They are especially well known from Japan and are often called Japanese fireflies, but their members range farther into Asia and reach southern Europe (Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, among other countries) and Africa.

Luciola in the narrow sense appears to be most closely related to a rather basal group of Luciolinae, including Bourgeoisia and Lampyroidea and Hotaria.

For example, the Australian species appear to be separate and not very closely related to the other members of this genus, but rather to Colophotia, Pteroptyx and Pyrophanes.

Whether the larvae of these can be recognized by the share soft terga lacking paranota, or whether this is a plesiomorphic trait also present in other Luciolinae, remains to be determined.

[2] But considering the fact that many species remain essentially unstudied, a 2008 review of the genus concluded that: "A phylogenetic analysis [...] may give indications for subdivisions within Luciola.