Cratomorphini

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Cratomorphini
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Infraclass: Neoptera
Superorder: Endopterygota
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Elateriformia
Superfamily: Elateroidea
Family: Lampyridae
Subfamily: Lampyrinae
Tribe: Cratomorphini
Genera

Several, see text

The Cratomorphini are a disputed tribe of fireflies of the large subfamily Lampyrinae. The genera placed here often contain well-sized members of their family. The larvae of many species climb trees to feed on snails. This group contains a few "lightning bugs" (flashing fireflies) from North America, e.g. the genus Pyractomena. Further south in the American tropics, Aspisoma can be found, but this is very doubtfully placed here.[1]

It appears that this is a paraphyletic group, assembling ancient lineages of Lampyrinae. The eventual fate of this group is not known; pending resolution of the affinities of the type genus Cratomorphus, it might be disassembled or persist without some genera which are closer to other tribes.[1]

Selected genera

  • Aspisoma Laporte, 1833 (might belong in Lampyrini)
  • Cratomorphus
  • Micronaspis Green, 1948
  • Pyractomena LeConte, 1845

Footnotes

  1. 1.0 1.1 Stanger-Hall et al. (2007)

References


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