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Railroad worm

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Genus of beetles Not to be confused with Apple maggot.

Railroad worm
Railroad worm with lights both on and off
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Suborder: Polyphaga
Infraorder: Elateriformia
Family: Phengodidae
Genus: Phrixothrix
E.Olivier, 1909
Species

(several)

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. 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; this is 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. The light emissions are believed to be a warning signal to nocturnal predators of their unpalatability or a defense function as they can suddenly be turned on, spooking predators with a sudden flash. When handled, the larva may eject a possibly distasteful and corrosive reddish liquid.

The term "railroad worm" is also sometimes applied to the apple maggot.

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. Bevilaqua, V. R.; Matsuhashi, T.; Oliveira, G.; Oliveira, P. S. L.; Hirano, T.; Viviani, V. R. (2019). "Phrixotrix luciferase and 6′-aminoluciferins reveal a larger luciferin phenolate binding site and provide novel far-red combinations for bioimaging purposes". Scientific Reports. 9 (1): 8998. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-44534-3. ISSN 2045-2322. PMC 6588592. PMID 31227722.
  3. "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

Taxon identifiers
Phrixothrix


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