2023-10-28 06:30:32
A group of researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid (UCM) has analyzed the presence and biological invasion of a non-native firefly in European communities “with unpredictable effects”and warn especially of the damage they cause to Spanish fields.
It is the firefly Photinus signaticollis, which she is a native of South America and has recently settled in Spain, specifically in Girona, as detailed by the University in a note. “Since 2016, this firefly has colonized the north-east of the Iberian Peninsula and crossed the Pyrenees to reach the south of France in 2019”, they say. It is a “neglected invasive species” that has ended up being established in the Girona counties due to the fact that some environmental characteristicin this case the seasonality of temperature, is “similar to that of its region of origin”.
The problem arises because the larvae of this firefly feed on worms, so a high density of this species could negatively impact this “key group” in soil processes and agriculture in Spain. For that, the authors acknowledge that their arrival “illuminates the Iberian fields with concern”; although they postulate that the “exact extent” of colonization, the ecological niche and the possible expansion of its distribution area in Europe are currently unknown.
Researchers have used species distribution models to find high-suitability areas across Europe where this firefly could become established if introduced, taking into account variables such as temperature seasonality.
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