- Cratomorphini
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Cratomorphini Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Infraclass: Neoptera Superorder: Endopterygota Order: Coleoptera Suborder: Polyphaga Infraorder: Elateriformia Superfamily: Elateroidea Family: Lampyridae Subfamily: Lampyrinae Tribe: Cratomorphini Genera Several, see text
The Cratomorphini are a disputed tribe of fireflies of the large subfamily Lampyrinae. The genera placed here often contain well-sized members of their family. The larvae of many species climb trees to feed on snails. This group contains a few "lightning bugs" (flashing fireflies) from North America, e.g. the genus Pyractomena. Further south in the American tropics, Aspisoma can be found, but this is very doubtfully placed here[1].
It appears that this is a paraphyletic group, assembling ancient lineages of Lampyrinae. The eventual fate of this group is not known; pending resolution of the affinities of the type genus Cratomorphus, it might be disassembled or persist without some genera which are closer to other tribes.[1]
Selected genera
- Aspisoma Laporte, 1833 (might belong in Lampyrini)
- Cratomorphus
- Micronaspis Green, 1948
- Pyractomena LeConte, 1845
Footnotes
References
- Stanger-Hall, Kathrin F.; Lloyd, James E. & Hillis, David M. (2007): Phylogeny of North American fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): Implications for the evolution of light signals. Mol. Phylogenet. Evol. 45(1): 33-49. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.05.013 PMID 17644427 PDF fulltext
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