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Index of Subjects --00504502c5800a9de304a9512e8a Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Hello Chris, I understand that Photuris larvae are also bioluminescent. Is this correct? I have a picture of a firefly taken in Moncton in 2009. If you are interested, I can send you a copy. All the best, Ron On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 1:37 PM, Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca>wrote: > Hi Bernard, > > On 30-Jul-11, at 12:47 PM, Bernard Burke wrote: > > Here are a couple of firefly photos I took in Cape Breton last weekend. > There appeared to be a decent number of them, but I seem to recall them > being more plentiful in the same location in my younger years. It may have > been discussed in the past with this group, but I'm curious as to whether > there are more than one variety in Nova Scotia. > > > http://bernieb.smugmug.com/Nature/insectsspiders-etc/797514_MpFcT#1407605332_kgk87ZX-X2-LB > > > http://bernieb.smugmug.com/Nature/insectsspiders-etc/797514_MpFcT#1407605766_hkTSvb8-X2-LB > > > As it so happens, I've just completed a paper on the fireflies (family > Lampyridae) of Atlantic Canada. It's not yet been published, but I hope will > be out in the fall. I'll notify folks when it is available. > > There are 12 species (not varieties, which means something different in the > biological world) of Lampyridae found in the region, 11 of which are present > in Nova Scotia. These fall into three groups: > > 1. "dark" fireflies: these are species which as adults are not > bioluminescent (although their larvae are). It includes four species in the > genera* Ellychnia, Lucidota*, and *Pyropyga*; > > 2. "fireflies": these are beetles whose adults emit neurologically precise > flashing patterns while in flight (in other words what people people > conventionally term "fireflies). There are seven species in the region in > the genera *Pyractomena, Photinus*, and *Photuris*. > > 3. "glowworms": these are species which are weakly-bioluminescent and do > not emit neurologically precise flashing patterns, but simply "glow". There > is one introduced European species, *Phosphaenus hemipterus* (Goeze) (the > lesser glowworm) found in Halifax and Yarmouth (and elsewhere in North > America only in Montreal, and Fergus, Ontario). In 2009 I published a paper > on this species in North America together with my student Scott McIvor: > > > http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/279/the-european-lesser-glow-worm-phosphaenus-hemipterus-goeze-in-north-america-coleoptera-lampyridae- > > It's an interesting read about a very unusual beetle, with lots of colour > photos from Halifax! :-> > > In any event, the species pictured in your photos is *Photuris fairchildi*Barber and it comes with an interesting story and Nova Scotia > connection. It was described by Herbert Spencer Barber in 1951 on the basis > of a series of ten specimens collected by Graham Fairchild (and named in his > honour), an American entomologist and grandson of Alexander Graham Bell, on > 14 July 1927 in Beinn Bhreagh (the Bell family estate) in Baddeck on Cape > Breton Island in Nova Scotia. > > Until recently *Photuris fairchildi* was only known from Nova Scotia, > however, my paper will establish that it is found throughout the Maritime > Provinces, and is the only species of *Photuris* in the region. *Photuris*fireflies are an ultra-fascinating and complex group with a large repertoire > of situation-specific flashing patterns which allow them to locate potential > mates and communicate things such as "caught in spider web", "walking > through grass", "grasped by wolf spider", etc. Females are voracious > predators of the males of other bioluminescent fireflies which they lure to > their fate by mimicking the response signals of females of other species of > fireflies. > > They are also taxonomically extremely complex; 22 species have been > described in North America and a further ~28 species that await description. > Some species cannot be differentiated except through their flashing > patterns. > > Bernard: can you tell me the date and location where you photographed this > specimen? Thanks! > > All the best! > > Chris > > > Christopher Majka <c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca> | Halifax, Nova Scotia, > Canada > > * Research Associate: Nova Scotia Museum | > http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/research-asfr.htm > * Review Editor: The Coleopterists Bulletin | http://www.coleopsoc.org/ > * Subject Editor: ZooKeys | > http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index > * Review Editor: Zootaxa | > http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/taxa/Coleoptera.html > * Associate Editor: Journal of the Acadian Entomological Society | > http://www.acadianes.org/journal.html > * Editor: Atlantic Canada Coleoptera | > http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/PDF/index.html > * Editor: Bugguide, Coleoptera http://bugguide.net > > *Whenever I hear of the capture of rare beetles, I feel like an old > war-horse at the sound of a trumpet.