Railroad Worm vs Paroster Subterranean Beetle
Side-by-side species comparison
| Attribute | Railroad Worm | Paroster Subterranean Beetle |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Phrixothrix hirtus | Paroster macrosturtensis |
| Order | Coleoptera | Coleoptera |
| Family | Phengodidae | Dytiscidae |
| Size | 30-65 mm (larvae) | 2-3 mm |
| Habitat | Underground | Deserts & Drylands |
| Diet | Omnivores | Omnivores |
| Regions | South America | Australia |
| Conservation | Least Concern | Data Deficient |
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.
Paroster Subterranean Beetle
A blind subterranean diving beetle from groundwater calcretes in the Western Australian arid zone. It is completely depigmented and lacks functional eyes.
Did You Know?
Multiple species of subterranean Paroster have evolved independently in isolated aquifers.