Micromalthidae

Phylum:Arthropoda

Class:Insecta

Order:Coleoptera

Suborder:Archostemata

Micromalthidae Temporal range: Late Permian–Present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N
"Ghost adult" stage of Micromalthus debilis
Larval stage of Micromalthus debilis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Order:	Coleoptera
Suborder:	Archostemata
Family:	Micromalthidae Barber, 1913
Genera
†Archaeomalthus Yan et al., 2019[1] †Cretomalthus Kirejtshuk & Azar, 2008[2] Micromalthus LeConte, 1878 †Protomalthus Tihelka, Huang, Cai, 2020[3]

Micromalthidae is an ancient family of small beetles belonging to the suborder Archostemata. The only known living representative is the telephone-pole beetle, Micromalthus debilis. A few extinct species have been described,^[3] the oldest being the Late Permian Archaeomalthus synoriacos.^[1] It is one of the oldest families of beetles still existing today.^[3]

Micromalthus debilis is remarkable for its paedogenetic reproductive strategy which is almost unique in the animal kingdom, with the partial exception of Loricifera,^[4] and that could have already evolved in prehistoric Micromalthidae.^[2][1]

Micromalthidae is one of the first groups of beetles to evolve shortened elytra, along with Gyrinidae.^[5]