Apochrysinae

Apochrysinae is a subfamily traditionally placed within the fireflies, or Lampyridae, a family of beetles in the superfamily Elateroidea. The exact rank and circumscription of Apochrysinae have varied among classifications; at times it has been treated as a subfamily within Lampyridae, and in other schemes it has been considered a separate family (Apochrysidae). Molecular and morphological studies have continued to influence how this group is classified, and its status remains a matter of taxonomic debate in some sources.

The subfamily comprises several genera, including Apochrysis as the type genus, along with related taxa. The number of species within Apochrysinae is relatively small compared with other lampyrid groups, and the arrangement of genera has shifted as new data become available. Taxonomic boundaries are therefore somewhat fluid in modern references.

Members of Apochrysinae are generally small to medium-sized elateroid beetles with the soft bodies characteristic of fireflies. Bioluminescence is variable across the group; some species retain functional light-emitting organs in the abdomen as adults or larvae, while others may lack luminescence. Larval stages are typically predatory and nocturnal, consistent with many lampyrids, though details of life history can differ among genera.

Geographically, taxa assigned to Apochrysinae are primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World, with occurrences reported in parts of Africa, Asia, and Australasia. They inhabit forested environments, leaf litter, and decaying wood, and are most often observed during twilight or nighttime hours. Ongoing phylogenetic research aims to clarify the group's monophyly and evolutionary relationships within fireflies.