Arachnocampa luminosa

Arachnocampa luminosa
Glowworm (Arachnocampa luminosa) and silk snares
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Diptera
Family: Keroplatidae
Genus: Arachnocampa
Species:
A. luminosa
Binomial name
Arachnocampa luminosa
(Skuse, 1891)
Synonyms
  • Bolitophila luminosa

Arachnocampa luminosa (Skuse, 1891), commonly known as New Zealand glowworm or simply glowworm, is a species of fungus gnat solely endemic to New Zealand. The larval stage and the imago produce a blue-green bioluminescence. The species is known to dwell in caves and on sheltered banks in the native bush where humidity is high, as moisture helps to maintain their silk structures that capture prey. Its Māori names are pūrātoke, from the verb "to glow", and titiwai, meaning "lights reflected in water." This likely derives from the glowworms' presence near bodies of water, where their luminous displays are reflected.