The weird glowing millipedes of Alcatraz

Quest Files 2012 03 Alcatraz Millipede Bl-E1331595647469-640X360

National Park Service workers were using black lights to conduct a rat census (!) on Alcatraz last month when they accidentally discovered these strange glowing millipedes. From KQED QUEST:

Some millipedes species are known to fluoresce under black light, but National Park Service officials say it is the first recorded evidence of such millipedes on Alcatraz. UC Davis entomologists are hard at work determining whether the millipede is a known subspecies of Xystocheir dissect (Wood) the species commonly found around San Francisco Bay.
Alcatraz Island is far enough from the mainland for a new species to evolve, though it would take millennia for that to happen. New subspecies or not, California is known for being the only place in the world with bioluminescent millipedes.

"Millipede Mystery: A New Fluorescent Subspecies on Alcatraz?"

David Pescovitz is Boing Boing's co-editor/managing partner. He's also a research director at Institute for the Future. On Instagram, he's @pesco.

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dannyvrod

“Only that’s not what happened … not at all.”
theophrastvs

hnh, it’s not clear, given the mixed references whether these guys are actually generating their own light; as it references “bioluminescent” (zB fireflies), or have a not uncommon chemical (e.g. many scorpions) in their exoskeleton that shifts UV into the (human) visible, as it references: “fluorescent”. given the photo, i’d guess the latter and wander away with a shrug. …still i think an industry could be made to harvest these guys and cruelly use them as in-yer-face jewelry
- http://www.xradiograph.com/ OtherMichael
  
  Looks like the Alcatraz-crawlies are blacklight reactive, but they’ve got cousins who are doin’ it for themselves.
- http://www.facebook.com/david.roddy2 David Roddy
  
  You would guess right. I am a student at UC Davis and was one of the surveyors mentioned above, and can say with certainty that the millipedes were fluorescent.
http://www.xradiograph.com/ OtherMichael

It’s all the drugs their mothers took back in the sixties.

That, or MK-Ultra.

Or, hell — BOTH!
Lobster

Ghosts!
robdobbs

I’m confused:

Some millipedes species are known to fluoresce under black light, but National Park Service officials say it is the first recorded evidence of such millipedes on Alcatraz…

California is known for being the only place in the world with bioluminescent millipedes.
- http://jere7my.livejournal.com jere7my
  
  They’re known to exist elsewhere in California, and nowhere else, but this is the first time they’ve been found on Alcatraz.
  
  These little guys are approximately nine times more interesting than anything that’s happened on Alcatraz, a show I really wanted to like.
http://2012diaries.blogspot.com/ tristan eldritch

All it needs to be a Burroughs cover is a syringe.
- David Pescovitz
  
  Say, Tristan, would you rub some of this bug powder on my lips?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Christopher-Lee/100001074475538 Christopher Lee

Millipedes? On my island?
- Lobster
  
  It’s more likely than you think!
esquire

Ummm, does noone remember that in 1996, Dr. Stanley Goodspeed saved San Francisco (maybe all of California/earth??) from destruction by deadly VX gas-armed rockets??

That’s what’s makin your bugs glow.
Snig

It’s how you tell which millipedes have had too many gin and tonics.
OriGuy

It has to be said: I, for one, welcome our many-legged fluorescent overlords.
bardfinn

” …a new species to evolve, though it would take millennia for that to happen.”

[Citation Needed]
bytefyre

I don’t know why but I find millipedes to be incredibly fucking unsettling