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Pyropyga decipiens

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pyropyga decipiens
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Clade: Pancrustacea
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Elateriformia
Family: Lampyridae
Genus: Pyropyga
Species:
P. decipiens
Binomial name
Pyropyga decipiens
(Harris, 1836)

Pyropyga decipiens, also known by the common name sneaky elf firefly,[1] is a species of diurnal firefly in the beetle family Lampyridae. It is found in eastern North America.[2][3][4]

Description

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P. decipiens is a small, flattened beetle with a mostly black striped pronotum and solid black elytra. Unlike most Lampyridae species, P. decipiens lacks a bioluminescent lantern. Adult size ranges from 5 millimeters to 8 millimeters in length.[4]

Geographic range

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The sneaky elf firefly ranges from Tennessee north to Eastern Canada. It is often confused in the southern and western parts of its range with other similar Pyropyga species, namely P. minuta and P. nigricans respectively,[1] though it is more common in the north than either.[5]

References

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  1. 1 2 Faust, Lynn (2017). Fireflies, Glow-worms, and Lightning Bugs. University of Georgia Press.
  2. ↑ "Pyropyga decipiens Report". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  3. ↑ "Pyropyga decipiens". GBIF. Retrieved 2019-09-24.
  4. ↑ Drake, Martha; Molotievskiy, Natalia; Musetti, Luciana; Johnson, Norman (March 2019). "Lampyridae of Ohio, a Survey of the Genus Pyropyga" (PDF). The Ohio State University Press, Department of Entomology. Retrieved 31 July 2026.

Further reading

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  • Green, John Wagener (1961). "Revision of the species of Pyropyga (Lampyridae)". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 15 (3): 65–74. JSTOR 3998941.