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After that, the worm only has to collect and devour them.Īlthough these invertebrates aren’t related to fireflies, the most famous luminous insects share the same mechanism of light production, through luciferin and luciferase.

However, the arthropods don’t see the worm’s sticky web and are trapped. The light attracts the rest of the arthropods in the cave, and they try to approach it. The larva is located in this structure and emits a bluish light through its abdomen. These are a series of rows hanging from the ceiling, filled with sticky, crystalline-looking droplets. In its larval phase, Arachnocampa luminosa is a fine and elongated worm, which can reach about 3 or 4 centimeters (between 1 and 2 inches).ĭuring this time, the larvae roam the dark and damp caves where they live, looking for an appropriate place to build their nets. This organism is a larva of the fungus gnat, small dipterous insects native to New Zealand. The first of the glow-in-the-dark worms is Arachnocampa luminosa. New Zealand light worm (Arachnocampa luminosa) If you want to learn more about them, keep reading. Since these animals can be similar to each other and share the ability to produce light, in this article we’ll address them as a whole, regardless of their evolutionary relationships. Within it, we include annelids, nematodes, insect larvae and other organisms that aren’t related to each other, as long as they have a soft, elongated body and with limited or absent legs. It should be noted that the term ‘worm’ is informal and lacks biological backing. In this article, we’ll be looking at worms with this ability!

This ability is widespread in various animal groups – from sharks to jellyfish to worms, many species glow in the dark. Bioluminescence is a fascinating phenomenon by which living beings are able to produce their own light.