Fiery nutcrackers [1] [2] ( lat. Pyrophorus ) is a tropical genus of beetles from the family Nutcrackers , a characteristic feature of which is the presence of luminescent organs. The local population calls these bugs kukuho , kukuyo ( Spanish. Cucuyo ), or kokuyo [3] ( Spanish. Cocujo ). The most famous species is Pyrophorus noctilucus
| Fire nutcrackers |
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Pyrophorus noctilucus |
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| No rank : | Bilateral symmetrical |
| Subtype : | Tracheo-breathing |
| Infraclass : | Winged insects |
| Treasure : | Fully Transformed Insects |
| Infrastructure : | Elateriform |
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Pyrophorus Illiger , 1809 |
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Relatively large or medium sized beetles 30–50 mm long [2] . In general, they are similar in shape to ordinary nutcrackers. Coloring is brown, dark brown. Antenna saw-shaped or filiform. The eyes are big. The luminescent organs are represented by vesicular yellow vesicular swellings and are located near the posterior corners of the upper side of the pronotum . Also, a large luminous organ is located on the first abdominal sternum. The luminescence is based on the oxidation reaction of luciferin with the participation of a specific enzyme - luciferase , as well as ATP and magnesium ions [4] [5] . In larvae of the first ages of these nutcrackers, the luminescence organs are located at the junction of the head with the chest, and in older ages “luminous” spots are added along the sides of the body [1] . Pupae of representatives of this genus also luminesce.
Representatives of the genus are distributed from southern Mexico to southeastern Brazil and the West Indies , and are also found in Cuba. Some species can be found in the south of the USA - in Texas and Florida .
Larvae live in the soil or in the tunnels they built in the outer layers of termite mounds . They are active predators and feed on other insects , which they attract at night with their glow.
Beetles themselves are nocturnal and are phytophages : they feed on plants and plant decaying remains. Adult beetles often fly to artificial light sources, even to the glow of a cigarette.
Alfred Bram , for example, mentions these nutcrackers in his classic Animal Life [6] .
The first Europeans who settled in South America lit their huts with them. The same lamps filled them with icons . Locals of those places, traveling at night through the jungle , and nowadays tie fire-nutcrackers to their toes to illuminate the road [7] [8] .
At the end of the 19th century, these beetles became fashionable in Paris in the form of evening jewelry called “living diamonds” [7] . This fashion first appeared among Mexican women who adorned themselves with living beetles, which they put in special tulle bags that are pinned to dresses. They also made necklaces or decorated hats for evening dresses [9] .
The genus includes, according to various sources, from 26 to about 100 species. Below are some of them.
- Pyrophorus ardens (Candéze, 1863)
- Pyrophorus arizonicus (Hyslop, 1918)
- Pyrophorus atlanticus (Hyslop, 1918)
- Pyrophorus brevicollis
- Pyrophorus candens
- Pyrophorus divergens
- Pyrophorus iluminans
- Pyrophorus indistinctus (Germain, 1841)
- Pyrophorus luminosus
- Pyrophorus lychniferus
- Pyrophorus noctilucus ( Linnaeus , 1758)
- Pyrophorus nyctophanus
- Pyrophorus pellucens (Eschscholtz, 1829)
- Pyrophorus plagiophthalamus
- Pyrophorus physoderus (Germar, 1842)
- Pyrophorus punctatissimus
- Pyrophorus radians (Champion, 1895)
- Pyrophorus restinctus (Champion, 1896)
- Pyrophorus texanus (Hyslop, 1918)
- Pyrophorus vitticollis
