Embracing firefly flash pattern variability with data-driven species classification

Abstract

Many nocturnally active fireflies use precisely timed bioluminescent patterns to identify mates, making them especially vulnerable to light pollution. As urbanization continues to brighten the night sky, firefly populations are under constant stress, and close to half of the species are now threatened. Ensuring the survival of firefly biodiversity depends on a large-scale conservation effort to monitor and protect thousands of populations. While species can be identified by their flash patterns, current methods require expert measurement and manual classification and are infeasible given the number and geographic distribution of fireflies. Here we present the application of a recurrent neural network (RNN) for accurate automated firefly flash pattern classification. Using recordings from commodity cameras, we can extract flash trajectories of individuals within a swarm and classify their species with a precision and recall of approximately seventy percent. In addition to scaling population monitoring, automated classification provides the means to study firefly behavior at the population level. We employ the classifier to measure and characterize the variability within and between swarms, unlocking a new dimension of their behavior. Our method is open source, and deployment in community science applications could revolutionize our ability to monitor and understand firefly populations.

Preparation and Spectroscopic Identification of the Cyclic CO2 Dimer 1,2-Dioxetanedione

“…This particular species emits collectively synchronized flashes to attract the opposite sex in what is often described by spectators as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The stunning display of bioluminescence has long attracted the interest of researchers, with both the synchrony of P. carolinus fireflies’ flashes − and the responsible biochemical processes being actively investigated topics to date. While the ethological background and exact mechanism of synchrony have yet to be fully unraveled, the bioluminescent glow has been traced back to the firefly compound luciferin (Figure , A): Upon exposure to air in the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) as the energy supply and the luciferase enzyme, luciferin incorporates dioxygen to form a high-energy dioxetanone, which fuels the bioluminescent reaction .…”