Endopterygote
Guides
Boreus reductus
Snow scorpionfly
Boreus reductus is a wingless species of snow scorpionfly in the family Boreidae, order Mecoptera. Adults are active during winter months and can be observed hopping across snow and ice. Unlike many Mecoptera, this species lacks functional wings entirely. Adults and larvae feed on mosses and liverworts. Males possess enlarged, upward-curving genitalia that resemble a scorpion's stinger, giving the group its common name. The species engages in a distinctive mating behavior where males carry females on their backs.