* - Charles Darwin > > -- Ronald G. Arsenault Memramcook, N.B. --00504502c5800a9de304a9512e8a Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hello Chris,<div><br></div><div>I understand that Photuris larvae are also = bioluminescent. =A0Is this correct?</div><div><br></div><div>I have a pictu= re of a firefly taken in Moncton in 2009. =A0If you are interested, I can s= end you a copy.</div> <div><br></div><div>All the best,</div><div><br></div><div>Ron<br><br><div = class=3D"gmail_quote">On Sat, Jul 30, 2011 at 1:37 PM, Christopher Majka <s= pan dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca">c.majka@ns.s= ympatico.ca</a>></span> wrote:<br> <blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1p= x #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"><div style=3D"word-wrap:break-word">Hi Bern= ard,<div><div><div></div><div class=3D"h5"><br><div><div>On 30-Jul-11, at 1= 2:47 PM, Bernard Burke wrote:</div> <br><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>=A0Here are a couple of firefly photos I= took in Cape Breton last weekend. There appeared to be a decent number of = them, but I seem to recall them being more plentiful in the same location i= n my younger years. It may have been discussed in the past with this group,= but I'm curious as to whether there are more than one variety in Nova = Scotia.</div> <div>=A0</div><div><a href=3D"http://bernieb.smugmug.com/Nature/insectsspid= ers-etc/797514_MpFcT#1407605332_kgk87ZX-X2-LB" target=3D"_blank">http://ber= nieb.smugmug.com/Nature/insectsspiders-etc/797514_MpFcT#1407605332_kgk87ZX-= X2-LB</a></div> <div>=A0</div><div><a href=3D"http://bernieb.smugmug.com/Nature/insectsspid= ers-etc/797514_MpFcT#1407605766_hkTSvb8-X2-LB" target=3D"_blank">http://ber= nieb.smugmug.com/Nature/insectsspiders-etc/797514_MpFcT#1407605766_hkTSvb8-= X2-LB</a></div> </blockquote><br></div></div></div><div>As it so happens, I've just com= pleted a paper on the fireflies (family Lampyridae) of Atlantic Canada. It&= #39;s not yet been published, but I hope will be out in the fall. I'll = notify folks when it is available.</div> <div><br></div><div>There are 12 species (not varieties, which means someth= ing different in the biological world) of Lampyridae found in the region, 1= 1 of which are present in Nova Scotia. These fall into three groups:</div> <div><br></div><div>1. "dark" fireflies: these are species which = as adults are not bioluminescent (although their larvae are). It includes f= our species in the genera<i> Ellychnia, Lucidota</i>, and <i>Pyropyga</i>;<= /div> <div><br></div><div>2. "fireflies": these are beetles whose adult= s emit neurologically precise flashing patterns while in flight (in other w= ords what people people conventionally term "fireflies). There are sev= en species in the region in the genera <i>Pyractomena, Photinus</i>, and <i= >Photuris</i>.</div> <div><br></div><div>3. "glowworms": these are species which are w= eakly-bioluminescent and do not=A0emit neurologically precise flashing patt= erns, but simply "glow". There is one introduced European species= ,=A0<i>Phosphaenus hemipterus</i> (Goeze)=A0(the lesser glowworm) found in Halifax and Yarmouth (and elsewher= e in North America only in Montreal, and Fergus, Ontario). In 2009 I publis= hed a paper on this species in North America together with my student Scott= McIvor:</div> <div><br></div><div><span style=3D"white-space:pre-wrap"><a href=3D"http://= www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/279/the-european-lesser-glow-worm-= phosphaenus-hemipterus-goeze-in-north-america-coleoptera-lampyridae-" targe= t=3D"_blank">http://www.pensoft.net/journals/zookeys/article/279/the-europe= an-lesser-glow-worm-phosphaenus-hemipterus-goeze-in-north-america-coleopter= a-lampyridae-</a></span></div> <div><span style=3D"white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></div><div><span style= =3D"white-space:pre-wrap">I</span>t's an interesting read about a very = unusual beetle, with lots of colour photos from Halifax! :-></div><div><= br> </div><div>In any event, the species pictured in your photos is=A0<i>Photur= is fairchildi</i> Barber and it comes with an interesting story and Nova Sc= otia connection.=A0=A0It was described by Herbert Spencer Barber in 1951 on= the basis of a series of ten specimens collected by Graham Fairchild (and = named in his honour), an American entomologist and grandson of Alexander Graham Bell, on 14 July 192= 7 in Beinn Bhreagh (the Bell family estate) in Baddeck on Cape Breton Islan= d in Nova Scotia.</div><div><br></div><div>Until recently=A0<i>Photuris fai= rchildi</i>=A0was only known from Nova Scotia, however, my paper will estab= lish that it is found throughout the Maritime Provinces, and is the only sp= ecies of <i>Photuris</i> in the region. <i>Photuris</i> fireflies are an ul= tra-fascinating and complex group with a large repertoire of situation-spec= ific flashing patterns which allow them to locate potential mates and commu= nicate things such as "caught in spider web", "walking throu= gh grass", "grasped by wolf spider", etc. Females are voraci= ous predators of the males of other=A0bioluminescent fireflies which they l= ure to their fate by mimicking the response signals of females of other spe= cies of fireflies.