Modification of spectral sensitivities by screening pigments in the compound eyes of twilight-active fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae).

1. ERG S(lambda) were determined in dark-adapted intact preparations of 6 North American firefly species (Photinus collustrans, marginellus, pyralis, macdermotti, scintillans and Bicellonycha wickershamorum) which restrict their flashing activity to twilight hours. The curves possess narrow (1/2 bandwidth = 50-60 nm) peaks in the yellow (560-580 nm) and a shoulder in the violet (370-420 nm), with a marked attenuation (1.4-2.2 log units) of sensitivity in the green (480-530 nm) region of the spectrum (Fig. 1). Two additional species (Photuris potomaca and frontalis) which initiate flashing at twilight and continue on late into the night (twi-night) possess broad sensitivity maxima around 560 nm (Fig. 3). 2. Selective adaptation experiments isolated near-UV and yellow in P. scintillans (Fig. 2). In the dorsal frontal region of the compound eyes in P. frontalis, high sensitivity existed only in the short wavelength region (near-UV and blue) with a maximum in the blue (lambda max 435 nm) (Fig. 4). 3. The in situ MSP absorption spectrum of the screening pigments was determined in preparations of firefly retina. a) Two kinds of dark brown granules were found in the clear zone region. These granules absorb all across the spectrum with a gradual increase in optical density in the shorter wavelength region in P. pyralis (Fig. 5). b) Besides dark granules, pink-to-red colored screening pigments were present in the vicinity of the rhabdoms. The absorption spectra of these pigments determined in five species were narrow (1/2 bandwidth = 50-80 nm) with species-specific differences in their peak absorption in the green at 525 nm, 510 nm, 512 nm and 517 nm in P. scintillans, macdermotti, collustrans and pyralis, respectively (Fig. 6). A similar pigment was found in P. marginellus with a lambda max at 512 nm (Fig. 7). In all cases, transmission increased both at long and short wavelengths, but more sharply in the long wavelength region (Figs. 6 and 7). Hence each twilight-restricted species has its own unique colored screening pigment. A yellow pigment whose absorption spectrum differed from those found in genus Photinus was found in twi-night active Photuris potomaca (lambda max 461 nm) and night-active P. versicolor (lambda max 456 nm). The transmission of the Photuris pigment increased sharply only in the long wave-length region (Fig. 8).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)