Bioluminescence land animals
  • Fireflies firefly_leaf_md_wht.gif (7021 bytes)                  Fungus mushrooms_happy_md_wht.gif

Fireflies used her flash for two utilities:

The glowning insects use the flash as a courtship signal. In each species, males and females identify members of the opposite sex based on the flash timing.

In this group of insects  flashing serves an additional utility. Firefly female can imitate the flash signal given by others species females, using this false signal, these predatory females are able to lure males, then eat them.

             

The firefly lantern is located on the ventral abdominal surface beneath translucent cuticle. The luciferin-luciferase light producing reactions are confined to peroxisomes localed centrally in photocytes. The photocyte mitochondria are found in the peripheral cytoplams, concentrated especially at locations proximal to the trachea and tracheoles.

  This is a variety of fireflies, the dragonfly.

       

Previous                                         Back