We characterized three Japanese firefly species (Luciola lateralis, Luciola cruciata, and Lucidina biplagiata) and three North American firefly species (Lucidota atra, Photuris lucicrescens, and Photuris cinctipennis) based on their surface hydrocarbons. The analysis of firefly extracts by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed clear differences in the chromatographic profiles an...

Aquatica, a new genus of aquatic fireflies from mainland China, is described and keyed from males of A. leii (Fu et Ballantyne 2006), A. ficta (Olivier 1909), A. hydrophila (Jeng et al. 2003) and A. lateralis (Motsch. 1860), all transferred from Luciola, and A. wuhana sp. n. from Hubei Province, which is described from adult males and females and larvae. Adult females and larvae are associated ...

A new species of aquatic firefly belonging to Luciola Laporte is described and illustrated based on external morphology of both males and females, and the genitalia of males. Luciola aquatilis sp. nov., a common firefly in Thailand was formerly commonly misidentified as Luciola brahmina Bourgeois. Other Luciola species that resemble L. aquatilis are discussed, as well as past confusion concerni...

I investigated the popularity of different lampyrid species (34 species) in Japanese culture as part of a study on cultural entomology. Popularity was assessed by the Google search volume for Japanese lampyrid species names in katakana and hiragana scripts, using the Keyword Tool of Google AdWords. The search volume of lampyrid species as "Genji-botaru" (Luciola cruciata Motschulsky), "Heike-bo...

The activity regenerating luciferin from the luminescent product oxyluciferin was found in the protein fraction of a lantern extract from Photinus pyralis. The protein, luciferin-regenerating enzyme (LRE), was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by successive column chromatography on Ultrogel AcA34, S-Sepharose FF, Q-Sepharose FF, TSKgel super Q 5pw and TSKgel G30...

A new genus Nipponoluciola Ballantyne, Kawashima, Jusoh & Suzuki is proposed and described from males, females larvae for two species of Japanese fireflies (Coleoptera, Lampyridae, Luciolinae) which have aquatic larvae. The famous Genji-botaru, the Genji firefly, formerly Luciola cruciata Motschulsky, 1854, now stands under (Motschulsky) gen. et. comb. nov. It that original designation ...