Firefly - Firefly

Japanese: ホタル(蛍) - ホタル

A general term for beetles belonging to the Lampyridae family and related families. It can also refer to species that emit light. As beetles, they have soft forewings and bodies, and some females are completely wingless. Both larvae and adults have a light-emitting organ at the tip of the abdomen, but in species where the adults are active during the day, the light-emitting organ has degenerated. Larvae usually live in dark, damp places and feed on snails, but some live in water. The light is produced by the action of luciferin and luciferase in the light-emitting cells and oxygen, and is completely cold light. The light emitted by larvae and pupae does not flicker, but adults do, and the way they emit light varies depending on the species. There are about 2,000 species worldwide, mostly in the tropics. There are about 50 species in Japan, and only a few species, such as the Genji firefly and the Heike firefly, emit light. →Bioluminescence

Source : Heibonsha Encyclopedia About MyPedia Information

Japanese:

ホタル科およびその近縁の科に属する甲虫の総称。特に発光する種類をさす場合もある。甲虫類としては前翅や体がやわらかく，雌では全く翅のない種類もある。幼虫，成虫ともに腹端に発光器があるが，成虫が昼間活動する種類では発光器は退化。幼虫は普通，暗く湿った場所にすみ，カタツムリ類を食べるが，水中にすむものもある。発光は発光細胞内にあるルシフェリンとルシフェラーゼが酸素と作用して起こり，完全な冷光。幼虫や蛹(さなぎ)の発光は明滅しないが，成虫は明滅し，光り方は種類によって異なる。全世界に約2000種あり熱帯に多い。日本には約50種弱，そのうち発光するのはゲンジボタル，ヘイケボタルなどの数種に限られる。→生物発光

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