Id this alien please

[Arachnoboy]

Bought a book that's called "rainforests",it's an old book (1988) and inside is a picture of some sort of insect. Anyone who's got any idea of what it is??
There is no explanation in the book,it says: Only a few scientists has worked with this group of insects,their way of life is unknown,it is also unknown if this is the larvae stage or an adult specimen.

Ken

 

[Dark Raptor]

I got it!
This is larvae of a lycid beetle (family Lycidae), probably genus Duliticola (or other relative taksons).

You can find more info and some photos here:

http://biodiversity.uno.edu/delta/elateria/www/lycidlf.htm
http://newshub.nus.edu.sg/ke/0101/articles/dead_mammals.htm
http://dinets.travel.ru/malay2.htm

Special thanks for dr Tykarski (Warsaw University), who identified this invertebrate.

 

[SpaceHawk]

That is crazy looking. Looks like a trilobite. I want one, but only if it'll stay in its larvae stage

 

[roach dude]

i realy doies look like a trilobite!!! that is soo cool!

 

[Randolph XX()]

does it glow in the dark like fire flies?

 

[Dark Raptor]

As I know, they don't glow. But they are close relatives of Lampyridae beetles.

 

[Malkavian]

I swear I've seen something similar to that crawing in the bottom of an NC backwater creek....was something like 16 years ago though so my memory could be fuzzy..

 

[JonDaAzn]

yeah, they have something similar in california, i remember catching them in creeks as a kid

 

[Scythemantis]

That is crazy looking. Looks like a trilobite. I want one, but only if it'll stay in its larvae stage

Apparently the females not only do just that, but continue growing larger! They seem to be over an inch or two in length, not too shabby. It's a shame they're apparently so rare and obscure.

 

[Black Hawk]

i want one! it's so cute!