Melanophila Explained

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]

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

Notes and References

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