Biophosphorescence in fluorescent millipedes (Diplopoda: Xystodesmidae) and its relationships with bioluminescence.

ABSTRACT: Three types of luminescence have been reported in living organisms: bioluminescence (BL), ultraweak chemiluminescence and biofluorescence (FL). In millipedes, both BL and FL have been reported in Motyxia sequoiae and related Xystodesmidae species. Noteworthy, when walking at night with a UV lantern at the Biological Station of Highlands, I found three blue-fluorescent millipedes (Deltotaria brimleii, Deltotoria sp and Euryus orestes) that also displayed phosphorescence after turning off the UV source. The phosphorescence of the cuticle was in the green region (λ_max = 525 nm). The phosphorescence remained associated with cuticle and pellets, but frozen fluorescent supernatants, also displayed phosphorescence. The fluorescent compounds extracted from the cuticles in water and meth

SUBMITTER: Viviani VR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10719341 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature