There is an animal that lives only five minutes, and you will surely ask what is the meaning of their life? In fact, their only purpose in living is to reproduce, and although their lifespan is short, their existence dates back to 200 million years ago, which fully proves their amazing adaptability. Let's guess which animal has such a short life, and see if you can guess? #头条创作挑战赛 #
15. La Poud's chameleon
Size: 3 cm
Location: Madagascar
Lifespan: 4 months - 1 year
As a member of the lizard family, the Rab's chameleon holds the record for the shortest quadruped animal in existence. They spend most of their lives in developing embryos, only four to five months to fully grow during the rainy season in Madagascar. Females live the longest, but are rarely seen during the second mating season.
It is the shortest lifespan of the tetrapods, and although they spend about eight months in eggs, these lizards only survive for 4 to 5 months after hatching. They usually hatch in November and reach sexual maturity in January.
14. Atlantic pygmy octopus
Size: 9 cm
Location: Atlantic Ocean
Lifespan: 8-10 months
Also known as the Caribbean pygmy octopus or small egg octopus, this species is very small and can hide in clam shells, cans, or any small openings to protect itself from underwater predators.
It has the same ink sacs and special pigment cells as ordinary octopuses that change color and blend into the environment. The pups are fully formed at birth and can be preyed upon within hours of birth. However, they have a much shorter lifespan than the average octopus, which has a lifespan of only three to five years.
13. Dragonflies
Size: 2.5-10 cm
Location: Originally from Europe
Lifespan: 4-6 months
Of the oldest insects in the world, dragonflies were once much larger with a wingspan of 30 inches, making them the most famous flying insects in prehistoric times. Dragonflies spend most of their lives living as larvae or nymphs under the surface of ponds and streams.
The larvae can stay in the water for months or even years. However, once it emerges from the water and transforms into an adult dragonfly, it only survives for about four months.
12. Worker bees
Size: 1.2 cm
Origin: Native to Africa and Europe
Lifespan: 5 weeks - 8 months
Worker bees' job is to process nectar, brew honey and feed bee larvae. Bees active in summer have a shorter lifespan than bees active in winter. Their short lives are spent caring for queens and hives.
The lifespan of female worker bees depends on their workload. During the busy summer months, they only live for 5-6 weeks, male worker bees die minutes or hours after mating, and unsuccessful females are the first to be killed or driven out of the hive with limited resources. The average lifespan of bees is about eight weeks.
11. Dwarf goby
Size: 0.9-1.5 cm
Location: Australia
Lifespan: 59 days
The pygmy goby is one of the shortest known lifespans. Before adulthood, half of its life cycle is spent in the larval stage. Their short lifespan is due to a large number of predators, with a daily mortality rate of 8%.
These fish survive through a rapid reproductive cycle, with females laying 400 eggs at a time. It inhabits coral reef habitats at depths of 3 to 20 meters. This species is the shortest lived of the vertebrates, living up to 59 days at most. It serves as larvae for about three weeks, colonizes the reef for two weeks, and adult for three weeks.
10. Houseflies
Size: 0.5-1 cm
Location: All over the world except Antarctica
Lifespan: 25 days - 2 months
The entire life cycle of a fly is very short, only one to two months in total, even in warm temperatures and under optimal living conditions. In general, flies living in well-fed households can live for up to 60 days.
The eggs hatch in less than 24 hours, with the larval stage lasting 5 to 14 days, then the pupal stage, which lasts another 3 to 10 days. Female houseflies can lay up to 500 eggs at a time, and can lay as many as 10~12 generations in a summer.
9. Turquoise medaka
Size: 6 cm
Location: Africa
Lifespan: 35 days
Due to the short rainy season in Africa, the medaka must mature and spawn before the water dries up. They reach sexual maturity after 14 days and usually live for more than a month.
This annual killifish inhabits ephemeral ponds in semi-arid areas where precipitation is scarce and erratic and adapts to the daily drying of the environment by evolving dry-resistant eggs that can lie dormant in dry mud for a year or more into diapause.
8. Powder moth
Size: 1.5 cm
Location: Anywhere except Antarctica
Lifespan: 28 days
Also known as the wax worm, it is believed to have been first found in Indian cornmeal, hence the name. They are invasive pests that can bite through plastic and infect sealed food containers, most of which only live up to 28 days.
