Spatio-temporal reconstruction of emergent flash synchronization in firefly swarms via stereoscopic 360-degree cameras.

ABSTRACT: During mating season, males of synchronous firefly species flash in unison within swarms of thousands of individuals. These strongly correlated collective displays have inspired numerous mathematical models to explain how global synchronous patterns emerge from local interactions. Yet, experimental data to validate these models remain sparse. To address this gap, we develop a method for three-dimensional tracking of firefly flashes, using a stereoscopic set-up of 360-degree cameras. We apply this method to record flashing displays of the North American synchronous species Photinus carolinus in its natural habitat as well as within controlled environments, and obtain the three-dimensional reconstruction of flash occurrences in the swarm. Our results show that even a small number of i

SUBMITTER: Sarfati R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7536049 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature