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Photinini

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Photinini
Eastern firefly, Photinus pyralis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Lampyridae
Subfamily: Lampyrinae
Tribe: Photinini
LeConte, 1881
Synonyms

Lucidotini Lacordaire, 1857[1]

The Photinini are a large tribe of fireflies in the subfamily Lampyrinae. Photinus pyralis is famous in biotechnology for its luciferase gene. This is sometimes employed as a marker gene; genetically modified organisms which contain it start to glow like the firefly when brought in contact with a luciferin-containing medium. Firefly luciferases differ slightly between taxa, resulting in differently colored light and other properties, and in most cases where "firefly luciferase" is used in some application or study, it is the specific luciferase of P. pyralis.

Systematics

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The group has recently been examined using molecular phylogenetics, using fairly comprehensive sampling.[2]

Genera

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References

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  1. ^ BioLib: tribus Lucidotini Lacordaire, 1857
  2. ^ Martin, Gavin J.; Stanger-Hall, Kathrin F.; Branham, Marc A.; et al. (1 November 2019). Jordal, Bjarte (ed.). "Higher-Level Phylogeny and Reclassification of Lampyridae (Coleoptera: Elateroidea)". Insect Systematics and Diversity. 3 (6). Oxford University Press ). doi:10.1093/isd/ixz024.