ABSTRACT
Photuris female fireflies attract males of different firefly species by responding to their flashing signals; then, they try to capture and feed on them. This aggressive mimicry is considered a major selective pressure on the communication systems of the fireflies of the American continent. The intensity of this selective pressure is a function of its efficiency in prey capture. In this study, the rates of attraction and capture of males of the synchronous firefly Photinus palaciosi by the predatory females of Photuris lugubris are reported. Although the females attract numerous males, their hunting success is low. This result is consistent with the few previous measurements published. In agreement with the predicted coevolutionary race between predator and prey, behaviors consistent with predation avoidance in P. palaciosi and increasing prey encounters and prey deception by P. lugubris were observed.
ABSTRACT
Femmes fatales (Ff) are female fireflies that hunt and feed on the males of other firefly species that they attract by responding with glows or flashes to their bioluminescent signals. Here, we present field observations demonstrating that Photuris lugubris females are Ff of male Photinus palaciosi, a synchronous firefly exploited as a tourist attraction in the mountains of central Mexico. We show that the hunting success of the Ff is low, as observed in previous studies, suggesting that the impact of predation on the prey population is low. We present experimental data showing sex-specific hunting behaviour, since only female P. lugubris fed on P. palaciosi. We also present experimental data showing that at least some female P. lugubris mate multiple times; we discuss the implications of this discovery for the switch between the mating and hunting modes of Ff. We discuss open questions, as well as the possible impact of Ff on tourism focused on synchronous fireflies.
