Railroad worm

Railroad worm

Taxobox
name = Railroad worm
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Arthropoda
classis = Insecta
ordo = Coleoptera
familia = Phengodidae
genus = "Phrixothrix"
genus_authority = Olivier, 1909
subdivision_ranks = Species
subdivision = several
A railroad worm is a larva or larviform female adult of a beetle of the genus "Phrixothrix" in the family Phengodidae, characterized by their unique possession of two different colors of bioluminescence. The luminescent organs of their body can glow green, while those on their head can glow red; this is due to two different kinds of luciferin and luciferase in their bodies. This is believed to be an adaptation to help confuse and frighten predators.

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


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  • railroad worm — noun larvae bore into and feed on apples • Syn: ↑apple maggot, ↑Rhagoletis pomonella • Hypernyms: ↑fruit fly, ↑pomace fly • Member Holonyms: ↑Rhagoletis, ↑genus Rhagoletis …   Useful english dictionary

  • railroad worm — noun Date: 1909 1. [probably from its dissemination by railroad] apple maggot 2. [from the rows of luminescent spots along its sides making it resemble a lighted train] the larva or wingless female of any of several South American beetles (genus… …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • railroad worm — the larva of a fruit fly, Rhagoletis pomonella, that burrows through apples, forming tunnels that sometimes appear on the skin as faint depressions or darkened trails: a serious pest of apples in colder regions of North America. Also called apple …   Universalium

  • Worm — A worm is a common name given to a diverse group of invertebrate animals that have a long, soft body and no legs. There are hundreds of thousands of species of worms, 2,700 of these are earthworms. Animals which are commonly called worms include… …   Wikipedia

  • worm — Screw Screw (skr[udd]), n. [OE. scrue, OF. escroue, escroe, female screw, F. [ e]crou, L. scrobis a ditch, trench, in LL., the hole made by swine in rooting; cf. D. schroef a screw, G. schraube, Icel. skr[=u]fa.] 1. A cylinder, or a cylindrical… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Screw worm — Screw Screw (skr[udd]), n. [OE. scrue, OF. escroue, escroe, female screw, F. [ e]crou, L. scrobis a ditch, trench, in LL., the hole made by swine in rooting; cf. D. schroef a screw, G. schraube, Icel. skr[=u]fa.] 1. A cylinder, or a cylindrical… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Glowworm — otherusesGlowworm (or glow worm) is the common name for various different groups of insect larva and adult larviform females which glow through bioluminescence. They may sometimes resemble worms, but all are insects ( Arachnocampa being a fly and …   Wikipedia

  • apple maggot — noun larvae bore into and feed on apples • Syn: ↑railroad worm, ↑Rhagoletis pomonella • Hypernyms: ↑fruit fly, ↑pomace fly • Member Holonyms: ↑Rhagoletis, ↑genus Rhagolet …   Useful english dictionary

  • bioluminescence — bioluminescent, adj. /buy oh looh meuh nes euhns/, n. the production of light by living organisms. [1915 20; BIO + LUMINESCENCE] * * * Emission of light by an organism or biochemical system (e.g., the glow of bacteria on decaying meat or fish,… …   Universalium

  • Apple maggot — Taxobox name = Apple maggot regnum = Animalia phylum = Arthropoda classis = Insecta ordo = Diptera familia = Tephritidae subfamilia = Trypetinae tribus = Carpomyiini genus = Rhagoletis species = R. pomonella binomial = Rhagoletis pomonella… …   Wikipedia

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