Larviform female is a biological phenomenon occurring in some insect species, where the females in the adult stage of metamorphosis resemble the larvae to various degrees, while the male appears more morphologically adult (as imagoes). The resemblance may mean the larviform female has the same coloring as the larvae and/or similar body plans, and may be the result of the female arresting development at earlier stages of ecdysis than males.[1] The female may not pupate at all, as in Xenos vesparum.[2] Typically, the female is wingless and generally larger than the male. Larviform females still reach sexual maturity.[3] Larviform females occur in several insect groups, including most Strepsiptera and Bagworm moths, many elateroid beetles (e.g., Lampyridae), and some gall midges.[3]
Larviform females are an area of interest in the study of the evolution of insect metamorphosis.[1]
Since these females have lower ability to disperse, this may help explain high endemism in some groups, such as Lampyridae fireflies.[4]
^ abCicero, Joseph (June 1988). "Ontophylogenetics of cantharoid larviforms (Coleoptera: Cantharoidea)". The Coleopterists Bulletin. 42 (2). The Coleopterists Society: 105–151. JSTOR 4008535. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
^Erezyilmaz, D.F., Hayward, A., Huang, Y., Paps, J., Acs, Z., Delgado, J.A., Collantes, F., and Kathirithamby, J. (2014) 'Expression of the pupal determinant broad during metamorphic and neotenic development of the strepsipteran Xenos vesparum Rossi', PLoS ONE, 9(4), available: https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A375582897/HRCA?u=crepuq_bishop&sid=HRCA&xid=8b5d44a4 [accessed 30 Nov 2020].
^ abMcMahon, Dino P.; Hayward, Alexander (April 2016). "Why grow up? A perspective on insect strategies to avoid metamorphosis". Ecological Entomology. 41 (5): 505–515. Bibcode:2016EcoEn..41..505M. doi:10.1111/een.12313. S2CID 86908583. reproductive maturity is differentiated by the development of sexual traits (i.e. the development of the germ line and genitalia) without progression to a discrete pupal stage or a metamorphic terminal imago.
^Da Silveira, Luiz Felipe Lima; Mermudes, José Ricardo M. (2014-02-18). "Systematic review of the firefly genus Amydetes Illiger, 1807 (Coleoptera: Lampyridae), with description of 13 new species". Zootaxa. 3765 (3): 201–248. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3765.3.1. ISSN 1175-5334. PMID 24870897.
Larviformfemale is a biological phenomenon occurring in some insect species, where the females in the adult stage of metamorphosis resemble the larvae...
is the common name for various groups of insect larvae and adult larviformfemales that glow through bioluminescence. They include the European common...
probably do not feed. Females are much larger than the males and are completely larviform. Males may be luminescent, but females and larvae have a series...
A railroad worm is a larva or larviformfemale adult of a beetle of the genus Phrixothrix in the family Phengodidae, characterized by the possession of...
Many species have non-flying larviformfemales. These can often be distinguished from the larvae only because the adult females have compound eyes, unlike...
There are many species of wingless moths. Often only the females are wingless (larviformfemales). Luffia lapidella Operophtera fagata, the northern winter...
obsolete junior synonym. The females retain a larval form as adults (larviformfemales) and are about 40–80 mm in length. The females and larvae have a flattened...
1914 Florissant Formation, Eocene A lycid from India A lycid larva or larviformfemale Mating Porrostoma rhipidium Calopteron reticulatum Lycus rostratus...
teardrop. Flat-lobed lanterns are visible on the male's abdomen. The larviformfemale resembles a colorful pink and yellow grub with no wings and very small...
remove.[citation needed] Body markings are rare. Adult females of many bagworm species are larviform, with only vestigial wings, legs, and mouthparts. In...
Lampyridae. It is found in central and eastern United States. The larviformfemales of the species are bioluminescent, whereas the males are winged but...
antenna morphology, and are totally non-luminous. Adult females are larger (~25-35 mm), fully larviform and flightless, and cream to light golden brown in...
of sexual dimorphism in insects. The females of this beetle look like a caterpillar – so called larviformfemales – completely lacking wings and other...
one, females emit light from their abdomens to attract males; in the other, flying males emit signals to which the sometimes sedentary females respond...
concealing them when the beetle is at rest. Adult females of T. contractus are notable for being larviform, meaning they retain a larval morphology even into...
Phengodes lacticollis, the females are larger than the males and the females are in larviform. The males are luminescent, the females and the larvae, however...
conspicuous sexual dimorphism. The females generally are longer than males (up to 25mm in length). They are larviform, do not have wings and produce a continuous...
though males of Phausis reticulata emit a faint, constant glow. Female Phausis are larviform and flightless, but bioluminescent, even if males of the same...
reproduction, which are separated by a pupal phase. Although the female is larviform, she also undergoes metamorphosis from a true larva to a sexually...
example being the glow-worms of the family Phengodidae, in which the females are larviform throughout their lives. The two pairs of wings are found on the...
wings are used like oars to swim at the surface of sea-water. The females are larviform, without wings or functional legs. The eggs are laid in coils in...
are winged while the females are wingless and larviform. Both sexes of adults cannot feed due to reduced mouthparts. Adult females attract males using...
large numbers in black light traps. Females are not known in this group, but it is theorized that females are larviform as found in many closely related...
Altig, Ronald (1983-08-19). "Key to the gilled salamander larvae and larviform adults of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma". The Southwestern...
Global Information