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Micromalthus debilis
Micromalthidae
Wisconsin, USA

photograph © Alex Wild 2007

Micromalthus has perhaps the most convoluted life cycle of any animal, involving adults that sometimes look like larvae, female forms that either give live birth or lay a single egg, larvae that start life as highly motile speedsters and grow into legless sluggish grubs (shown here), and males that must cannabilize their own mothers in order to mature.  

More details here: The life cycle of Micromalthus debilis 

 
USA, Wisconsin.  In rotting log.

This image is copyrighted by the photographer and cannot be used without permission. To obtain permission to use this image, please email Alex Wild. (alwild (at) myrmecos.net).  Most of the photographs on myrmecos.net are reduced from their original size and compressed for more efficient web transmission.  In some cases, higher quality versions are available.

This image was captured with a Canon EOS 20D, using a Canon MP-E 65mm 1-5x Macro Lens.