fˈiːmeɪlz ɑːɹ jˈuːʒuːəli wˈɪŋləs ænd lˈʊk lˈaɪk lˈɑːɹviː, bˌʌt hæv ɐn ɐdˈʌlt bˈiːɾəlz ˈaɪz, æntˈɛniː ænd lˈɛɡz; ɪnðə dʒˈɛnəs dˈɪpləklˌædən, ðeɪ ɹᵻzˈɛmbəl lˈɑːɹviː ˈiːvən mˈoːɹ, wɪð smˈɔːl lˈaɪt ˈɔːɹɡənz ˌɔn ˈɔːl tɹˈʌŋk sˈɛɡmənts.
Females are usually wingless and look like larvae, but have an adult beetle's eyes, antennae and legs; in the genus Diplocladon, they resemble larvae even more, with small light organs on all trunk segments.