Pteroptyx malaccae

Pteroptyx malaccae is a species of firefly found in Southeast Asia famous for its synchronized flashing behavior. Thousands of male fireflies congregate in mangrove trees along riverbanks, each with its own internal pacemaker governing flash frequency. Early in the evening, fireflies flash randomly. As darkness deepens and more fireflies join, the flashing begins to synchronize - small clusters flash in unison, clusters merge, and within minutes the entire tree pulses with perfectly synchronized light at approximately three flashes per second. This synchronization emerges through a simple mechanism: each firefly adjusts its flash timing slightly when observing neighbors' flashes. The transition from disorder to order occurs suddenly when the density and coupling strength exceed critical thresholds.