page_title: Arachnocampa luminosa
section_title: Bioluminescence
hierarchical_section_title: Arachnocampa luminosa / Bioluminescence
caption_attribution_description: Glowworm (Arachnocampa luminosa) in a cave in New Zealand.
context_page_description: Arachnocampa luminosa, commonly known as New Zealand glowworm or simply glowworm, is a species of fungus gnat endemic to New Zealand. The larval stage and the imago produce a blue-green bioluminescence. The species is known to dwell in caves and on sheltered banks in native bush where humidity is high. Its Māori name is titiwai, meaning "projected over water".
  The first written record of the species dates from 1871 when it was collected from a gold mine in New Zealand's Thames region. At first it was thought to be related to the European glowworm beetle but, in 1886, a Christchurch teacher showed it was a larva of a gnat, not a beetle. The species was first formally described in 1891 with the species name Bolitiphila luminosa and was assigned to the family Mycetophilidae. In 1924, it was placed within a new genus of its own, Arachnocampa, because the wing venation of the adults and the behaviour of the larvae differed significantly from other Bolitophila fly species. It was given the genus name on the basis of its building a silk nest and using silk threads to capture prey.
context_section_description: The larvae of this species glow to attract prey into their threads. The glow has a maximum wavelength of 487 nm and, like other species exhibiting bioluminescence, this glow is produced as a result a luciferase enzyme acting upon a small molecule of luciferin. It occurs in modified excretory organs known as Malpighian tubules in the abdomen. The luciferase enzyme in this species shares similarities with the protein that occurs in fireflies. However, the luciferin that the enzyme acts upon is entirely different to that of fireflies and, indeed, other currently known bioluminescent systems.
  The pupae and adults of this species also produce light although the purpose is not clear. One suggestion has been that the light allows adult males to find potential mates. However, there is little evidence to support this. It is possible that the bio-luminescence in adults is simply a carry-over from the larval form because the Malpighian tubules are unaffected during metamorphosis.
caption: A larval glowworm in its nest with bio-luminescent glow.
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