Heligmini


The Heligmini form a deprecated taxonomic tribe within the Elateridae subfamily Agrypninae. The tribe was renamed 'Cleidecostini' in 2002. The taxa was considered a subtribe of the tribe Euplinthini in 2011. The taxa Heligmini is very closely related to the currently accepted tribe Pyrophorini; the latter is exclusively bioluminescent with adult light organs, while the former have not even the slightest trace of adult light organs. At least once species of Heligmini larvae have light organs and are bioluminescent. The taxa is thought to be monophyletic, and Heligmini and Pyrophorini together are thought to form a monophyletic group.
This group probably occupied a large area in the past, but extant described populations are now constrained to small areas in Mexico, Suriname & French Guiana, Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Subtribes: