Phengodidae
Guides
Cenophengus debilis
glowworm beetle
Cenophengus debilis is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae, first described by John Lawrence LeConte in 1881. Like other phengodid beetles, it is bioluminescent. The species is known from North America, though specific details about its biology and ecology remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.
Cenophengus longicollis
Long-necked Phengodid
A species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae, described by Wittmer in 1976. The species epithet "longicollis" refers to its elongated neck (prothorax). Like other phengodids, adults are likely bioluminescent, though specific details of its biology remain poorly documented.
Cenophengus pallidus
Pale South Texas Glowworm
Cenophengus pallidus is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae. It was described by Schaeffer in 1904 and is found in North America. The species is commonly known as the Pale South Texas Glowworm. Like other phengodid beetles, adults are bioluminescent, with females and larvae typically exhibiting the characteristic glowworm luminescence more prominently than males.
Distremocephalus
glowworm beetles
Distremocephalus is a genus of glowworm beetles in the family Phengodidae, established by Wittmer in 1976. The genus comprises approximately 11 described species distributed across North America, primarily in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Members are bioluminescent beetles commonly known as glowworms, with most species described by Zaragoza in 1986.
Distremocephalus californicus
glowworm beetle
Distremocephalus californicus is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae, first described by Van Dyke in 1918. It is one of approximately 30 species in the genus Distremocephalus, which is restricted to the Western Hemisphere. The species occurs in both Central America and North America.
Paraptorthodius
glowworm beetles
Paraptorthodius is a genus of glowworm beetles in the family Phengodidae, established by Schaeffer in 1904. The genus contains at least three described species distributed in Mexico and the southwestern United States. Like other phengodids, members of this genus are bioluminescent, with luminescence produced primarily by larviform females and larvae. The genus belongs to the tribe Mastinocerini within the subfamily Phengodinae.
Phengodes arizonensis
Arizona Glowworm Beetle
Phengodes arizonensis is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae. The species is known from North America, with observations concentrated in the southwestern United States. Like other phengodid beetles, it exhibits bioluminescence. Larvae of related Phengodes species are specialist predators of millipedes, employing unique strategies to circumvent millipede chemical defenses.
Phengodes fenestrata
Phengodes fenestrata is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae, described by Wittmer in 1976. The genus Phengodes is known for bioluminescent larvae that are specialist predators of millipedes. Related species have been documented employing sophisticated chemical strategies to circumvent millipede defensive secretions. The species occurs in North America.
Phengodes frontalis
glowworm beetle
Phengodes frontalis is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae, first described by LeConte in 1881. Adults are bioluminescent, with females retaining a larval-like appearance (paedomorphosis) and lacking wings. The species occurs in North America, including Mexico. Larvae are specialist predators of millipedes, employing a unique feeding strategy that circumvents millipede chemical defenses.
Phengodes fusciceps
glowworm beetle
Phengodes fusciceps is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae, described by LeConte in 1861. It is found in North America. The species comprises four recognized subspecies: P. f. fusciceps, P. f. floridensis, P. f. intermedia, and P. f. picicollis. Like other phengodid beetles, larvae are bioluminescent and exhibit specialized predatory behaviors.
Phengodes laticollis
glowworm beetle
Phengodes laticollis is a glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae, notable for pronounced sexual dimorphism and bioluminescence across all life stages. Females are larviform, larger than males, and produce yellow or green light from organs on trunk segments. Males are smaller, winged, and possess large curved mandibles. The species has been documented circumventing millipede chemical defenses through specialized predatory behavior.
Phengodes mexicana
glowworm beetle
Phengodes mexicana is a species of glowworm beetle in the family Phengodidae. The species was described by Wittmer in 1976. It occurs in Central America and North America. Members of the genus Phengodes are notable for their bioluminescent larvae and adult females, which are wingless and resemble larvae in appearance.
bioluminescentwingless-femalelarviform-femaleglowworm-beetlePhengodidaeElateriformiaPolyphagaColeopteraInsectaArthropodaAnimaliaCentral-AmericaNorth-AmericaWittmer-1976PhengodesPhengodes-mexicanaspeciesglowwormbeetleinsectarthropodanimalbioluminescencelarviformwinglessfemalelarvalarvaeadultmaledistributionrangegeographic-rangegeographic-distributionMiddle-AmericaAmericaAmericasWittmer1976descriptiontaxonomyclassificationmexicanaStenophrixothrix
railroad-worm
Stenophrixothrix is a genus of railroad-worms (Phengodidae) established by Wittmer in 1963. Species in this genus exhibit distinctive bioluminescence: adult males produce yellow light, while larvae possess multiple photophores including lateral lanterns emitting yellow light and a cephalic lantern producing yellow to orange light. The genus has been documented in secondary growth forests in São Paulo, Brazil, where molecular analysis has confirmed the association between larval and adult stages.
Zarhipis
glowworm beetles
Zarhipis is a genus of glowworm beetles in the family Phengodidae, containing three recognized species restricted to western North America. Members of this genus exhibit sexual dimorphism, with females being larviform and bioluminescent while males are winged and non-luminous. The genus has been subject to population genetic studies, particularly for Zarhipis integripennis, revealing significant geographic structure and sex-biased dispersal patterns.