›› 2009, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (7): 783-790.doi:

• RESEARCH PAPERS • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Defensive behavior in firefly Pyrocoelia pectoralis (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Reflex bleeding and reaction with eversible organs

FU Xin-Hua   

  • Online:2009-07-20 Published:2009-07-20

Abstract: To explore the defensive behavior in firefly Pyrocoelia pectoralis Oliver 1883, morphological and behavioral experiments were conducted. P. pectoralis was discovered to possess complex, multiple and effective defensive behavior. Adults use glowing, death mimic and reflex bleeding to defense, whereas larvae defend predators by glowing, death mimic, and small pairs of eversible glands. Male adults of P. pectoralis discharge fluids from pronotal and elytral margins, but when tactually stimulated, females only discharge fluids from pronotal margins. With regard to its content of haemocytes, the discharged fluid conforms to haemolymph. A series of circular pits about 32 μm in diameter, but irregularly spaced depressions in the cuticle of the firefly along the pronotal and elytral margins, seems to be related to the ‘reflexbleeding’ response. The larvae of P. pectoralis possess 9 pairs of small pale white, mammiform eversible glands. TEM revealed that the protuberances of eversible organs of P. pectoralis larva are hollow at the base. The cytoplasm of the secretory cells of eversible organs is characterized by extensive system of cisternae and tubular endoplasmic reticulum. Behavioral experiments confirmed that the blood of P. pectoralis is very effectively repellent to ants.

Key words: Firefly, Pyrocoelia pectoralis, defensive behavior, reflex bleeding, eversible organs, morphology