Recent Advances in Insect Embryology in Japan
Edited by H. Ando and K. Miya.
ISEBU Co. Ltd., Tsukuba 1985

157

Early Embryogenesis of Fireflies, Luc iola cruc iata,
L. lateralis and Hotaria parvula(Coleoptera, Lampyridae)

Hisao KOBAY ASHI
andHiroshi ANDO

Synopsis
Early development of fireflies, Luciola cruciata, L. lateralis and Hotaria parvula, from the oviposition
to the formation of germ band, is described. The egg of L. cruciata is laid after the completion of thesecond maturation division, and already at the oviposition the male pronucleus is found in the yolk. The
germ rudiment develops as a solid ball-shaped body. It sinks into the yolk and differentiates m"to theembryonic and amniotic areas with the formation of amniotic cavity. The formation of the serosal cuticle
and inner layer is also dealt with.

Introduction
Our knowledge on the embryology of Lampyridae is limited to the following threestudies: Wiliams' (1916) on American fireflies. Photuris pennsylvanica and Photinus
consanguineus, which first found that the ball-shaped germ-rudiments are formed in these
species, Hess' (1922) on the embryonic development of the photogenic organ of P. pennsylvanica, and Ando and Kobayashi's (1975) on the formation of blastoderm to the middle
embryonic development of Luciola cruciata with brief descriptions which confirmed thatthe ball-shaped germ rudiment also appears in a Japanese firefly. These studies are rather
fragmentary and do not cover the whole process of the embryonic development of fireflies.
Accordingly we set about the second embryological study on the Japanese fireflies, andfollow the early development of three lampyrids, Luciola cruciata, L. lateralis and Hotaria
parvula.

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Kobayashi, H. and H. Ando

Materials and Methods
The imaginal and larval insects of Luciola cruciata Motschulsky, L. lateralis Motschulsky
and Hotaria parvula Kiesenwetter collected in Tatsuno, Nagano Pref., Central Japan, werereared. Eggs were obtained by the procedure mentioned in the previous paper (1975) andwere incubated at room temperature. They were fixed with alcoholic Bouin's fluid. Theintervals of sampling eggs were 5 min. during first 2 hr, 20 min. from 2 to 4 hr after oviposition (a. 0.),60 min. from 4 to 10 hr a. 0., 3 hr from 10 to 36 hr a. 0., 6 hr from 36 to 72
hr a. o. and 1 day from 72 hr a. o. to hatching. For the satisfactory fixation of eggs after a
few days a. o. of which the chorion hardens, the hot fixative (60°C for 20 min.) was employed.
For sectioning, the normal paraffin method was utilized. Sections, 7 tIm-thick, were
stained with Delafield's hematoxyIin and eosin. For observation of whole embryo, after
dechorionation the embryos were removed from the yolk mass, and stained with BoraxCarmine. A scanning electron microscope was also used to observe micropyles.

Observations(1) Early development
a.

Structure of egg just after oviposition and fertilization

As previously described (Ando and Kobayashi, 1975), 'the newly laid eggs of Luciola
cruciata are whitish yellow, nearly spherical and 0.5-0.6 mm in diameter. It is difficult todistinguish the anterior and posterior poles, and to determine the polarity of the egg. The
surface of egg is coated with a thin gelatinous membrane secreted from the mother insect.
The chorion bears numerous depressions on its surface. A thickened micropylar area isreddish brown in color, and about 20 micropylar canals radially arranged are found in thearea (Fig. 1-1). The chorion of newly laid egg is very thin and elastic. The general structureof eggs in Luciola lateralis resembles that of L. cruciata. Also the newly laid eggs of L.
lateralis are elastic and whitish yellow. It is 0.6-0.7 mm in diameter and covered with athin gelatinous membrane and chorion. The general structure of eggs in Hotaria parvula is ingood agreement with those of the former two species, and the micropylar structure is alsosimilar to that of L. cruciata. The egg size is 0.6-0.7 mm in H. parvula.
The eggs of these three species have common features in the inner construction of egg.
At the surface of egg proper, a fine vitelline membrane is observed. Beneath the vitelline
membrane is the periplasm which is 3-4 tLffi in thickness in L. cruciata (Fig. 2-1) and 8-13
tLffi in L. lateralis and H. parvuia. Thickness of the periplasm varies regionally in each egg.
In the case of L. cruciata remarkable periplasmic protrusions (Fig. 2-2) are often found in
the yolk, and disappear before the germ disc formation. The inside of egg is filled with yolk
spherules ca. 2.5-5 tIm in diameter (Fig. 2-1). They are smaller at the egg surface, and increase their size towards innerly. Between yolk spherules a small amount of the cytoplasmic
reticulum is observed. Spherical vacuoles found through the yolk show the trace of leachedfatty materials, and polar granules are not found. The egg nucleus (ca. 10 tIm in diameter)

