Coastal Rove Beetle vs Mediterranean Firefly

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Coastal Rove Beetle Mediterranean Firefly
Scientific Name Cafius xantholoma Luciola italica
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Staphylinidae Lampyridae
Size 6-9 mm 7-10 mm
Habitat Beaches & Coastal Heathland
Diet Predators Omnivores
Regions Atlantic coasts of Europe and North Africa Europe
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Coastal Rove Beetle

A medium-sized rove beetle with yellowish elytral margins, highly adapted to life on seashores. It lives under seaweed wrack on beaches where it preys on kelp fly larvae.

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Did You Know?

This beetle can survive temporary submersion in seawater during high tides by trapping an air bubble under its elytra.

Mediterranean Firefly

A common Southern European firefly that flies through warm summer nights producing a continuous greenish glow. It is widespread in Italy and the Mediterranean basin.

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Did You Know?

Italian poets and painters have depicted this firefly for centuries, and it remains a beloved symbol of warm summer nights in the Mediterranean.