Melanophila

Melanophila
Melanophila consputa
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Polyphaga
Infraorder:	Elateriformia
Family:	Buprestidae
Tribe:	Melanophilini
Genus:	Melanophila Eschscholtz, 1829

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

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.