Dr. Christopher Heckscher, an associate professor at Delaware State University, recently discovered a new species of firefly at the Nanticoke Wildlife Area near Seaford, Delaware.

“I was looking for fireflies as part of a statewide survey to document the species that occur in Delaware, so I was trying to find rare or uncommon species that may have been overlooked,” he said.

He named the new species Photuris mysticalampas.

The discovery is chronicled in Entomological News in an article called “Photuris Mysticalampas (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): A New Firefly from Peatland Floodplain Forests of the Delmarva Peninsula.”

“I think it’s a great example of how much we still have to learn about our natural world,” Dr. Heckscher said. “If a firefly can go undiscovered, how much else are we missing?”

The following video features an interview with Dr. Heckscher:

– Photuris Mysticalampas (Coleoptera: Lampyridae): A New Firefly from Peatland Floodplain Forests of the Delmarva Peninsula

– DSU Dr. Christopher Heckscher Discovers New Species of Firefly

– Delaware professor discovers new firefly

– New Firefly Species Discovered By Delaware State University Professor