The spectacular bioluminescent displays of fireflies have evoked admiration from human cultures around the world. In the common North American Photinus fireflies, these courtship displays are created by hundreds of males emitting flashes while flying slowly above the ground searching for females. Females respond to male flashes from perches in low vegetation. Surprisingly little is known about firefly courtship and mating beyond this highly visible flash display. Recent work by Dr. Lewis and her colleagues revealed that during mating, firefly males provide females with a nutrient-rich, sperm-containing package called a spermatophore, which is later digested within the female and used to provision her developing eggs. Similar nuptial gifts are produced by males in organisms as diverse as giant octopi and tiny flatworms, and their occurrence across such diverse groups suggests that male nutrient donations may play a fundamental role in the evolution of animal mating systems. Dr. Lewis' research will focus on Photinus fireflies to gain insight into the role of nuptial gifts in the evolution of animal mating systems and courtship behavior, combining controlled laboratory manipulations with field observations of natural Photinus populations.
These studies will contribute to our understanding of key evolutionary issues concerning differences in resource allocation between males and females. This research is interesting from a conservation stand point, since the narrow habitat requirements and site specificity of fireflies make them extremely sensitive to habitat disturbance.
