• A very brilliantly luminous beetle (Pyrophorus noctilucus), one of the elaters, found in Central and South America; -- called also cucujo. The name is also applied to other species. See Firefly.
Fire' bee`tle (Zoology) A very brilliantly luminous beetle ( Pyrophorus noctilucus ), one of the elaters, found in Central and South America; -- called also cucujo . The name is also applied to other species. See Firefly . 
Pyrophorus noctiluca noun tropical American click beetle having bright luminous spots
any of numerous click beetles of the genus Pyrophorus, of tropical America, having luminous reddish or greenish spots on the body.