Early embryogenesis of fireflies

159

1
me

pb

Fig. 1.

Micropyle, pronuclei and polar bodies of Luciola cruciata
1. micropylar area,
2. male pronucleus; 5 min. after oviposition, 3. female prouncleus
and cytoplasmic island; 5 min a. 0., 4. polar bodies; just after oviposition 2, 3. Scale: 10/Jm, 4. SealC( -30/Jm.
c chorion, ci cytoplasmic island, fp female pronucleus, mc micropyle, mp male pronucleus, p periplasm, ys yolk spherule.

160

Fig. 2.

Kobayashi, H. and H. Ando

Early developed eggs of Luciola cruciata
1, 2. peripheral region of egg iust after oviposition. 3. energids at 7th cleavage: lOhr a. 0.,4, 5. blastoderm, 4. sectioned view, 5. surface view, 4-nucleated blastoderm cell.

1, 2, 3, Scale: 30 ",m, 4,5 . Scale: 20 ",m.
bc blastoderm cell, c chorion, e energid,

p periplasm,

pp periplasmic protrusion.

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161

and two or three polar bodies are situated near the protoplasmic island or thickened area ofthe periplasm in which the maturation divisions carry out (Fig. 1-4). In the egg of L.
crnciata, just under the periplasm a pronucleus is observed, which is thought the male one(Fig. 1-2) although in only one example. The female pronucleus leaves from the protoplasmic island and migrates into the core of the egg (Fig. 1-3). The female and male pronuclei are surrounded with the scanty cytoplasm radially spread around themselves. At
3 to 4 hr a. 0., they fuse usually at the cent er of egg and the fertilization completes. Figure
3 shows the approachment of the male and female pronuclei. The process of fertilization in
L. lateralis and H. parvula are similar to that in L. cruciata. We failed to detect spermatozoa
invaded in the eggs.
b.

Cleavage

At 4 to 5 hr. a.o., the first cleavage occurs at the site of syngamy located (Fig. 3-1).
Meanwhile the polar bodies degenerate. This case is also true in L. lateralis and H. parvula.
Cleavage follows successively, and their timings in L. cruciata are as follows: the 2nd cleavage about 6 hr a. 0., the 3rd about 7 hr a. 0., the 4th about 8 hr. a. 0., the 5th ab~ut
9 hr. a. 0., and the 6th about 9 to 10 hr a. o. The energids in Luciola are rather large in size.
They then commence to migrate to the periphery of the egg (Figs. 3-2, 3, 4, 5). In L.
cruciata and L. lateralis the migration of energids begins at about the time of the 7thcleavage, and cytoplasmic masses around the nuclei are now clearly observed (Fig. 2-3).
The beginning of migration in H. parvula takes place earlier than that in the former two
species. In L. cruciata and L. lateralis, the first entry of energids into the periplasm takes
Table 1. Time table of early embryonic development in Luciola cruciata(a. o. after ovposition).
State of development

Stage
0- 60 min a. o.

Female, male pronuclei and polar bodies

3 - 4 hr a. o.

Fertilization.

4 - 5 hr a. o.

1st cleavage.

6 - 7 hr a. o.

2nd to 3rd cleavage.

8-10hra.o.

