The Swimming Behavior of the Aquatic Larvae of the Firefly Luciola substriata (Coleoptera: Lampyridae)

Third to sixth instar larvae of the aquatic firefly Luciola substriata swim with their ventral side up, including when they were searching for prey. When larvae were engaged in swimming, the thoracic legs sculled backwards continuously, while the abdomen could curve upward and downwards. The pygopod...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Coleopterists bulletin 2005-12, Vol.59 (4), p.501-505
Main Authors: Fu, Xinhua, Wang, Yuyong, Lei, Chaoliang, Nobuyoshi, Ohba
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abdomen
aquatic fireflies
Aquatic insects
back-swimming behavior
Beetles
Coleoptera
CONTENTS
dispersal behavior
Fireflies
Insect larvae
Instars
Lampyridae
Larvae
Legs
locomotion
Swimming
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Summary:Third to sixth instar larvae of the aquatic firefly Luciola substriata swim with their ventral side up, including when they were searching for prey. When larvae were engaged in swimming, the thoracic legs sculled backwards continuously, while the abdomen could curve upward and downwards. The pygopodium located in the end of abdomen enable larvae to grasp and adhere on floating objects that also help start or cease swimming. When larvae in back-swimming changed direction, the larval abdomen curved clockwise or counterclockwise quickly and then unbent. The legs movement of larvae consists of eight different stroke patterns. The larvae averaged 1.6 strokes per sec and 0.6 wiggle of abdomen per sec. Larvae swim slowly with the speed of 0.9 m/h.
ISSN:0010-065X
1938-4394
DOI:10.1649/830.1