Their entire life cycle from egg to larvae, cocoons, and adults may be only one month, depending on the environment and temperature. These common pests, often mistaken for weevils, feed on foods such as rice noodles and other dried goods.
7. Male bee ants
Size: 1.2 cm
Location: Anywhere except Antarctica
Lifespan: 3 weeks
Unlike common ants, male bee ants have wings and resemble wasps. Each is male, and their purpose is to breed so that the population continues to grow. Their lifespan is very short – only three weeks, while queen bees can live up to a year and lay between 800 and 1,500 eggs per day.
Although an ant colony can exist for many years, not all individuals live long. Male male and female worker ants tend to have much shorter lifespans than queens. Male male bee ants are one of the shortest-lived species because they die after mating, which can occur within a few days of existence.
6. Fruit flies
Size: 3 mm
Location: Anywhere except Antarctica
Lifespan: 2 weeks
These small winged flies are attracted to overripe fruits, and although they are considered a pest, they play an important role in the ecosystem. They eat decaying substances that might otherwise turn into fungal or bacterial infections and attract rodents.
Fruit flies are most noticeable from spring to fall. They reproduce very quickly, laying up to 500 eggs in their short life cycle. Fruit flies may seem very annoying, but these small insects don't live long. Typically, adults can live for about 2 weeks even with the proper food supply.
5. American copper butterfly
Size: 1-3 cm
Location: North America
Lifespan: 2 weeks
Compared to other butterflies, the American copper butterfly has the shortest lifespan. Although they are usually solitary animals, they can be found in groups when mating or eating plant foods, which they generously share with other butterflies.
The American copper butterfly has beautiful, bright orange wings and is an agile flyer due to its wingspan. It is also the second fastest butterfly in the family Grey butterfly.
4. Mosquitoes
Size: 0.3-1 cm
Location: Originated in Africa, but now spread across the globe
Lifespan: 1+ weeks
Mosquitoes are an ancient species that has been around since the Jurassic era when dinosaurs roamed the earth. Interestingly, only female mosquitoes make the annoying buzzing sounds we hear as we fly around. They are also the only animals that bite people and animals. Thankfully, they have a short lifespan.
The entire life cycle of mosquitoes varies from 4 days to a month, and pupae develop into adult mosquitoes within 2-3 days. Generally, male mosquitoes have a shorter lifespan than female mosquitoes, averaging only about 6 to 10 days in adulthood. In contrast, females can consume blood to replenish nutrients to lay eggs and can live up to 5 months or more when food supplies are plentiful.
3. Luna moth
Size: Wingspan 7-17 cm
Location: Asia, North America
Lifespan: 1 week
Adult luna moths have no mouth, and they survive on fat stored in the larval stage. Their sole purpose was to reproduce, and then died soon after. For this reason, reproduction is essential to keep the species alive. Unfortunately, there are only two generations of luna moths in Pennsylvania each year, and they are most often found here.
If necessary, males fly long distances to mate, and females die after laying eggs. These brightly colored moths can grow up to 7 inches of wingspan and are rare due to their nocturnal habits.
2. Belly haired animals
Size: 1-2 mm
Location: Worldwide
Lifespan: 3 days
The belly hair is a miniature worm-like animal found in freshwater areas around the world. Often referred to as "hairy belly" or "hairy back," these organisms develop rapidly at the egg stage and hatch into miniature adults. Due to their short lifespan, rapid reproductive cycles are key to the survival of their species.
Their average lifespan is short, with most people only living around three days. However, some can live up to 21 days. They have transparent bodies and male and female organs for reproduction.
1、蜉蝣
Size: 0.3-2.5 cm
Location: All kinds of freshwater
Lifespan: 5 minutes - 24 hours
These tiny insects start their lives in the water where they lay their eggs and hatch soon after. Some mayfly nymphs stay in the water for months or even years. But once they emerge and metamorphose into adults, they live less than 24 hours. Mayflies go through 4 periods in their lives: egg, juvenile, subadult and adult, and their short lifespan is only for adults.
Of all the mayfly species, the American burrowing sand mayfly is one of the rarest and shortest-lived mayflies. They have an adult lifespan between 5 minutes and 2 hours and are only for the purpose of reproduction. #Animals#