=A0</div> <div><br></div><div>They are also taxonomically extremely complex; 22 speci= es have been described in North America and a further ~28 species that awai= t description. Some species cannot be differentiated except through their f= lashing patterns.</div> <div><br></div><div>Bernard: can you tell me the date and location where yo= u photographed this specimen? Thanks!</div><div><br></div><div>All the best= !</div><div><br></div><div>Chris</div></div><br><br><div> <span style=3D"bo= rder-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'Times New Roman&= #39;;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:normal;letter-spacin= g:normal;line-height:normal;text-align:auto;text-indent:0px;text-transform:= none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style=3D"wo= rd-wrap:break-word"> <span style=3D"border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'= ;Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:nor= mal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform= :none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style=3D"w= ord-wrap:break-word"> <span style=3D"border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'= ;Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:nor= mal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform= :none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style=3D"w= ord-wrap:break-word"> <span style=3D"border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'= ;Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:nor= mal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform= :none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style=3D"w= ord-wrap:break-word"> <span style=3D"border-collapse:separate;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:'= ;Times New Roman';font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:nor= mal;letter-spacing:normal;line-height:normal;text-indent:0px;text-transform= :none;white-space:normal;word-spacing:0px;font-size:medium"><div style=3D"w= ord-wrap:break-word"> <div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"fon= t-size:12px">Christopher Majka =A0<<a href=3D"mailto:c.majka@ns.sympatic= o.ca" target=3D"_blank">c.majka@ns.sympatico.ca</a>> |=A0Halifax, Nova S= cotia, Canada</span></font></div> <div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px"><br></span></font></di= v><div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px">* Research Associate= : Nova Scotia Museum |=A0<a href=3D"http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/research-as= fr.htm" target=3D"_blank">http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/research-asfr.htm</a>= </span></font></div> <div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px">* Review Editor: The C= oleopterists Bulletin |=A0<a href=3D"http://www.coleopsoc.org/" target=3D"_= blank">http://www.coleopsoc.org/</a></span></font></div><div><font size=3D"= 3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px">* Subject Editor: ZooKeys |=A0<a href=3D"= http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index" target=3D"_blank"= >http://pensoftonline.net/zookeys/index.php/journal/index</a></span></font>= </div> <div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px">* Review Editor: Zoota= xa |=A0<a href=3D"http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/taxa/Coleoptera.html" targ= et=3D"_blank">http://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/taxa/Coleoptera.html</a></span= ></font></div> <div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px">* Associate Editor: Jo= urnal of the Acadian Entomological Society |=A0<a href=3D"http://www.acadia= nes.org/journal.html" target=3D"_blank">http://www.acadianes.org/journal.ht= ml</a></span></font></div> <div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px">* Editor: Atlantic Can= ada Coleoptera |=A0<a href=3D"http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/PDF= /index.html" target=3D"_blank">http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Environment/NHR/PD= F/index.html</a></span></font></div> <div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px">* Editor: Bugguide, Co= leoptera=A0<a href=3D"http://bugguide.net" target=3D"_blank">http://bugguid= e.net</a></span></font></div><div><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size= :12px"><br> </span></font></div><div><i><font size=3D"3"><span style=3D"font-size:12px"= >Whenever I hear of the capture of rare=A0beetles, I feel like an old war-h= orse at the sound of a trumpet.</span></font></i><span><font size=3D"3"><sp= an style=3D"font-size:12px">=A0</span></font></span><font size=3D"3"><span = style=3D"font-size:12px">- Charles=A0Darwin</span></font></div> </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></span></div></span></div><= /span></div></span></div></span> </div><br></div></blockquote></div><br><br= clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>Ronald G. Arsenault<br>Memramcook, N.B.<br> </div> --00504502c5800a9de304a9512e8a--
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Index of Subjects