A few months ago after the then most recent row of sun beetle (Pachnoda marginata) have hatched in my invertebrate rainforest tank, I spotted one individual that was only half the length and one third the mass of the other regular beetles. Tho I was able to spot slight variations in their size before none had been that much smaller than every other hatched before. I started with the species for two years ago with a set of ten larva and introduced new specimens from different online shops in hope they might come from a different genetic line. All beetle were raised under the same condition, and even within that clutch the miniature form came from every other specimen was of the normal size. Since the larva stay in the substrate I can not tell if it might have eaten less and if its cocon was smaller.
Tho there might be several potential explanation I wanted to ask if dwarfism also exist among invertebrates and if you might know of cases from the same but also other species?
Tho there might be several potential explanation I wanted to ask if dwarfism also exist among invertebrates and if you might know of cases from the same but also other species?
