D3158: Can specific flash decoys identify the “biological species” of Photuris fireflies?

Defining the “species” has been a vexing issue for biologists for hundreds of years. Most species, including fireflies, have been identified using morphological characters which hopefully correlate with the idealized “Biological Species Concept”. Ernst Mayr defined the biological species as: “…groups of actually or potentially interbreeding natural populations, which are reproductively isolated from other such groups…”. Lloyd demonstrated that the firefly flash pattern morphology could be used to identify Photinus and Pyractomena fireflies. In the genus Photuris, morphological characters that can be used to make species determinations are not yet available and we have been forced to rely entirely on flash pattern morphology for species determinations. However, in Photuris fireflies, many flashes appear to have non-courtship functions, so these flashes may not be as important in identifying the “Biological Species”. Photuris males appear to add or omit defensive and/or aposematic flashes as needed to meet local needs. I am finding that Photuris fireflies are attracted to different specific decoy flashes that mimic the response flashes of Photuris females during courtship. These decoy flashes may help us identify the “Biological Species” of Photuris fireflies because they appear to identify “potential interbreeding natural populations.” This principle will be developed and demonstrated with the Photuris fireflies of Colorado. This interpretation may help us understand some regional and local variation in Photuris flash morphology as adaptation to local conditions.