MalePhoturisFireflies Mimic Sexual Signals of Their Females' Prey

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Photurismales emit flashed signals matching those of unrelated sympatric forms (PhotinusandPyractomenaspecies). Some have only one flash pattern matching that of another species, others mimic at least two species, as well as emitting "their own" species-specific pattern. They tend to restrict the mimicking signals, but not their own, to the habitats, seasons, and daily periods of the mimicked species. SincePhoturisfemales prey on males of other firefly species by mimicking their females' flashes, thePhoturismales may be using their mimicry to locate and seduce their own hunting females. This mimicry is without known parallel in other animal communicative systems. It explains why the genusPhoturishas been a frustrating mystery to taxonomists, who have long used flash patterns to distinguish sibling species in other genera.