Photuris

Photuris is a genus of fireflies (beetles of the family Lampyridae). 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 matesTemplate:Sndbut 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 (rover fireflies) or Pyractomena.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Species

At least 64 species are currently recognized,<ref name=Lloyd>Template:Cite journal</ref> all restricted to temperate North America.<ref name=Arnett>Template:Cite book</ref> They mainly occur from the East Coast to Texas.<ref name=ADW>Template:Cite web</ref> Species include:

• Template:Ill – Barber, 1951
• Photuris bethaniensis– McDermott, 1953
• Template:Ill – Barber, 1951
• Template:Ill – Barber, 1951
• Template:Ill– LeConte, 1852
• Template:Ill– LeConte, 1852
• Photuris fairchildi– Barber, 1951
• Template:Ill– 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