The
search for larvae of the Atyphella atra species of firefly at
Springbrook has been ongoing since 2001.
The only information available on this type species is that it was named in 1921 by
entomologist Arthur Mills Lea.
There have been to date no study notes available on this species, no description of the
female of the species, and no description of the larvae nor the various stages of
development.
Based on well intended information received from two different sources, the search has
been concentrated for some years now in looking for a bioluminescent larvae that resembles
a serrated flatworm.
References:
1. Olliff (1890) provided the first description of an Australian lampyrid
larva, that of the Mt Wilson firefly, Atyphella lychnus Olliff, which he found under some
decaying wood.
2. The larvae are elongate, flattened and somewhat narrowed anteriorly
and posteriorly. The thoracic and abdominal tergites are sometimes laterally expanded to
form projections as in Atyphella. The head is small and retractable and usually concealed
by the pronotum. The mandibles are curved and perforate. Abdominal segment 8 bears a
luminous organ, segment 9 is terminal and 10 has a holdfast organ consisting of several
eversible, asperate, tubular filaments (Lawrence 1982).
After 5 years of searching at
night in every September-November period before our fireflies start to become active, no
bioluminescent larvae resembling the supposed stereotype image of a serrated flatworm have
been found either on the ground, under the ground, in creek beds nor up in trees within a
one kilometre radius of the annual firefly display/mating area.
There is however one terrestrial bioluminescent larvae that inhabits the soil under forest
litter in large numbers. This larvae has been deliberately overlooked as experts
assure me it is the larval stage of a moth, not a firefly.
In the September-November period there are both adult and half-grown juvenile specimens of
these larvae in the ground.
Mature larvae of the subject
type being studied have in the past been observed in trees on moss and lichen covered
bark.
I first noticed these larvae
high up in trees in 1998 and mistook them for glow worms as the bioluminescence is similar
in colour to, although not as bright as glow worms.
On closer inspection the tail glows continuously and when disturbed and in motion the
head, tail and the whole digestive tract of the larvae exudes bioluminescence in the
blue/green spectrum not unlike a neon tube.
They inhabit areas on our property that produce luminous forest litter.
These same forest floor areas are heavily cultivated by the local scrub turkeys.
The maturity of the larvae
seems to coincide with the emergence of the fireflies in November.
| Controlled
environment
Each of the above larva when extracted from the soil is covered in a mucus-like casing
inside which it appears to live while underground. The tube breaks away but remains
attached around the larvae as they are separated from the soil.
Perhaps, as with glow worms, this mucus-like casing provides an insulated environment for
the larvae.
The mucus-like material itself is both strong, elastic and water-resistant.
The larvae can be encouraged out of the mucus-like casing undamaged by swirling in shallow
water and then draining the water off.
It has been observed previously that prior to pupation the larva leaves it's mucus-like
casing and rises to the surface where it appears to graze on forest leaf litter.
Note 23-11-2006
Latest information = The larvae have
been identified as the larval stage of an as yet unidentified MOTH. So it's back to
looking around again. |
|
