Marlene on Matriphagy: Who Consumes Whom

Matriphagy means that offspring consume their mother—not the other way round.

The desert spider Stegodyphus lineatus is a well-described example. Here, the behavior occurs early in the offspring’s lives, within the first few weeks. That is a species-specific account, not a rule for every spider.

For Lineage Devour, the connection is literal material passing between generations: the mother’s body becomes nourishment for her offspring. The term fixes the direction of that transfer. It does not tell us a motive, confer a virtue, or supply a human family lesson.

—Marlene