4th to 6th cleavage.

1O-14hra.o.
15 - 20 hr a. o.

7th to 8th cleavage, migration of energids to egg periphery.
Formation and completion of blastoderm.

ca. 21 - 24 hr a. o.

Formation of germ disc.

ca. 30 hr a. o.

Solid ball-shaped germ rudiment sinks into the yolk andamniotic cavity is formed in the germ rudiment.

ca. 48 hr a. o.

Beginning of regional differentiation of germ rudiment.
Germ band with protocephalic lobe and protocorm, appearance of primitive groove and beginning of inner layer
formation.

ca. 70 hr a. o.

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Kobayashi, H. and H. Ando

1eFig. 3.

Cleavage of Luciola cruciata, diagrammatical
1. 3 hr after oviposition, 2. 24 energids; 4 hr 20 min a. 0.,

3. 8 energids; 5 hr 20 min.
a.o., 4. 6 hr 20 min a. 0., 5. about 128 energids; 7 hr 20 min a. o.
cl cytoplasmic island, e energid, y yolk, z zygote.

Early em bryogenesis of fireflies

Fig. 4.

163

Formation of germ disc and germ rudiment of Luciola cruciata, cross section
1. gem disc; 21 hr after oviposition,
2. solid ball-shaped germ rudiment; 24 hr a. 0.,
3. ball-shaped germ rudiment with developing amniotic cavity; 1 day 12 hr a. 0., 4.
beginning of regional differentiation of germ rudiment, 2 days a. o. Scale: 50 ~m
ac amniotic cavity, c chorion, ds developing serosa, gd germ disc, gr germ rudiment,s serosa, tc thickening part of chorion, yb yolk block.

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Kobayashi, H. and H. Andoplace about 10 to 14 hr a. 0., prior to the 8th cleavage. When the energids reach the egg
periphery, the cytoplasm arround them fused with the periplasm. The settlement of energids in the periplasm does not take place synchoronously. Not all energids migrate into theegg periphery, but some of them remains in the yolk to form the primary yolk nuclei. The
developmental time table until the arrival of energids to the periphery and the completion of
blastoderm in L_ cruciata is presented in Table 1.

c.

Formation of blastoderm, germ disc and germ rudiment

Just after the settlement of energids on the egg surface, the periplasm containing energid
nuclei thickens to ca. 20 p.m in L. cruciata and L. lateralis, and to 20-25 p.m in H. parvula.
These nuclei soon undergo mitoses twice, then the formation of cell membrane follows themultiplication of nuclei, and the blastoderm completes. We often found polynucleatedblastoderm cells with two- or four-grouped nuclei (Figs. 2-4, 5). A small amount of yolk
spherules is found incorporated in the blastoderm cells, but they disappear within a relatively short time. A similar phenomenon is observed in L. lateralis and H. parvula, although theamount of yolk materials is smaller than in L. cruciata. The diameter of blastoderm cell andits nucleus in L. cruciata are 15-25 p.m and 6-8 p.m respectively.
After the completion of blstoderm (about 20 hr a. 0.), several of the blastoderm cells
proliferate to form the small germ disc comprising the columnar cells, ca. 170 p.m in widthand 50 p.m in height (Fig. 4-1). With the proliferation of cells, the germ disc which now
became a round body begins to sink into the yolk, and its cell arrangement alters intonearly radial from vertical to the surface (Fig. 4-2). At about 30hr. a.o., the ball-shaped
germ rudiment increases in size, whereas its connecting or necked part with the blastoderm
becomes narrower. Soon the germ rudiment with a central small cavity, ca. 10 p.m indiameter, which is the future amniotic cavity, leaves the blastoderm or rudimental serosa
and migrates into the yolk (Figs. 4-3, 4; 5-1, 2). The germ rudiment which changed fromball-shaped to airship-one is composed of columnar cells, and its inner side later develops
into the embryo and the outer one is the future amnion (Fig. 5-3). The germ rudimentdevelops in a similar manner in three species excepting the case of H. parvula, in which asmall invagination appears at the center of sinking germ disc in the germ rudiment formation(Figs. 6-1, 2). The remarkable serosal cuticle is formed during the stage of germ rudimentaccompanied with atrophy of serosal cells (Figs. 5-4, 5).

