Characterized by a strongly dorsoventrally flattened body typical of lampyrid beetles, this taxon measures approximately 10 to 15 millimeters in length. The pronotum, which almost entirely covers the head when viewed from above, features a translucent yellowish margin with a dark, well-defined central macula in brownish or blackish tones. The elytra are predominantly greyish-brown to dark brown, speckled with small, lighter longitudinal spots or streaks, a diagnostic pattern that defines its specific epithet. On the ventral region of the abdomen, specifically on the sixth and seventh urosternites, lie highly specialized photogenic organs capable of producing a vibrant yellow-green bioluminescence through enzymatically controlled luciferin-luciferase reactions.

Geographical distribution: Occurs widely across the Neotropical region, spanning a vast portion of South America. Its presence is thoroughly documented in countries such as Brazil (with abundant records throughout the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes), Argentina (principally in northern provinces and the Mesopotamian region), Paraguay, and Uruguay. This broad geographic range indicates a high ecological plasticity regarding South American thermal regimes.

Habitat: Prefers ecosystems with elevated relative humidity, such as riparian forests, wetland margins, clearings within tropical and subtropical forests, and damp grasslands. It is also frequently found in human-modified environments with abundant vegetation, including suburban gardens, organic orchards, and humid urban parks, where the presence of leaf litter and moist soil supports its immature stages.

Feeding: Displays a stark trophic contrast between its life stages. The larvae are highly active, specialized predators that feed almost exclusively on terrestrial gastropod mollusks (snails and slugs), which they paralyze by injecting neurotoxic digestive fluids before liquefying the prey´s tissues. In contrast, the adults possess reduced mouthparts and feed sparingly on nectar, pollen, or sweet plant sap, channeling most of their limited energy reserves toward reproductive endeavors.

Behavior: Exhibits strictly nocturnal and crepuscular habits. Males initiate low-altitude patrolling flights shortly after dusk, emitting intermittent light flashes with species-specific frequency patterns to attract females. Females, typically perched on low vegetation, respond with coordinated bioluminescent signals. This visual communication is highly sensitive to environmental factors such as ambient temperature and lunar phases.

Reproduction: The reproductive cycle begins with synchronous bioluminescent courtship, leading to copulation on low-lying shrubs. Following fertilization, the female deposits small clusters of spherical, whitish eggs in damp substrates like decomposing leaf litter, soil crevices, or beneath moss. After a few weeks, the larvae hatch; these larvae are also bioluminescent, using light emissions primarily as an aposematic warning to potential predators. The larval stage persists in the soil for several months before pupation.

Conservation status: Has not been formally evaluated globally by the IUCN Red List (categorized as Not Evaluated). However, local populations face significant threats from urban light pollution, which directly disrupts their mating signals, as well as habitat destruction and the widespread use of chemical pesticides in agricultural and residential zones.