100-million-year-old Firefly Trapped In Amber Sheds Light On The Evolution Of Bioluminescence

Our knowledge of the evolutionary history of bioluminescent insects is being greatly advanced by the discovery of a recently discovered fossil firefly from Myanmar that was wrapped in amber.

Scientists have identified a previously unknown ancient firefly species — dubbed Flammarionella hehaikuni — from a 99 million-year-old fossil within Burmese amber. Photo Credit: Professor Chenyang Cai

Our knowledge of the evolutionary history of bioluminescent insects is being greatly advanced by the discovery of a recently discovered fossil firefly from Myanmar that was wrapped in amber.

This amazing specimen, which is thought to be around 100 million years old, seems to indicate a significant turning point in the species’ history.

Bioluminescence, the ability to produce light biologically, is exhibited by various organisms, including deep-sea fish, fungi, and certain insects. Among these, a majority fall under the order Coleoptera, especially within the Elateroidea family, which encompasses fireflies, click beetles, and their related species. However, due to the delicate and soft-bodied nature of these insects, finding fossil evidence has proven exceptionally challenging, leaving significant gaps in our understanding of how bioluminescence developed in fireflies.

Historically, only one other firefly fossil has been identified, which dates back to the Mesozoic era, spanning from 252 to 66 million years ago. The Burmese amber that encases the newly discovered firefly was identified only in 2021 and represents a time period between 145 and 65 million years ago. Researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences have designated this fossil as a new genus and species, naming it Flammarionella hehaikuni.

This fossilised firefly exhibits distinct oval-shaped sensory receptors, suggesting that it possessed advanced olfactory capabilities. Notably, the structure producing bioluminescence near the tip of its abdomen closely resembles that of contemporary light-emitting lucioline fireflies. In contrast, the light-emitting organs of certain other beetle species, namely those within the cretophengodes group, display significant morphological differences.

The study highlights the evolutionary stability of features crucial to the development of fireflies, indicating that the intricate light displays associated with these insects were well established even during the late Mesozoic era. Furthermore, the findings affirm that there existed a diverse array of light organs among insects in the age of dinosaurs.

Researchers anticipate that forthcoming fossil discoveries will provide deeper insights into the evolution and mechanisms underlying the origins of insect bioluminescence.