Melanophila

Melanophila is a genus of buprestid beetles commonly known as fire beetles. They have extraordinary sensitivity to infrared radiation (heat), using a specialized sensor organ near their legs.[1] They seek out fires in order to mate and lay eggs in freshly burned wood.[2]

Melanophila
Melanophila consputa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Coleoptera
Family: Buprestidae
Tribe: Melanophilini
Genus: Melanophila
Eschscholtz, 1829

Species

The genus Melanophila consists of the following species:[3]

  • Melanophila acuminata (DeGeer, 1774)
  • Melanophila atra Gory, 1841
  • Melanophila atropurpurea (Say, 1823)
  • Melanophila caudata (Laporte & Gory, 1837)
  • Melanophila consputa LeConte, 1857
  • Melanophila cockerellae Wickham, 1912
  • Melanophila coriacea Kerremans, 1894
  • Melanophila cuspidata (Klug, 1829)
  • Melanophila gestroi Obenberger, 1923
  • Melanophila handlirschi Wickham, 1912
  • Melanophila heeri Wickham, 1914
  • Melanophila ignicola Champion, 1918
  • Melanophila notata (Laporte & Gory, 1837)
  • Melanophila obscurata Lewis, 1893
  • Melanophila occidentalis Obenberger, 1928
  • Melanophila unicolor Gory, 1841

References
  1. Schmitz, H; Bousack, H (2012). "Modelling a Historic Oil-Tank Fire Allows an Estimation of the Sensitivity of the Infrared Receptors in Pyrophilous Melanophila Beetles". PLOS One. 7 (5): e37627. Bibcode:2012PLoSO...737627S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0037627. PMC 3357417. PMID 22629433.
  2. Jones, Benji (2023-07-28). "This beetle's sex is on fire. Literally". Vox. Retrieved 2023-07-30.
  3. Bellamy, C. L. (2013). "Genus Melanophila". A Checklist of World Buprestoidea. Retrieved 7 Sep 2021.


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