Education

(50% research, 50% teaching)

• B.S., SUNY Fredonia (Elem. and Early Secondary Ed.), 1960
• M.A., Univ. of Michigan (Biology), 1962
• Ph.D., Cornell Univ. (Entomology), 1966
• Post. Doc., Univ. of Michigan (Evol. Biol.)

Relevant Employment History

• Electronics Tech. (1951-1955), U.S. Navy
• Biol. Assistant (1958-1959), SUNY Fredonia
• Teaching Asst. (1960), Univ. Mich.
• Research Asst. (1961), Univ. Michigan
• Asst. Prof. (1966-1970), U. of FL.,(Prof. 1970-1973, U. of Mich. Biology Sta.)
• Assoc. Prof. (1970-1974), Univ. Florida
• Prof. (1974-Present), Univ. Florida

Research Responsibilities

Conduct basic research on the biosystematics (historical ecology) of Lampyridae, with special focus ecological aspects and influences of sexual signals and the significance of sexual signal information for understanding species and the species problem, in this taxonomic group and as a theoretical consideration.

Teaching Responsibilities

Teach courses in areas of expertise, including insect behavioral ecology, systematics, insect behavior, and photography.

Accomplishments

In research

During the past 5 years have begun final assembly of data and production of manuscripts and illustrations for the monograph Lampyridae of North America, which on computer disks is about 30 megabytes of text and spreadsheets with to date about 1000 pages of hard copy. The assembled data, electronic recordings, notes, and voucher specimens are all indexed and cross-referenced, and will be deposited at the FSCA Gainesville and the MCZ at Harvard. The number of species for American north of Mexico will be raised from about 120 to about 170. Publication arrangements with the probable publisher, Indiana University Press, have been in process for about two years. (Research files of field data to be archived include 3000 notebook pages, 35 hours of electronic recordings all charted on hard copy, more than 6000 flash-voucher specimens, from populations throughout the U.S. west to Nebraska.)

In teaching

Have initiated a Biology and Natural History with Fireflies course in the University Honors Program, which has been very well-received and this year will be offered during both semesters. It takes up behavior, adaptation, taxonomy, evolution, conservation, museum and field practice, and selected elements of biological history and literature.

Career Publications

• Chapters in books, monographs: 9 (+2 in prep)
• Refereed papers: 47
• Invited papers, seminars and lectures: 58+
• Miscellaneous papers: 50
• Miscellaneous graphics: 54+
• Symposia Organized and Edited: 7
• Specimens Determined for Museums and other Collections: >14,000 from 55 archives.

Selected Publications

Model for the mating protocol of synchronously flashing fireflies. Nature 1973, 254: 268-270.

Aggressive mimicry in Photuris fireflies: signal repertoires in femmes fatales. Science, 1975. 187:452-453.

Ecology of colors of firefly bioluminescence (with others) Science, 1980. 210: 560-562.

Male Photuris fireflies mimic sexual signals of their females' prey. Science, 1980. 210: 669-671.

Firefly mate rivals mimic their predators and vice versa. Nature, 1981. 290:498-500.

Nocturnal aerial predation of fireflies by light-seeking fireflies. Science, 1983. 222: 634-635.

Deception, a way of all flesh, and firefly signals and systematics. 1984. Oxford Univ. Press. Oxford Surv in Evol. Biol. 1:48-84.

Firefly communication and deception: Oh what a tangled web. 1986. in Deception - perspectives on human and nonhuman deceit, [ed] R.W. Mitchell and N.S. Thompson. SUNY Press, Albany.

Firefly Signals, Selection, and Systematics; and The search for patterns in firefly communication. (rev. and book mss in prep).