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Biologists expose hidden costs of firefly flashes

09-19-2007 · EurekAlert!

Tufts University biologists have discovered a dark side behind the light shows put on by fireflies each summer. While it's energetically cheap for fireflies to produce their distinctive flash signals, flashier males are more likely to end up on the dinner table. The importance of these two conflicting forces could shift in different firefly populations. It is possible that this evolutionary balancing act might generate entirely new firefly species with their own distinctive flash codes.

Keywords: biologists, expose, hidden, costs, firefly, flashes, biologist, cost, flashe

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