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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Hexapods (Hexapoda) » Insects (Insecta) » Beetles (Coleoptera) » Polyphaga » Series Elateriformia » Elateroidea » Fireflies (Lampyridae) » Lampyrinae » Lampyrini » Microphotus » Microphotus angustus
Photo#14857
Pink glowworm, Microphotus angustus - Microphotus angustus - female
Copyright © 2005 p. roullard

Pink glowworm, Microphotus angustus - Microphotus angustus - Female
San Diego, Cowles Mountain, San Diego County, California, USA
June 2, 2003
Size: 1"
The female of this species never metamorphosizes into an adult beetle. The male becomes an adult beetle and glows only very faintly. The female has just ten days to attract a male to mate with. The glowworms appear in late May and early June when the temperatures increase.
The glow is a bright LED type green.
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Contributed by p. roullard on 13 April, 2005 - 10:12am
Last updated 3 November, 2016 - 12:58pm

Moved
Moved from Microphotus.
… john and jane balaban, 30 April, 2014 - 6:15am login or register to post comments

Metamophosis
I wonder about the subtleties here, Phillip.

Does the female never metamorphose into an adult? Or is it that she does, but her adult body form isn't as radically modified by the process as is typically the case. I'd guess it's probably the latter, since the fully mature reproductive system has to form at some point.
… Aaron Schusteff, 20 June, 2012 - 4:37pm login or register to post comments

 
Metamorphosis
I think you are right. The adult female retains many larval features, but not all. I can see that the legs and antennae resemble those of an adult, not of a larva. Also, as you point out, the sexual organs must have reached maturity.
… Beatriz Moisset, 3 November, 2016 - 12:58pm login or register to post comments

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