Railroad worm
| Railroad worm | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Coleoptera |
| Family: | Phengodidae |
| Genus: | Phrixothrix Olivier, 1909 |
| Species | |
|
(several) | |
 |
Wikispecies has information related to: Railroad worm |
A railroad worm is a larva or larviform female adult of a beetle of the genus Phrixothrix in the family Phengodidae, characterized by the possession of two different colors of bioluminescence.[1] It has the appearance of a caterpillar. The eleven pairs of luminescent organs on their second thoracic segment through their ninth abdominal segment can glow yellowish-green, while the pair on their head can glow red;[1] this is probably due to different luciferases in their bodies, as the reaction substrate, called luciferin, is the same.
The "railroad worm" name arises because these glowing spots along the body resemble the windows of train cars internally illuminated in the night.[1] The light emissions are believed to be a warning signal to nocturnal predators of their unpalatability.[1]
The term "railroad worm" is also sometimes applied to the apple maggot.[2]
References
- 1 2 3 4 Branham, Marc (February 2005). "EENY332/IN609: Glow-Worms, Railroad-Worms (Insecta: Coleoptera: Phengodidae)". edis.ifas.ufl.edu. University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
- ↑ "apple maggot - Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh)". entomology.ifas.ufl.edu. University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. March 2015. Retrieved 2016-10-11.
External links
- Hastings, J. Woodland. "Images of bioluminescent organisms". Harvard University. Archived from the original on 2012-03-27. Retrieved 2016-10-11.