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 Bioluminescence in Diptera
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-10-2007 01:01
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
There some cases of bioluminescence in Diptera, like in Orfelia fultoni or in Arachnocampa luminosa, or even in some species of Keroplatus. I would like to know if someone of this forum, ever saw bioluminescence ( glow behaviour) in Diptera ( larvae, imagos, pupae,eggs). I?m not sure if in Europe exists any bioluminescent specie, but I?m here to look for it.  Basically larvae use their light to atract prey, to avoid predation ( aposematic signal), and when females pupae are almost mature they start to respond with glowing signals ( during touch,vibrations) to atract males. Here some links: http://findarticl...i_n9050837 http://www.fcla.e...1p282.html  Arachnocampa luminosa from New Zealand ( Waitomo caves)
Edited by firefly on 14-10-2007 16:49 |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-10-2007 01:11
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
  Arachnocampa luminosa- many of them! Small video with A. luminosa: http://www.youtub...ed&search= Edited by firefly on 14-10-2007 02:25 |
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| jorgemotalmeida |
Posted on 14-10-2007 01:36
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 Member Location: Viseu - PORTUGAL Posts: 9296 Joined: 05.06.06 |
I think that we just could find these in caves... I saw this link http://www.fcla.e...1p282.html and it is clear that Mycetophilidae has bioluminescence. I was baffled to know this one. the last "photo" seems a drawing made in PAINT.  eheh
Edited by jorgemotalmeida on 14-10-2007 01:39 |
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| jorgemotalmeida |
Posted on 14-10-2007 01:44
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Member Location: Viseu - PORTUGAL Posts: 9296 Joined: 05.06.06 |
As I told you before, I suspect that there are no diptera imagos with biolumiscence. |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-10-2007 02:21
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
jorgemotalmeida wrote: As I told you before, I suspect that there are no diptera imagos with biolumiscence. Hmmm. ?only the egg-stage of the New Zealand species Arachnocampa luminosa (Skuse) is nonluminous (Richards 1960)? |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-10-2007 02:35
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
Finnaly managed to find that Keroplatus sesioides, is an european specie ( found in Sweden, maybe in more countries(?)), that shows blue luminescence during mature larval stages.
Edited by firefly on 14-10-2007 16:48 |
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| jorgemotalmeida |
Posted on 14-10-2007 02:49
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Member Location: Viseu - PORTUGAL Posts: 9296 Joined: 05.06.06 |
yep, here> http://www.sel.ba...280&-find= faunaeur.org doesn't have appointed this species... strange things happens in New Zealand...  |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-10-2007 03:43
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
Maybe other species of Keroplatus, evidence bioluminescence as well. |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-10-2007 16:46
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
Keroplatus sesioides is Keroplatus tipuloides. In faunaeur.org they explain that: http://www.faunae.../index.php http://www.faunae...?id=138496 Edited by firefly on 14-10-2007 16:48 |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-10-2007 17:09
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
In Portugal there are some species as well as in most european countries. In general Keroplatus genus larvae usually evidence blue bioluminescence: Keroplatidae Rondani, 1856 Jan ?evč?k1, Vladim?r Ko?el2 1Silesian Museum, Tyr?ova 1, CZ-746 01 Opava, Czech Republic; sevcikjan@email.cz 2Department of Zoology, Comenius University, Mlynsk? dolina, SK-842 15 Bratislava, Slovakia; kosel@fns.uniba.sk Small to large (3.0-15 mm), morphologically diverse, yellowish to dark brown fungus gnats. Head with three ocelli; antenna with scape and pedicel short, flagellum with 14 segments, in some Macrocerinae very long (several times longer than body), in Keroplatinae sometimes with laterally flattened segments. Mouthparts in some genera elongated. Thorax hump-backed, legs with long coxae, abdomen usually narrow. Wings often with dark markings, wing membrane with or without macrotrichia. Sc ending in C, R and M fused for a short distance. The larvae are predaceous or mycophagous, usually associated with wood-decaying fungi. The larvae of Keroplatus Bosc, 1792 and some other genera are known for their bioluminescence. Adults occur in the undergrowth of forests, especially in shaded places alongside streams and on tree trunks, but also in meadow and steppe habitats. Edited by firefly on 14-01-2011 15:19 |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-10-2007 18:40
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
Orfelia genus larvae are also said to be bioluminescent. In Europe exists some species. |
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| firefly |
Posted on 16-12-2008 00:43
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
Did someone ever caught or observed Keroplatidae larvae?
Edited by firefly on 16-12-2008 00:44 |
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| Paul Beuk |
Posted on 16-12-2008 08:01
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 Super Administrator Location: Netherlands Posts: 19225 Joined: 11.05.04 |
Found one or two in the past, but did not observe in detail, let alone see bioluminescence....
