Luminous Beetle of Ulu Selangor vs Neotropical Rove Beetle

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Luminous Beetle of Ulu Selangor Neotropical Rove Beetle
Scientific Name Pteroptyx similis Xanthopygus cognatus
Order Coleoptera Coleoptera
Family Lampyridae Staphylinidae
Size 4-6 mm 12-18 mm
Habitat Rivers & Streams Woodlands
Diet Predators Fruit Feeders
Regions Southeast Asia, Malaysia Central and South America, Brazil to Mexico
Conservation Least Concern Least Concern

Luminous Beetle of Ulu Selangor

A tiny synchronous firefly found along rivers in Malaysia. Males congregate by the hundreds in berembang trees along tidal rivers and flash with remarkable precision.

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Did You Know?

The Selangor River firefly displays were once among the brightest bioluminescent shows on Earth, but habitat loss has reduced their numbers.

Neotropical Rove Beetle

A large, strikingly colored rove beetle with a bright orange pronotum contrasting with black elytra and head. It is one of the most conspicuous staphylinids in the Neotropical region.

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Did You Know?

The bright orange and black coloration of this beetle is thought to be aposematic, warning predators of its unpalatable defensive secretions.