Madeira Longhorn vs Railroad Worm
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Madeira Longhorn | Railroad Worm |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Leptura aurulenta | Phrixothrix hirtus |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Cerambycidae | Phengodidae |
| Size | 15-26 mm | 30-65 mm (larvae) |
| Habitat | Woodlands | Underground |
| Diet | Wood Feeders | Omnivores |
| Regions | Mediterranean Europe, Atlantic France, Macaronesia | South America |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Least Concern |
Madeira Longhorn
A large flower longhorn with rusty-orange elytra and a black head and pronotum. Found in forests around the Mediterranean and Atlantic Europe. Larvae develop over 3-5 years in dead wood of oaks and chestnuts.
Did You Know?
This species has been found on Madeira Island, giving rise to its common name, though it occurs widely across southern Europe.
Railroad Worm
A beetle larva with 11 pairs of green-glowing lateral organs and a red-glowing headlamp — the only land animal that produces two different colors of bioluminescence simultaneously.
Did You Know?
The railroad worm is the only terrestrial animal that glows in two colors at once — green along its sides like railway car windows and red on its head like a locomotive.