whether a Photuris flash is genuinely its own species-specific flash or whether it is an imitation of another species. Therefore, there may be further subdivisions not yet recognized due to complications in the study of P. versicolor.
Photuris versicolor have compound eyes that can see in color. P. versicolor has a highly elongated crystallized cone, called an exocone, extending from the lens of the eye that collects light; P. versicolor needs highly developed light sensory organs because its mating habits depend on light flashes. In addition to sensory organs found on the head, P. versicolor has sensors on the thorax, abdomen, and legs that are sensitive to vibration stimulus. Photuris versicolor emits a faint greenish-yellowish luminescence.
Communication Channels: visual
Other Communication Modes: photic/bioluminescent ; vibrations
Perception Channels: visual ; vibrations
Photuris versicolor is not a threatened species.
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: no special status
Eggs undergo complete metamorphosis from larvae to adulthood, with a resting pupal state and a predacious larval state in between. The new adult fireflies will emerge again at the beginning of the next summer.
Development - Life Cycle: metamorphosis
Photuris versicolor has no negative economic effects for humans.
Photuris versicolor has no positive economic benefits for humans.
Both larvae and adults are predacious, feeding on soft-bodied insects, snails, slugs, mites and other fireflies - mostly Photinus and some Photuris species. Female Photuris prey on male Photinus not only for a good meal, but also to acquire lucibufagins, which are steroid pyrones that make Photuris unpalatable to predators, but which Photuris cannot produce on its own. All species within the genus Photuris prey on other species of firefly by imitating their mating flash patterns, however, P. versicolor is most efficient, for it can mimic eleven different species of firefly. Female Photuris lure males of other species by imitating the sexual female response to those males' mating signals; once the prey is close enough, the larger, stronger female pounces on the male and devours him. Male Photuris also need lucibufagins, and researchers are yet uncertain as to how they get those.
Animal Foods: insects; terrestrial non-insect arthropods; mollusks
Primary Diet: carnivore (Insectivore )
All species of the genus Photuris are restricted to North America, and are most commonly found east of Texas and south of Manitoba.
Biogeographic Regions: nearctic (Native )
Photuris versicolor occupy meadows, woods, cosmopolitan areas, and forests within North America. Although they fly a few feet above ground while mating, they live mostly under debris such as bark or decaying vegetation on the ground.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: savanna or grassland ; forest
Other Habitat Features: urban ; suburban ; agricultural
P. versicolor ranges from 20mm-50mm in length, and is brownish-blackish in color. Like all members of the order Coleoptera, P. versicolor has a thickened pair of forewings called elytra that meet at the midline to cover the membranous hind wings. The mouth has four main components: mandibles, maxillae, upper lip (labrum), and lower lip (labium). The mandibles cut and pierce food, while the other mouthparts prepare it for digestion and push it down the esophagus. Most sensory organs are found on the head, including the compound eyes that can see in color. P. versicolor has a highly elongated crystallized cone, called an exocone, extending from the lens of the eye that collects light; P. versicolor needs highly developed light sensory organs because its mating habits depend on light flashes. In addition to sensory organs found on the head, P. versicolor has sensors on the thorax, abdomen, and legs that are sensitive to vibration stimulus. Photuris versicolor emits a faint greenish-yellowish luminescence. Larvae also emit a faint sporadic glow, by which researchers can identify them. Male and female adults are actively (and equally) luminescent, however, sexual dimorphism exists - females are larger and stronger than males.
Other Physical Features: ectothermic ; heterothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: female larger
Photuris emerge from their pupae in early summer, and mate during the subsequent warm months. Courtship is nocturnal, and is done via flashing signals: like all Lampyridae (fireflies), P. versicolor has species-specific flashes, which are species-specific in the duration of the flash, the length of time between flashes, the flash color, and the height at which the flasher flies. Males fly a few feet above ground in an up-down motion, flashing on the upswing. Females remain sedentary on the ground or on low vegetation. Females emit one flash in response (their timing is also species-specific) and a male goes to her to mate. P. versicolor has its own species-specific flash patterns, but many P. versicolor males mate by imitating the flashes of other species. This is because female Photuris are often more interested in food than in mating, so male Photuris mimic the flash patterns of species on which female Photuris prey. By doing so, they are able to get close enough to the female to mate, although it may be a kamikaze maneuver since the stronger, more powerful females sometimes eat the male after copulation. Once a male is close enough to a female he will attempt to copulate with her, assuming she is sexually active.
Mating System: polygynandrous (promiscuous)
