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How do dragonfly larvae capture prey underwater?
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Odonata
Male jewelwing damselfly (Calopteryx splendens).
Dragonfly larvae, which are aquatic, capture prey using a specialized anatomical structure known as the "mask". This mask is a fusion of the larva's third pair of mouthparts and is disproportionately large, folding beneath the head and thorax when not in use.1
When the larva detects prey—such as mosquito larvae, worms, crustaceans, tadpoles, or small fish—it extends this mask rapidly. At the end of the mask is a set of fanglike pincers designed to seize the target. This unique adaptation allows the larvae to be highly effective predators within their aquatic environments.1