Ecology of colors of firefly [Photinus] bioluminescence

Dark-active North American fireflies emit green bioluminescence and dusk-active species emit yellow, in general. Yellow light and yellow visual spectral sensitivity may be adaptations to increase the signal-to-noise (that is, foliage-reflected ambient light) ratio for sexual signaling during twiligh...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inScience (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Vol. 210; no. 4469; pp. 560 - 562
Main Authors Lall, A.B, Seliger, H.H, Biggley, W.H, Lloyd, J.E
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States The American Association for the Advancement of Science 31.10.1980
Subjects
Bioluminescence
Colors
Emission spectra
Fireflies
Flame spectroscopy
Nomographs
Photinus
Pollutant emissions
Retinal pigments
Spectral sensitivity
Wavelengths
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Summary:Dark-active North American fireflies emit green bioluminescence and dusk-active species emit yellow, in general. Yellow light and yellow visual spectral sensitivity may be adaptations to increase the signal-to-noise (that is, foliage-reflected ambient light) ratio for sexual signaling during twilight. The peaks of the electroretinogram visual spectral sensitivities of four species tested, two dark- and two dusk-active, correspond with the peak of their bioluminescent emissions.
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ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.210.4469.560