10 animals with short lifespans

Life is too short, but some animals don’t even have the privilege to live beyond three years. 

They reach maturity early, reproduce, and die. You’ve probably come across some of these animals—but never realised how briefly they live.

Here are the animals with a short lifespan:

1. Mayfly (24 hours)

Mayflies are aquatic insects with over 3,000 species worldwide. They are a unique and favourite food of many fish. 

At the subimago stage (a stage between the pupa and imago), which they barely survive, some don’t even make it beyond 90 minutes. 

The main function of adult mayflies is reproduction, they do not feed; their digestive systems are filled with air.

2. Worker Bee (5 – 7 weeks)

Worker bees or honeybees are behind most of the crop pollination services across the world. 

They gather into the pollen baskets on their back legs and take it to the hive, where it is used as food for the brood.

The lifespan of worker bees fluctuates during the summer and winter, but they live between five to seven weeks.

3. Pygmy Goby (59 days)

The pygmy goby is a type of fish in the subfamily of Gobionellinae that resides in mangrove areas found among plants or muddy bottoms. It is one of the smallest fish species in the world. 

Pygmy gobies are transparent and colourless with an elongated and robust body. 

READ ALSO: Five Animals that don’t eat — and how they survive without food

4. Luna Moth (2 months)

The Luna moth is usually found in the United States. They produce different numbers of generations per year based on the climate they live in. Luna moths mate when they are energetic, and once they emerge from their cocoon, lunas are unable to feed, which leads to death. 

5. Labord’s Chameleon (4-5 months)

Labord’s chameleon is native to southwest Madagascar, where they grow rapidly and reach maturity within two months. Labord’s begin to decline after reproduction, then they die. 

6. African Turquoise Killifish (4-6 months)

The African turquoise killifish’s lifespan is determined by seasons. When born during the rainy season, they grow quickly and begin to breed within two to three weeks. Embryos laid during the dry season literally go through diapause – a pause in growth.

7. Atlantic Pygmy Octopus (4-12 months)

The Atlantic pygmy octopus is another animal with a short lifespan. They are found in the warm waters of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean.

This animal changes colour from time to time, and it is about 5.5 inches in length. Pygmy octopuses mature and mate within a short time before death. 

8. Paedophryne Amauensis (6-12 months)

Paedophryne Amauensis is a type of frog found in the rainforest in Papua New Guinea among littered leaves. 

It is about 0.3 inches long. Their life cycle does not include the tadpole stage, a larval stage in the biological life cycle of an amphibian. 

9. House Mouse (12-18 months)

The house mouse is a member of the rodent family called Muridae. It is a small mammal with large, rounded ears and a pointed nose. 

This animal benefits a lot from living or associating with humans, which is why the wild population is quite less. 

When a mouse becomes sexually mature, the males grow testicles, the females grow nipples and mammary glands.

 10. Fresno Kangaroo Rat (10 months – 3 years)

The Fresno kangaroo rat is native to the San Joaquin Valley in California. It is about 9 inches long. It is the tenth animal with a short lifespan.

The Fresno rat has been listed as one of the endangered animals in the world due to habitat destruction.

Kangaroo rats do not run but use their limbs to jump and their tails for balance. They use their legs to gather food.