Photuris
Photuris is a genus of fireflies. The adult females of this genus are notable for preying on other fireflies. They engage in aggressive mimicry, imitating the light signals that other firefly species' females use to attract matesbut Photuris use it to attract, kill and eat the unsuspecting males of those other species. Their flashing bioluminescent signals seem to have evolved independently and eventually adapted to those of their prey, mainly unrelated Lampyrinae, such as Photinus or Pyractomena.
Species
At least 64 species are currently recognized, all restricted to temperate North America. They mainly occur from the East Coast to Texas. Species include:- ' - Barber, 1951
- Photuris bethaniensis- McDermott, 1953
- ' - Barber, 1951
- ' - Barber, 1951
- '- LeConte, 1852
- '- LeConte, 1852
- Photuris fairchildi- Barber, 1951
- '- Fall, 1927
- Photuris floridana - Fall, 1927
- Photuris frontalis - LeConte, 1852
- Photuris hebes - Barber, 1951
- Photuris lineaticollis - Motschulsky, 1854
- Photuris llyodi - McDermott, 1966
- Photuris lucicrescens - Barber, 1951
- Photuris missouriensis - McDermott, 1962
- Photuris mysticalampas - Heckscher, 2013
- Photuris pensylvanica - De Geer, 1774
- Photuris potomaca - Barber, 1951
- Photuris pyralomina - Barber, 1951
- Photuris quadrifulgens- Barber, 1951
- Photuris salina- Barber, 1951
- Photuris versicolor - Fabricius, 1798
- Photuris walldoxeyi- Faust and Davis, 2019