ArticleMolecular ecology2015
Variation in opsin genes correlates with signalling ecology in North American fireflies.
Article in Molecular ecology, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 26 papers.
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Who cites it
26 citing papers in PubMed, 50 citations in OpenAlex.
- Species-Specific Bacterial Associations Emerge From Stochastically Assembled Microbiomes in Northeastern American Fireflies.Molecular ecology · 2026Article
- Genomic basis of adaptation to cardiac glycosides in three insect orders.Frontiers in genetics · 2026Article
- The Role of Pigments in Light Color Variation of the FireflyEcology and evolution · 2025Article
- Bioluminescence and environmental light drive the visual evolution of deep-sea shrimp (Oplophoroidea).Communications biology · 2025Article
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- Identification of a Female-Produced Sex Attractant Pheromone of the Winter Firefly, Photinus corruscus Linnaeus (Coleoptera: Lampyridae).Journal of chemical ecology · 2023Article
- Insect opsins and evo-devo: what have we learned in 25 years?Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2022Review
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- RNA-Seq analysis of the blue light-emitting Orfelia fultoni (Diptera: Keroplatidae) suggest photoecological adaptations at the molecular level.Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part D, Genomics & proteomics · 2021Article
- Blinded by the Light: Artificial Light Lowers Mate Attraction Success in Female Glow-Worms (Insects · 2021Article
- Molecular Evolution of Phototransduction Pathway Genes in Nocturnal and Diurnal Fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae).Insects · 2021Article
- Light environment drives evolution of color vision genes in butterflies and moths.Communications biology · 2021Article
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- The impact of artificial light at night on nocturnal insects: A review and synthesis.Ecology and evolution · 2018Review
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- Molecular variation across populations of a widespread North American firefly, Photinus pyralis, reveals that coding changes do not underlie flash color variation or associated visual sensitivity.BMC evolutionary biology · 2018Article
- The evolution of sexual signal modes and associated sensor morphology in fireflies (Lampyridae, Coleoptera).Proceedings. Biological sciences · 2018Article
- Short- and mid-wavelength artificial light influences the flash signals of Aquatica ficta fireflies (Coleoptera: Lampyridae).PloS one · 2018Article
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Authors and funding
2 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Genes underlying signal reception should evolve to maximize signal detection in a particular environment. In animals, opsins, the protein component of visual pigments, are predicted to evolve according to this expectation. Fireflies are known for their bioluminescent mating signals. The eyes of nocturnal species are expected to maximize the detection of conspecific signal colours emitted in the typical low-light environment. This is not expected for species that have transitioned to diurnal activity in bright daytime environments. Here, we test the hypothesis that opsin gene sequence plays a role in modifying firefly eye spectral sensitivity. We use genome and transcriptome sequencing in four firefly species, transcriptome sequencing in six additional species and targeted gene sequencing in 28 other species to identify all opsin genes present in North American fireflies and to elucidate amino acid sites under positive selection. We also determine whether amino acid substitutions in opsins are linked to evolutionary changes in signal mode, signal colour and light environment. We find only two opsins, one long wavelength and one ultraviolet, in all firefly species and identify 25 candidate sites that may be involved in determining spectral sensitivity. In addition, we find elevated rates of evolution at transitions to diurnal activity, and changes in selective constraint on long wavelength opsin associated with changes in light environment. Our results suggest that changes in eye spectral sensitivity are at least partially due to opsin sequence. Fireflies continue to be a promising system in which to investigate the evolution of signals, receptors and signalling environments.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.