Thai Aquatic Firefly vs Slender Pigeon Louse

Side-by-side species comparison

Attribute Thai Aquatic Firefly Slender Pigeon Louse
Scientific Name Luciola aquatilis Columbicola columbae
Order Coleoptera Phthiraptera
Family Lampyridae Philopteridae
Size 5-8 mm 2-3 mm
Habitat Ponds & Lakes Farmland
Diet Omnivores Omnivores
Regions Southeast Asia, Thailand Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Oceania
Conservation Vulnerable Least Concern

Thai Aquatic Firefly

A small Thai firefly notable for having truly aquatic larvae with functional gills. It was one of the first fireflies confirmed to have larvae that live entirely underwater.

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Did You Know?

This species was described in 2010 and was notable for being the first firefly with confirmed fully aquatic larvae possessing tracheal gills.

Slender Pigeon Louse

A long slender louse found between the barbs of wing and tail feathers of pigeons and doves. It is one of the most studied louse-host systems in biology.

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Did You Know?

This louse has become a model organism for studying coevolution, as its evolutionary tree closely mirrors that of its pigeon host species.