Strange glow worm discovered in Peruvian forest
Digital Reporter
Tuesday, November 25, 2014, 3:04 PM - A strange glowing worm has been found in the Peruvian rainforest by nature photographer Jeff Cremer.
According to LiveScience, he discovered the worms shining underneath the soil.
He brought them back to local entomologists, who had never seen anything like them before.
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Researchers believe the worms, which are about half an inch in length are the larvae of a previously unknown beetle and may have developed the ability to glow to attract the flies and ants they dine on.
Prey will "fly right into their jaws, and then they'll just clamp shut and that's their meal," Aaron Pomerantz, an entomologist who works with a rainforest expedition company in Peru, told LiveScience.
The worms appear to exist underground and "burst from the earth" to devour their prey.
They be related to the Brazilian fire beetle, but further testing is required. The worms seem to glow through the night, becoming brighter when touched by a predator.
From fireflies to glow worms to jellyfish, there are quite a few animals that have the ability to create their own light through a process called bioluminesence.
Most animals emit a green or blue hue because these colours travel well in a dark environment.
There are a few reasons why some plants and animals may have developed this ability. It's believed to help animals attract prey and communicate with one another.
In some instances, it can also act as a decoy. Some squid and shrimp species can release a glowing cloud of ink which is used to distract predators as the animal makes a getaway.
HOW DOES BIOLUMINESCENCE WORK?
In humans, chemical energy is released as heat -- but bioluminous animals can also release heat in the form of light, courtesy of a compound called luciferin.
When luciferin is exposed to oxygen it creates a chemical reaction that emits light.
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