Evening star., 1951-10-01
Lum.inescent MiIIiped
Flashes Green Light
Common, Worm-Like Species
Develops Porodox in West
By Thomos R. Henry

A luminescent milliped, shining night
and day with pale green f1re, has oeen
discovered in California.
This creature, which may exist in very
large numbers, appears to be complete
paradox, according to a report Of DR..
H. F. Loomis and Demorest Davenport
the Journal of the Washington Academy
of Sciences.
The world over there are hundreds Of
species of 1ight-emitting bugs, best
known through the uncountable fire.
flies of summer nights. Nearly all are
beetles. They flash off and on bright.
soft light, apparently heatless, from an
organ in the lower part of the abdomen.
This is due to the oxidization of sub
stance known as luciferin formed in
their cells. The light-producing process
has been given much study. Apparently.
the insects have solved the supposedly
unsolvable problem of producing light
without heat.
These millipeds, however, are a quite
different order of insects, worm-lke
with segmented bodies each segment Of
which has jointed pair Of legs. None
Of these creatures, or the order to which
they belong which is worldwide in dis
tribution, ever before has been known
to emit light.
''The species may exist in great num-
bers," says the report. It was possible
to collect dozens of the animals in the
immediate vicinity of the camp ground
where, at night, they provided a strik-
ing display. The appendages Of the
head. the legs. and the thin. interseg-
mental functions gave pale. greenish
fire, the undulationS of which were
particularly striking when the animal
was in motion.
Source Of Brilliance Unknown.
! 1.-THE source Of the luminescence has
not been determined. The light is un-
der no voluntary control on the part Of
the animal. Subjection to darkness is
not necessary for its appearance, since it
persists in daylight. It's source is fluo-
resent. as subsection Of animals during
daylight to ultraviolet light has dem
onstrated.
'The function of luminescence in most
creatures is either to attract the opposite
sex or food. It appears that neither of
these objectives can apply to the mil
lped. All the members Of its order are
blind and subsiSt only on vegetable mat
ter. So what part luminescence plays in
the life history Of this species is prob
lematical."
Certainly the flaming milliped
is the most striking new animal discov-
cred in this country for generation, and
how such a conspicuous creature could
1ox IN CO In
settled region as southern California
is a mystery.
Earlier Specimens Immature.
Actually specimens of milliped were
sent TO the Smithsonian Institution
about ten years ago by a resident in
the same area with letter stating that
they were luminescent. Unfortunately,
the specimens all were of immature in
dividuals. They could not be identified
and, since they were dead. gave out no
light. There the matter seems to have
been dropped.
Assuming that the specimens sent to
the Smithsonian and those found by Drs.
Loomis and Davenport were of the same
species, however, the letter accompany
ing the early shipment gives the only
details of the life habits of the green
fre-bug. It states: These worms were
taken beneath an oak tree and appar-
entity were under no other trees in this
locality at an elevation of about 5000
feet. Their one popularity is that at
night they are luminous and visible for
some distance.
"As to their emission of light being
confined to certain seasons, cannot
say. I first noticed them in December
and at no time since (the letter was
written in March, have they failed to
be luminous in the dark.
During the daytime they can be
found only under moist boards, logs or
the like, but at night they seem to roam
about in the leaves or under trees"