Abstract
Bioluminescence emissions from a few species of fireflies have been studied at different temperatures. Variations in the flash-duration have been observed and interesting conclusions drawn in those studies. Here we investigate steady-state and pulsed emissions from male specimens of the Indian species Sclerotia substriata at temperatures considerably higher and lower than the ones at which they normally flash. When the temperature is raised to 34 °C, the peak wavelength gets red-shifted and the emitted pulses become the narrowest which broaden considerably thereafter for small increases in temperature; this probably indicates denaturation of the enzyme luciferase catalyzing the light-producing reaction. When the temperature is decreased to the region of 10.5–9 °C, the peak gets blue-shifted and the flash-duration increased abnormally with large fluctuation; this possibly implies cold denaturation of the luciferase. We conclude that the first or hot effect is very likely to be the reason of the species being dark-active on hot days, and the second or cold one is the probable reason for its disappearance at the onset of the winter. Our study makes the inference that these two happenings determine the temperature-tolerance, which plays a major role in the selection of the habitat for the firefly.
Highlights
September, and in even smaller numbers in March and October
It has been hypothesized that different species of fireflies emit light at slightly different wavelength peaks because of slight differences in their enzyme s tructures[10]
We propose for addition of the firefly luciferase in the body of a live firefly to this list
Summary
In even smaller numbers in March and October. The geographic location of the place is 26.1543° N and 91.6632° E. We present emission spectra and pulses of this species at temperatures substantially higher and lower than its normal flashing ones.
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