Rudolph, the reindeer, who care. A Caterpillar with the body full of lanterns and could steal your scene in a movie next Christmas. In fact, she has no nose, but their lights – red and green on the head along the body – they seem flashers Christmas tree.
Joking aside, the animal, known as caterpillar train, calls attention for being the only earthly being with this feature. The peculiarity arouses the curiosity of scientists both to understand how the natural evolution of species of caterpillars led to it, how to check for possible technological applications.
Bioluminescence is not something that rare in nature and is very beyond the fireflies. Deep oceans are several animals, micro-organisms to larger fish, which emit lights of all colors, including the red, although the preference is blue.
Already in terrestrial environments, the Bioluminescence tends towards green. A red lantern head of caterpillars gender Phrixothrix is a unique jewel. Although difficult to find crawling night in the bush, these caterpillars are known long time.
In 1587, the Portuguese traveler Gabriel Souza described the animal that the Indians called buijejas as caterpillars crowned with rubies. But only in recent years they began being studied, so that there are few images available animal.
Team of Brazilian biochemists, led by Vadim Viviani, UFSCar (University Federal de Sao Carlos), and with support from FAPESP and CNPq, is developing the molecules that give rise to red light and the genes that encode the production of it cells of caterpillars.
Team of Brazilian biochemists, led by Vadim Viviani, UFSCar (University Federal de Sao Carlos), and with support from FAPESP and CNPq, is developing the molecules that give rise to red light and the genes that encode the production of it cells of caterpillars.
The lanterns of the beetles and Phrixothrix light work differently similar. They are the result of a reaction between chemical substances known as luciferins and oxygen, which is catalyzed by the enzyme luciferase.
The result is the production of a molecule known as oxyluciferin arising on their electrons with excess energy. This almost all energy is released in the form of particles of light whose color depends mainly the molecular structure of luciferases, which varies among species.
More informations at: UNESP
