noctilucine

Meaning

Noun

• A nitrogenous substance in fireflies, glowworms and marine animals, supposedly responsible for their luminescence.

Origin

• From New Latin, based on Latin nox + lux.
• Term coined by British scientist Thomas Lamb Phipson (1833–1908). It appeared first in his article '', published in The chemical new'', vol. 32, no. 832, on November 5, 1875.