(2) Further development of embryoa.

Germ band formation

The germ rudiment of 36 hr. a. o. is situated in the yolk at about the one-third of egg
axis. The diameter of gem rudiment and its cavity are ca. 100 p.m and 20 p.m respectively.
With the progression of development, the cells of germ rudiment continue to increase in
number, and they are arranged more densely; consequently the extension of the futureamniotic cavity occurs. At 54 hr a. 0., the cavity is 50-60 p.m in diameter, and its wall is25-30 p.m-thick.

Early embryogenesis of fireflies

Fig. 5.

165

Formation of germ rudiment of Luciola lateralis and Hotaria parvula
1. ball-shaped germ rudiment with developing amniotic cavity of L. lateralis; 1 day 12 hr after
oviposition, cross section. Scale: 50 j.Lm, 2. invaginating germ disc of H. parvula; 21 hr a. 0.,
longitudinal section. Scale: 50 j.Lm
ac amniotic cavity, c chorion, igd invagination germ disc, s serosa, y yolk, yb yolk
block.

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Fig. 6.

Kobayashi, H. and H. Ando

Germ rudiment and serosal cuticle of Lucila cruciata
1. egg with ball-shaped germ band; 1 day 18 hr after oviposition, 2. regional differentiatedgerm rudiment, same section of Fig. 4-4; 2 days a. 0., 3. flattened and elongated germ rudiment with inner layer formation; 2 days 18 hr a. 0 . , 3. serosal cuticle,; 3 days 6 hr a. 0., 5.
4 days 18 hr a. o. I, 2. Scale: 1001lm. 3. Scale: 50 I'm. 4,5. Scale: 20 I'm
ac . amniotic cavity, c chorion, da developing amnion, epgr ectodermal part of germ
rudiment, gr germ rudiment, sc serosal cuticle, y yolk, yb yolk block.

Early embryogenesis of fireflies

Fig. 7.

167

Inner layer formation of Luciola cru cia ta, successive sections; about 3 days after
oviposition
1. anterior part of middle level of protocephalic lobe, 2. middle level of protocephalic lobe,
3. anterior part of protocorm, 4. posterior part of protocorm, 5. caudal part of protocorm. Scale: 30 Ilm
ac amniotic cavity, da developing amnion, il inner layer, pc protocorm, pcl pro tocephlic lobe, pcr posterior end of protocorm, pg primitive groove.

Kobayashi, H. and H. Ando168

At about 60 hr a. 0., the germ rudiment differentiates into the germ band and the developing amnion. The germ band loses the uniformity in thickness owing to the beginning of
inner layer formation. In parallel with this change, the spherical amniotic cavity begins toflatten (Figs. 6-1,2,3). At this time, the germ band is ca. 50 IJlD. X 120 IJlD. X 70 IJlD. (length,
width and thickness) in size and the developing amnion is ca. 25 IJlD. in thickness. In L.
lateralis and H. parvula the differentiation of germ band and amnion takes place in thesimilar manner to in L. cruciata.
At about 36 hr a. 0., the yolk is divided into spherical yolk blocks and the amount ofwhole yolk material begins to reduce. Each block, 10-15 I1m in diameter, is surroundedwith a fine membrane, and contains a single nucleus.

b.

Inner layer formation

As previously mentioned, the inner layer formation commences at about 60 hr a. o.
Now the germ band elongates, and the differentiation of protocephalon and protocorm
occurs. Along the median line of shoe-shaped germ band, the primitive groove begins toappear, and its formation proceeds cephalads from the posterior region of protocorm. The
cells situated on the bottom of the primitive groove proliferate actively and their daughter
cells form the inner layer or mesoderm. In the embryo of 70 hr a. 0., the inner layer
formation is the most progressive in the posterior half of protocorm. Fig. 7 illustrates theregional differences in the progression of inner layer formation in the embryo of L. cruciata.

