Cyphonocerinae

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Cyphonocerinae
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Infraclass: Neoptera Superorder: Endopterygota Order: Coleoptera Suborder: Polyphaga Infraorder: Elateriformia Superfamily: Elateroidea Family: Lampyridae Subfamily: Cyphonocerinae Crowson, 1972
Genera
Cyphonocerus Pollaclasis

The Cyphonocerinae are a subfamily of fireflies (Lampyridae) with only a few handful of species in (presumably) 2 genera. Its taxonomic history is confusing; it has at various times been included in the now-abolished Amydetinae or the Lampyrinae (which made these paraphyletic). Alternatively Psilocladius was included herein, in which case it was united with and became a junior synonym of the Psilocladinae, but this appears to be incorrect and the latter group is nowadays usually included in the Lampyrinae.

The Cyphonocerinae appear to be one of the most ancient, if not the most ancient living lineage of fireflies. In fact, it is so plesiomorphic that Cyphonocerus was not recognized as a firefly and placed in the Drilidae when it was first described.