Micromalthidae
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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,<ref name="Tihelka2019">Template:Cite journal</ref> the oldest being the Late Permian Archaeomalthus synoriacos.<ref name="Yan2019"/> It is one of the oldest families of beetles still existing today.<ref name="Tihelka2019"/>
Micromalthus debilis is remarkable for its paedogenetic reproductive strategy which is almost unique in the animal kingdom, with the partial exception of Loricifera,<ref name="Normark2013">Template:Cite journal</ref> and that could have already evolved in prehistoric Micromalthidae.<ref name="kirejtshuk2008"/><ref name="Yan2019"/>