Paul - - - - Paul Beuk on https://diptera.info |
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| firefly |
Posted on 26-01-2009 00:37
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
Thanks for your description. Seemingly Platyura genus also evidence interesting bioluminescence! If someone did ever observed Diptera larvae glowing let me know, as Iīm studying this process. Very few studies were conducted to give value and knowledge on Diptera excellent glowing capacities. Usually web builders on logs, can, in some cases, evidence bioluminescence. Keroplatus tipuloides have a very nice light display!! |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-01-2011 15:12
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
Very interesting article: Phototropism, Bioluminescence, and the Diptera http://www.fcla.edu/FlaEnt/fe81p282.html |
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| nick upton |
Posted on 14-01-2011 16:04
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Member Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 815 Joined: 12.03.10 |
Yes, a very interesting article. Why are JUST the mycetophilids bioluminescent, and yet the phenomenon seems to have evolved several times in that family... Maybe there are other flies/ fly grubs glowing subtly away in other families out there... Does anybody know why the syrphid Pipiza noctiluca (Pipiza nightlight) got a name like that? Maybe a wild guess from a taxonomist with a pinned specimen? They do have 2 pale patches on the upper abdomen, and I've even squinted at a live one in a specimen tube after dark to see if by any chance they lived up to this name... They don't, unsurprisingly! I've encountered all kinds of amazing bioluminescent insects over the years, but most have predictably been beetles, mostly true fireflies (Lampyridae) some with amazing complex male / female and prey luring codes, some even synchronise the flashing. The brightest ones I've seen are actually Elateridae (click beetles) in South America (Pyrophorus sp = fire - carrying ) with green lights on the thorax and an orange light under the abdomen that only lights up on take off. In Trinidad they've given rise to a legend about a witch that flies at night like a ball of fire.... They are quite spooky actually... And in Ecuador, kids collect them to put in glass jars to act as a lanterns. I was able to read by the light of one of these in Amazonia! Bioluminescent jellyfish are fun (the bioluminescence rubs off on you if you handle them...) and even better are marine dinoflagellates and ostracods which give surreal wakes to boats, and flashing sparks on the shore as waves break - I saw this in Scotland once. And finally, Bermuda fireworms (syllid polychaetes) put on amazing luminous spawning spectacles on moonless summer nights for a few minutes after dark. Sorry to go so far off the diptera track... but bioluminescence is a favourite phenomenon of mine which i've been involved in the filming of many times, but I've never yet seen bioluminescent diptera and would love to get to those New Zealand caves one day.
Nick Upton - naturalist and photographer |
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| firefly |
Posted on 14-01-2011 22:12
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
Nick Upton wrote: Yes, a very interesting article. Why are JUST the mycetophilids bioluminescent, and yet the phenomenon seems to have evolved several times in that family... Maybe there are other flies/ fly grubs glowing subtly away in other families out there... Yes there are, the article does mention about others as well. Nick Upton wrote: I've encountered all kinds of amazing bioluminescent insects over the years, but most have predictably been beetles, mostly true fireflies (Lampyridae) some with amazing complex male / female and prey luring codes, some even synchronise the flashing. The brightest ones I've seen are actually Elateridae (click beetles) in South America (Pyrophorus sp = fire - carrying ) with green lights on the thorax and an orange light under the abdomen that only lights up on take off. Yes, I did heard about them, however when I was in Brasil I did searched for fireflies sometimes but didnīt saw any firefly at all, only dinoflagelates glowing in the sea ( quite nice to see)... And an unknown light bearing animal ( insect? I couldnīt get nearby.). I wonder if that was a location particular aspect or just the season that was wrong... I was there in April ( northeast near Sauipe). Maybe as that area is not humid all year round, they have a more seasonal display period. Nick Upton wrote: In Trinidad they've given rise to a legend about a witch that flies at night like a ball of fire.... They are quite spooky actually... And in Ecuador, kids collect them to put in glass jars to act as a lanterns. I was able to read by the light of one of these in Amazonia! Bioluminescent jellyfish are fun (the bioluminescence rubs off on you if you handle them...) and even better are marine dinoflagellates and ostracods which give surreal wakes to boats, and flashing sparks on the shore as waves break - I saw this in Scotland once. And finally, Bermuda fireworms (syllid polychaetes) put on amazing luminous spawning spectacles on moonless summer nights for a few minutes after dark. I have experienced different types of bioluminescence as well, but I havenīt travelled that much as you and my fieldwork is devoted only into some regions, to publish an extensive study about fireflies and other bioluminescent animals, fungus, etc... Nick Upton wrote: ( even Sorry to go so far off the diptera track... but bioluminescence is a favourite phenomenon of mine which i've been involved in the filming of many times, but I've never yet seen bioluminescent diptera and would love to get to those New Zealand caves one day. Wow, thatīs truly amazing. I would like to see your footages. See here my blogspace ( hopefully will change into a site soon) : http://pirilampos-lightalive.blogspot.com/ Itīs in portuguese but you can use translator and the pictures are nice ( some were taken by me, others not). Regarding Diptera, I would like to give some clues about Keroplatus tipuloides ( the most studied Eurasian specie). Their luminescent larvae are found in this mushroom : Fomes formentarius ( those huge and hard mushrooms). They live in mucilaginous nets spun under the carpophore. http://www.online-keys.net/sciaroidea/1991_2000/Stahls_1990_Keroplatus_tipuloides_in_Finland.pdf Interesting article with pictures Edited by firefly on 15-01-2011 00:13 |
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| nick upton |
Posted on 16-01-2011 23:07
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Member Location: Wiltshire, UK Posts: 815 Joined: 12.03.10 |
Many thanks firefly. I know Fomes fomentarius and I sometimes go to Finland, so must look hard for those filaments there and in other countries where keroplates is found and then come back at night. The films the bioluminescent footage I mentioned was in are very old BBC productions; The Trials of Life series (1990) Vampires, Devilbirds and Spirits (1994) and Beetlemania (1996), but I remember the experiences very well!
Nick Upton - naturalist and photographer |
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| firefly |
Posted on 23-12-2011 20:36
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
I have to pick up Formes formentarius data to try to know whatīs happening
Edited by firefly on 23-12-2011 20:38 |
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| firefly |
Posted on 23-12-2011 20:37
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Member Location: Lisbon,Portugal Posts: 36 Joined: 12.10.07 |
So anyone have been seen ( or ever saw) bioluminescence in Diptera? |
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but don't see the image in the post.