title: Ecology of colors of firefly bioluminescence.
abstract: Dark-active North American fireflies emit green bioluminescence and dusk-active species emit yellow, in general. Yellow light and yellow visual spectral sensitivity may be adaptations to increase the signal-to-noise (that is, foliage-reflected ambient light) ratio for sexual signaling during twilight. The peaks of the electroretinogram visual spectral sensitivities of four species tested, two dark- and two dusk-active, correspond with the peak of their bioluminescent emissions.
authors.forename: A B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Lall
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Seliger
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Biggley
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lloyd