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Glowworm
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{{Short description|Bioluminescent insect larva}} {{Other uses}} '''Glowworm''' or '''glow-worm''' is the common name for various groups of insect [[larva]]e and adult [[larviform female]]s that glow through [[bioluminescence]]. They include the European [[Lampyris noctiluca|common glow-worm]] and other members of the [[Lampyridae]], but bioluminescence also occurs in the families [[Elateridae]], [[Phengodidae]] and [[Rhagophthalmidae]] among [[beetle]]s; as well as members of the genera ''[[Arachnocampa]]'', ''[[Keroplatus]]'' and ''[[Orfelia]]'' among [[Keroplatidae|keroplatid]] [[fungus gnat]]s. ==Beetles== Four families of beetles are [[bioluminescence|bioluminescent]]. The wingless [[larviform female]]s and larvae of these bioluminescent species are usually known as "glowworms". Winged males may or may not also exhibit bioluminescence. Their light may be emitted as flashes or as a constant glow, and usually range in colour from green, yellow, to orange.<ref name="pso"/> The families are closely related, and are all members of the beetle superfamily, [[Elateroidea]]. Phylogenetic analyses have indicated that bioluminescence may have a single evolutionary origin among the families Lampyridae, Phengodidae, and Rhagophthalmidae; but is likely to have arisen independently among Elateridae.<ref name="oba">{{cite book|author=Yuichi Oba|editor =Klaus H. Hoffmann|title = Insect Molecular Biology and Ecology|chapter =Insect Bioluminescence in the Post-Molecular Biology Era|publisher =CRC Press|year =2014|page=94|isbn =9781482231892|url =https://books.google.com/books?id=HoMqBgAAQBAJ}}</ref> * Family [[Elateridae]] β The click beetles. Of the estimated 10,000 species classified under this family, around 200 species from tropical regions of the Americas and some [[Melanesia]]n islands are bioluminescent. All of them are members of the subfamily Pyrophorinae, except for one species, ''[[Campyloxenus pyrothorax]]'', which belongs to subfamily Campyloxeninae, and ''[[Balgus schnusei]]'', in [[Thylacosterninae]].<ref>Costa, C. (1984) Note on the bioluminescence of ''Balgus schnusei'' (Heller, 1914) (Trixagidae, Coleoptera). Revista Brasileira de Entomologia 28: 397β398.</ref> * Family [[Lampyridae]] β True fireflies. Contains around 2,000 species found throughout the world. Some "glow worms" are in this family.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://animals.net/glow-worm/ |title=Glow Worm - Description, Habitat, Image, Diet, and Interesting Facts |website=animals.net |date= 25 January 2017|access-date=19 July 2018}}</ref> * Family [[Phengodidae]] β Usually known as glowworm beetles. Contains around 230 species [[endemic]] to the [[New World]]. This family also includes [[railroad worm]]s, which are unique among all terrestrial bioluminescent organisms in producing red light.<ref name="pso">{{cite web |url= http://photobiology.info/Viviani.html |title= Terrestrial Bio luminescence: Biological and Biochemical Diversity |author= Vadim Viviani |publisher= Photobiological Sciences Online |access-date= 11 November 2016}}</ref> * Family [[Rhagophthalmidae]] β Contains around 30 species found in [[Asia]]. The validity of this family has not been fully resolved. Rhagophthalmidae was formerly considered to be a subfamily under Phengodidae before being treated as a distinct family. Some authors{{who|date=November 2021}} now believe that it should be classified under Lampyridae. {{Gallery |File:Glowworm (4213020277).jpg|[[Phengodidae]]: Larva or [[larviform female]] of the western banded glowworm (''[[Zarhipis integripennis|Zarhipis integripennis]]'') |File:Firefly Nevit 02670 cr.jpg|[[Lampyridae]]: Female common glowworm (''[[Lampyris noctiluca|Lampyris noctiluca]]'') from [[Assos]], [[Turkey]] |File:Photinus pyralis Firefly 3.jpg|[[Lampyridae]]: Male common eastern firefly (''[[Photinus pyralis|Photinus pyralis]]'') from [[Evansville, Indiana|Evansville, United States]] |File:Pyrophorus noctilucus click beetle.jpg|[[Elateridae]]: Male headlight click beetle (''[[Pyrophorus noctilucus|Pyrophorus noctilucus]]'') from [[Jamaica]] }} ==Fungus gnats== Three genera of [[fungus gnat]]s are bioluminescent, and known as "glowworms" in their larval stage. They produce a blue-green light.