Common Name
Cowaselon Creek firefly, Creek-Penn firefly
Scientific Name
Photuris cowaseloniensis
Recent Synonyms
None
Adult Male Size
11.8-14.3
Diet
Unknown
Firefly Atlas Category
Lost species
The Cowaselon Creek firefly was last seen in 1976. It is known from just one site in Madison County, NY. Because identification of Photuris species based on flash behavior can be challenging, rediscovery efforts should occur near the type locality, on bottomlands in the Cowaselon Creek valley in Central New York in June and early July.
Conservation
Status
IUCN Red List
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species is an inventory of the global conservation status and extinction risk of biological species, maintained collectively by scientists worldwide.Not Evaluated (NE)
NatureServe
The NatureServe conservation status ranks use a standardized methodology to assess the extinction risk of species, with a focus on the US and Canada. State wildlife agencies and natural heritage programs use these ranks to prioritize species for conservation actions.None
Species of Greatest Conservation Need Lists
Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN) are lists of species included in State Wildlife Action Plans, identifying animals and plants that need the most conservation attention and resources at the state and region level.None
US Endangered Species Act
The Endangered Species Act is a United States law that provides legal protections to species that are officially listed as endangered or threatened by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.N/A
Threats
Specific threats to this species are not documented, but likely include habitat loss, light pollution, and pesticide use.
Location
Distribution
USA
New York
Details
Known from a single site in Madison County, New York, along Creek Road near Oneida.
Habitat
Bottomland fields, grassy areas, sandbars, and spits that had been reclaimed by oldfield vegetation along the creek's edges.
Behavior
Activity Period
Adults are active in June and July after dark.
Flash Pattern
Males emit short dot-dash single flashes as well as single, short flashes earlier in the evening.
Sources
Lloyd, J. E. 2018. A naturalist’s long walk among shadows: of North American Photuris – patterns, outlines, silhouettes… echoes. Self-published, Gainesville, FL, USA. 477 pp.
