The effect of flash duration and flash shape on entrainment in Pteroptyx malaccae, a synchronic Southeast Asian firefly

Southeast Asian synchronic fireflies respond to stimulus flashes by phase-shifting their endogenous oscillator. This is called `flash entrainment'. The releasers for entrainment were studied by changing stimulus flash shape and duration in Pteroptyx malaccae. Stimulus flash shapes and durations...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of insect physiology 1997-10, Vol.43 (10), p.965-971
Main Authors: Copeland, Jonathan, Moiseff, Andrew
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
animal behavior
bioluminescence
chemiluminescence
entrainment
estrus synchronization
fireflies
flash entrainment
Lampyridae
light
regulation
synchronous flashing
synchrony
visual stimuli
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Summary:Southeast Asian synchronic fireflies respond to stimulus flashes by phase-shifting their endogenous oscillator. This is called `flash entrainment'. The releasers for entrainment were studied by changing stimulus flash shape and duration in Pteroptyx malaccae. Stimulus flash shapes and durations were synthesized digitally and delivered by a field-portable computer system. The computer also recorded male firefly flashes that were detected with a photometer. We found that the type of entrainment and its magnitude was influenced by the duration of the entrainment flash and by its shape.
ISSN:0022-1910
1879-1611
DOI:10.1016/S0022-1910(97)00034-6