<ref name="pso"/> The larvae spin sticky webs to catch food. They are found in caves, overhangs, rock cavities, and other sheltered, wet areas. They are usually classified under the family [[Keroplatidae]], but this is not universally accepted and some authors place them under [[Mycetophilidae]] instead. Despite the similarities in function and appearance, the bioluminescent systems of the three genera are not [[Homology (biology)|homologous]] and are believed to have evolved separately.<ref name="oba"/><ref name="V">{{cite journal |first1=Vadim R. |last1=Viviani |first2=J. Woodland |last2=Hastings |first3=ThΓ©rΓ¨se |last3=Wilson |year=2002 |title=Two bioluminescent diptera: the North American ''Orfelia fultoni'' and the Australian ''Arachnocampa flava''. Similar niche, different bioluminescence systems |journal=Photochemistry and Photobiology |volume=75 |issue=1 |pages=22β27 |doi=10.1562/0031-8655(2002)075<0022:TBDTNA>2.0.CO;2 |pmid=11837324|s2cid=198153893 }}</ref><ref name="rig">{{cite journal |first1=Lisa M. |last1=Rigby |first2=David J. |last2=Merritt |year=2011 |title=Roles of biogenic amines in regulating bioluminescence in the Australian glowworm ''Arachnocampa flava'' |journal= Journal of Experimental Biology |volume=214 |issue=19 |pages=3286β3293 |doi=10.1242/jeb.060509 |pmid=21900476 |doi-access=free}}</ref> * Genus ''[[Arachnocampa]]'' β around five species found only in [[New Zealand]] and [[Australia]]. The best-known member of the genus is the New Zealand glowworm, ''[[Arachnocampa luminosa]].'' The larvae are predatory and use their lights to lure prey into their webs.<ref name="Meyer-Rochow 2007">{{cite journal |last=Meyer-Rochow |first=Victor Benno |title=Glowworms: a review of "Arachnocampa" spp and kin |journal=Luminescence |date=2007 |volume=22 |issue=3 |pages=251β265 |doi=10.1002/bio.955 |pmid=17285566}}</ref> * Genus ''[[Orfelia]]'' β sometimes known as "dismalites". Contains a single species, ''[[Orfelia fultoni]]'', found only in [[North America]]. Like ''Arachnocampa'' spp., their larvae may use their lights to attract prey like springtails and other small insects, but their main food is fungal spores.<ref name="Sivinski 1998">{{cite journal |last1=Sivinski |first1=J. M. |title=Phototropism, bioluminescence, and the Diptera |journal=Florida Entomologist |date=1998 |volume=81 |issue=3 |pages=282β292 |url=http://journals.fcla.edu/flaent/article/view/74832 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160412230533/http://journals.fcla.edu/flaent/article/view/74832 |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 12, 2016 |doi=10.2307/3495919 |jstor=3495919 |doi-access= |url-access=subscription }}</ref> * Genus ''[[Keroplatus]]'' β found in [[Eurasia]]. Unlike ''Arachnocampa'' and ''Orfelia'', the larvae of ''Keroplatus'' feed only on fungal spores.<ref name="Osawa 2014">{{cite journal |last1=Osawa |first1=K. |last2=Sasaki |first2=T. |last3=Meyer-Rochow |first3=Victor Benno |title=New observations on the biology of Keroplatus nipponicus Okada 1938 (Diptera; Mycetophiloidea; Keroplatidae), a bioluminescent fungivorous insect |journal=Entomologie Heute |date=2014 |volume=26 |pages=139β149}}</ref> Their bioluminescence is believed to have no function and is [[vestigial]].<ref name="oba"/> {{Gallery |File:Arachnocampa luminosa larvae.jpg |Two New Zealand glowworms (''[[Arachnocampa luminosa |Arachnocampa luminosa]]'') from the [[Waitomo Caves]] of [[New Zealand]] |File:Foxfire at Anna Ruby Fall, Chattahoochee National Forest (14516028661).jpg |''[[Orfelia fultoni |Orfelia fultoni]]'' among moss in [[Anna Ruby Falls]], [[Georgia (U.S. state) |Georgia]] }} == See also == * [[Larviform female|Larviform]] ==References== {{Reflist|40em}} ==External links== {{wikiquote|Glowworms}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20111211084223/http://springbrook.info/glow_worms/about_worms.htm Springbrook Glow Worms Research Centre.] All about glow worms [Arachnocampa flava] in the Gold Coast hinterland, Queensland Australia. * [http://www.glowwormcavetamborinemountain.com.au/about.html All About Glow Worm in Tamborine, Gold Coast ] Descriptive information on Glow Worm Life Cycle and Where are found in Australia. * [http://www.glowworms.org.uk/ The UK Glow Worm Survey] has county-by-county lists of glowworm sites in the UK. [[Category:Fly biology]] [[Category:Beetles by adaptation]] [[Category:Bioluminescent insects]] [[Category:Insect common names]]
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