Glowworm - Classification

Classification

Order: Coleoptera (Beetles)

Major families are:

  • Lampyridae (fireflies), found around the world. The wingless adult female is the glowworm of literature, especially Lampyris noctiluca (the "Glow-worm" proper of British English) found in most of Europe. In this species the male flies but does not glow. A glow worm looks like a female firefly without wings. In some areas, a Firefly can also refer to members of the Luciola genus in the same family, found commonly throughout Europe, in which both the males and the flightless females glow.
  • Phengodidae, found in North America and South America
  • Rhagophthalmidae, found in Asia
  • Keroplatidae (flies, order Diptera): the genus Arachnocampa (formerly called Bolitiphila), found in New Zealand and Australia
  • Mycetophilidae (flies, order Diptera): Orfelia fultoni ("dismalites"), a single species of fungus gnat, distantly related to Arachnocampa, found in North America.

Groups include:

  • Lampyridae
  • Phengodidae
  • Railroad worm
  • Arachnocampa
  • Orfelia fultoni

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