Vision in the fireflyPhoturis lucicrescens (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Spectral sensitivity and selective adaptation in the compound eye

Summary The waveform of the electroretinograms (ERGs) recorded from the compound eyes in the dark-active fireflyPhoturis lucicrescens was different in the short (near-UV and violet) and long (green-yellow) wavelengths (Fig. 1). The spectral sensitivity curves in the dark and chromatic adaptation conditions suggested the presence of receptor types in the short (near-UV, Fig. 4, and violet, Fig. 5) and long wavelength (green; max 550 nm, Figs. 3–5) regions of the spectrum. The green peak is in correspondence with the species' bioluminescence emission peak at 554 nm (Fig. 3c).Abbreviations DA dark-adapted - ERG electroretinogram - VP visual pigment Contribution No. 1112 of the McCollum-Pratt Institute and Department of Biology, The Johns Hopkins University