Chapter 25 – Bioluminescence

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses living light or bioluminescence in insects. It is most commonly is produced in tissues or organs within and shines out of the emitter's body, but some organisms ooze or squirt luminous secretions, some even smear them on attackers. The light-emitting layer is organized into a sheet of rosettes, each with a central channel (cylinder), through which airsupply tubes and nerve trunks pass. Analysis of adult morphology and DNA suggest that the flashing lantern, that is, one capable of emitting short bursts of light, evolved independently at least twice and possibly three times, indicating that structural similarities in divergent lampyrid groups are due to evolutionary convergence. Self-lighting species appear in all four kingdoms — Monera, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia –—in 11 of 29 phyla. But the best-known insect bioluminescence is that of beetles of the family Lampyridae, known as fireflies, lightningbugs, blinkies, and many other local and colloquial names. Bioluminescence chemistry varies among organisms. Bacteria use riboflavin phosphate, sea pansies use diphosphoadenosine, and fireflies use adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in the oxidative decarboxylation of substrates generically known as luciferins, with enzymes termed luciferases. A tentative conclusion would be that bioluminescence has evolved from many separate biochemical origins.