Flickering flash signals and mate recognition in the Asian firefly, Aquatica lateralis.

ABSTRACT: Nocturnal fireflies sometimes use intricate bioluminescent signal systems for sexual communication. In this study, we examined flash signals and mate recognition in the Asian firefly, Aquatica lateralis, under natural field conditions. We found that the flash pattern of females changes after copulation, from simple short flashes to flashes with longer duration and flickering. To understand the functions of flickering, we video-recorded and analyzed the flashes of sedentary males, receptive females, and mated females. The results showed that the flashes of these three adult phases can be discriminated from each other by two parameters, flash duration and flicker intensity, with little overlap. Male attraction experiments using an artificial LED device termed 'e-firefly' confirmed that flyin

SUBMITTER: Takatsu H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9918520 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature