The molted exoskeleton of a damselfly nymph.
The molted exoskeleton of a damselfly nymph. The inverted tracheal linings are visible extending from the opening in the exoskeleton near the head. As a nymph living under water, the damselfly breaths through gills in its tail. When it molts, it switches from aquatic to terrestrial, and it needs to start breathing through tracheae. The linings of the tracheae are stripped out and left behind as the adult emerges from the nymphal exoskeleton.
Size: 5184px × 3456px
Location: Haydenville, Massachusetts, United States, , USA
Photo credit: © Custom Life Science Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: arthropod, arthropods, damselfly, exoskeleton, insect, insects, islc, molt, molted, nymph, odonata, respiration, trachaea, trachea
