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Steady-State and Time-Resolved Bioluminescence of the Firefly Asymmetricata circumdata (Motschulsky)


Affiliations
1 Department of Physics, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781 014, India
2 Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Institute of Science and Technology, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781 014, India
 

After Luciola praeusta Kiesenwetter 1874, Asymmetricata circumdata (Motschulsky) is the second Indian species of firefly identified recently. Here we present steady-state and time-resolved measurements of bioluminescence emissions of male specimens of this new-found species. Steady-state spectra recorded in a high-resolution spectrometer show the peak wavelength at 570 nm, while the same on a colour film in a glass spectrograph show the peak at 579 nm between green and red bands, which prompts speculation that a sharp, laser-like line might exist in the emission spectrum of this species just as the one in L. praeusta. The diffraction pattern produced by a grating consolidates this proposition. Flashes recorded in an oscilloscope reveal the appearance of a small pulse in combination with the main one, which becomes prominent both at low and high temperatures.

Keywords

Asymmetricata circumdata (Motsch.), Bimodal Flash, Emission Spectrum, Peak Wavelength.
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  • Steady-State and Time-Resolved Bioluminescence of the Firefly Asymmetricata circumdata (Motschulsky)

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Authors

Angana Goswami
Department of Physics, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781 014, India
Upamanyu Sharma
Department of Physics, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781 014, India
Mana Mohan Rabha
Department of Physics, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781 014, India
Subhash Chandra Rajbongshi
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Institute of Science and Technology, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781 014, India
Anurup Gohain Barua
Department of Physics, Gauhati University, Guwahati 781 014, India

Abstract


After Luciola praeusta Kiesenwetter 1874, Asymmetricata circumdata (Motschulsky) is the second Indian species of firefly identified recently. Here we present steady-state and time-resolved measurements of bioluminescence emissions of male specimens of this new-found species. Steady-state spectra recorded in a high-resolution spectrometer show the peak wavelength at 570 nm, while the same on a colour film in a glass spectrograph show the peak at 579 nm between green and red bands, which prompts speculation that a sharp, laser-like line might exist in the emission spectrum of this species just as the one in L. praeusta. The diffraction pattern produced by a grating consolidates this proposition. Flashes recorded in an oscilloscope reveal the appearance of a small pulse in combination with the main one, which becomes prominent both at low and high temperatures.

Keywords


Asymmetricata circumdata (Motsch.), Bimodal Flash, Emission Spectrum, Peak Wavelength.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv109%2Fi10%2F1838-1842