THE mechanism of light emission during the oxidation of firefly luciferin has been reasonably well established, but much less is known about the biosynthetic origin of this unique molecule. It would also be interesting to know whether the adult insects emerge with sufficient luciferin for use during their lifetime as Seliger has estimated2 or whether luciferin is synthesised by the adult beetles as ... (11 SCHEME 1. indicated by the work of Okada and his co- ...