Discussion
1.

Phase of egg at the oviposition

In the newly laid egg of L. cruciata the female pronucleus found in the yolk has alreadyescaped from the cytoplasmic island, in which the maturation divisions took place. Thisshows that the egg of L. cruciata on the oviposition has already undergone the secondary
maturation division. In contrast with the common trend of insects in which germinal vesicle
shows the metaphase of the first maturation division at the time of ovipostition, the egg in
L. cruciata is laid in a more progressing stage of development.

2.

Germ rudiment

In all of the lampyrid species so far studied, Photuris pennsylvanica, Photinus consanguines (Williams, 1916), L. cruciata, L. lateralis and H. parvula, the germ rudiment isformed as a solid ball-shape,-'d body sunk into the yolk, which is composed of the embryonicand extraembryonic (amniotic) areas, and the amniotic cavity later develops as a innercavity occurred in the germ rudiment. The formation of the embryo of fireflies is uniqueand probably specialized among the coleopterans whose germ band generally develops on thesurface of egg (the superficial type). The small invagination appears in the formation ofgerm rudiment in H. parvula may suggest a possible derivation of the ball-shaped germ

Early embryogenesis of fireflies

169

rudiment of fireflies from the germ rudiment formation of the invagination type which isless common in the Coleoptera.
The superfamily Cantharoidea are generally regarded as a rather primitive group of the
Coleoptera in spite of their specialization for luminosity, and among the superfamily theLampyridae are accepted as a more primitive group and the Cantharidae as the most advanced (Crawson, 1955, 1960). According to unpublished studies by Kobayashi and Fujiwara a cantharid Athemus suturellus has a typical germ rudiment of superficial type. To
sum up, A. suturellus which has been regarded as the most advanced group shows a typicalor plesiomorphic type in the formation of germ rudiment, and the Lampyridae regarded as
more primitive shows a specialized or apomorphic one. Moreover, the formation of embryonic membrane of these two families is essentially different in manner. The phylogenetic significance of the ball-shaped germ rudiment in the Lampyridae is unknown.
Further considerations are expected.
3.

Serosal cuticle

In L. cruciata and the other two species, the secretion ofCsefosal' cuticle commences atabout the time when the germ rudiment sinks into the yp1kto ,oeoome. ball-shaped. The
formation of serosal cuticle in the corresponding stage of' develOpment' is alSo reported in a
mecopteran Panorpodes paradoxa (Suzuki, 1983). The formation in the relatively earlier
stage might be related to a thin and fragile chorion of these insect,eggs.

Acknowledgements
We wish to express our. hearty thanks to Mr. S. Shimizu and I Or;· R Mllchida of SugadairaMontane Research Center, University of Tsukuba for their help iir Ittie;'OOurse of this study.
References
Ando, H. and H. Kobayashi, 1975. Description of early and middle developmental stagesin embryos of the firefly, Luciola cruciata Moschulsky (Coleoptera : Lampyridae).
Bull. Sugadaira Bioi. Lab., Tokyo Kyotku Univ., 7: 1-11.
Crowson, R. A. 1955. The natural classification of Coleoptera. Nathaniel Lioyd, London.
- - - - - . 1960. The phylogeny of Coleo ptera. Ann. Rev. Entomol. 5: 111-134.
Hess, N. W. 1922. Origin and development of the light-organs of Photurus pennsylvanica
De Geer. J. Morphol., 36: 245-277.
Suzuki, N. 1982. The comparative embryology of the Eumecoptera (Insecta, Mecoptera).
Doctoral thesis for Doctor of SCience, Univ. of Tsukuba.
Williams, F. X. 1916. Photogenic organs and embryology of Lampyrids. J. Morphol.,
28: 145-207.
Authors' address:

Mr. H. Kobayashi,
Oka Junior High School,
ShWjiri, Nagano 399-07, Japan
Prof: H. Al'ldo,
Sugadaira Montane Research Center,
University of Tsukuba,
Sanada, Nagano 386-22, Japan