Courtship and Mating inPhausis reticulata(Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Male Flight Behaviors, Female Glow Displays, and Male Attraction to Light Traps

Abstract

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Cloning of the Blue Ghost (Phausis reticulata) Luciferase Reveals a Glowing Source of Green Light

“…Of immediate interest was the green, not blue, in vitro bioluminescence ( λ max = 552 nm) (Table , Figs and ) catalyzed by PrtWT with the native substrates D‐LH 2 and Mg‐ATP. This result was in exact agreement with spectrometric measurements performed on live P. reticulata fireflies . We believe that the difference between the bluish‐white glow of male Blue Ghosts observed from a distance and the clearly deep green color at close range is, as suggested by Frick‐Ruppert , associated with human color perception at very low light levels.…”

“…Under the nearly complete darkness of night, male organisms hovered or, especially when approached, darted rapidly along paths and riverbeds producing mesmerizing bluish‐white luminous streaks. Although individuals could extinguish their glow, they more typically emitted light continuously and did not flicker as adult fireflies usually do in elaborate courtship and mimicry rituals . Our observations were remarkably similar to those reported in the more in‐depth and fascinating description of Frick‐Ruppert .…”

Ecology of female mating failure/lifelong virginity: a review of causal mechanisms in insects and arachnids

“…The nutritional or physiological condition of females interacts with age to influence mating decisions (Wilgers & Hebets, 2012;Toft & Albo, 2015). Old virgin females compensate for ever-accruing risk of FMF with age by either becoming less choosy (Priklopil et al, 2015;Henshaw, 2018), or by increasing investment in mate signaling (de Cock et al, 2014;Simmons, 2015;Umbers et al, 2015). In some cases, physiological age (days before death) has a stronger influence on mating decisions than chronological age (days since emergence) (Ligout et al, 2012).…”

“…Females have evolved multiple behavioral adaptations to circumvent FMF (Rhainds, 2010;Lehtonen et al, 2012), most notably indiscriminate behavior of virgin females (low rate of mate rejection, independent of male attributes) relative to mated females (whom are more likely to be choosy and reject male mating attempts) (Kokko & Mappes, 2005). Conversely, aging virgins increase investment in mating activities (signaling or foraging) to counterbalance the ever-increasing risk of lifelong virginity (Lehtonen et al, 2012;de Cock et al, 2014;Simmons, 2015;Umbers et al, 2015). Other adaptations to mitigate FMF include selection of microhabitats most suitable for mate attraction (Rhainds, 2010(Rhainds, , 2015, plasticity in sex role reversal (virgin females becoming the active partner when perceived abundance of males is low) (Lewis & Wang, 1991;Wing, 1991;Gwynne & Lorch, 2013;Westermann et al, 2014;Fritzsche et al, 2016), and agonistic interactions between virgin females for access to males (Rillich et al, 2009;Papadopoulos et al, 2009).…”

“…In species with neotenic females (retention of juvenile traits at emergence), sexual selection tends to be further relaxed because female flightlessness is evolutionarily correlated with low mating capacity and short longevity of males, all of which exacerbate the risk of FMF (West-Eberhard, 2005). These trends generally hold true in three taxonomic groups with female neoteny and similar reproductive biology: fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) (South et al, 2011;de Cock et al, 2014), bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) (Rhainds et al, 2009), and twisted wings parasites (Strepsiptera) (Hrabar et al, 2014;Kathirithamby et al, 2015). Neoteny is also common in scale insects (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) (da Silva et al, 2009;Normark, 2003) although adults are often long-lived (>30 days) (Dogar et al, 2018;Lentini et al, 2018).…”