Open AccessEvaluating firefly extinction risk: Initial red list assessments for North America
Author(s) -
Candace E. Fallon,
Anna C. Walker,
Sara M. Lewis,
Joseph M. Cicero,
Lynn Faust,
Christopher M. Heckscher,
Cisteil X. Pérez-Hernández,
Ben Pfeiffer,
Sarina Jepsen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0259379
Subject(s) - iucn red list , endangered species , threatened species , critically endangered , near threatened species , habitat , conservation dependent species , extinction (optical mineralogy) , geography , habitat destruction , ecology , data deficient , conservation status , population , biology , environmental health , medicine , paleontology
Fireflies are a family of charismatic beetles known for their bioluminescent signals. Recent anecdotal reports suggest that firefly populations in North America may be in decline. However, prior to this work, no studies have undertaken a systematic compilation of geographic distribution, habitat specificity, and threats facing North American fireflies. To better understand their extinction risks, we conducted baseline assessments according to the categories and criteria of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List for 132 species from the United States and Canada (approximately 79% of described species in the region). We found at least 18 species (14%) are threatened with extinction (e.g. categorized as Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable) due to various pressures, including habitat loss, light pollution, and climate change (sea level rise and drought). In addition, more than half of the species (53%) could not be evaluated against the assessment criteria due to insufficient data, highlighting the need for further study. Future research and conservation efforts should prioritize monitoring and protecting populations of at-risk species, preserving and restoring habitat, gathering data on population trends, and filling critical information gaps for data deficient species suspected to be at risk.