The Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) of British Columbia, with special emphasis on the light-flashing species and their distribution, status and biology

摘要

In British Columbia the family Lampyridae (fireflies) is poorly known. Ten species in five genera are recorded but adults of only two species produce flashed bioluminescent signals. Before 1997, museum collections that we examined held specimens of only one flashing species from three BC localities, despite recent and widespread reports of flashing fireflies in the province. A solicitation of specimens and sight records from entomologists and naturalists resulted in the discovery of 14 additional collection localities for the two species. Sight records are summarized but are not recorded in detail. As far as is known, Photuris pennsylvanica (DeGeer) (sensu lata), is restricted in BC to the southern Rocky Mountain Trench (East Kootenay region). Photinus obscurellus Le-Conte, herein recorded in BC for the first time, is widespread in the northeast, cenfral and southern Interior of the province. This paper briefly summarizes the BC lampyrid fauna, examining the status, distribution and biology of thetwo flashing species in more detail.