An adaptive model for synchrony in the firefly Pteroptyx malaccae

We describe a new model for synchronization of neuronal oscillators that is based on the observation that certain species of fireflies are able to alter their free-running period. We show that by adding adaptation to standard oscillator models it is possible to observe the frequency alteration. One consequence of this is the perfect synchrony between coupled oscillators. Stability and some analytic results are included along with numerical simulations.This work was partially supported by NSF Grant DMS9002028 and the Mathematical Research Branch of The National Institutes of Health