What is incomplete metamorphosis

The larval body is soft and worm-like. The characteristic feature of the larva is their ravenous feeding. Due to this great appetite for food, the larval stage shows very fast growth.

During their growth, larva molts their skin several times. The pupal stage begins with the formation of cocoons around the larvae. Butterfly cocoons are shown in figure 2. Figure 2: Butterfly Cocoons. The larva is inactive and does not feed when they are inside the cocoons. Their bodies develop more segments, internal organs, legs, and wings. The pupal stage may exist from 4 days to several months.

The break out of the cocoon frees a fully developed larva. Incomplete metamorphosis refers to a type of insect development in which gradual changes occur in the insect during the development from the egg to the adult.

Both complete and incomplete metamorphosis are shown in figure 3. Figure 3: Complete and Incomplete Metamorphosis. The three stages of the incomplete metamorphosis are egg, nymph, and adult. The eggs are laid by the female insect. In most cases, the eggs are covered by an egg case, which protects and hold the eggs together. The eggs hatch into younger nymphs. The nymph resembles the adult without wings. Synonym: hemimetabolism, hemimetaboly , hemimetamorphosis. Compare: complete metamorphosis.

See also: metamorphosis. Obtaining air outside an aquatic environment required species to acquire suitable adaptations, and this was the case of amphibians. However, they were limited by their inability to inhabit drylands. They eat the same food as their parents and live in the same place. As insect nymphs grow larger, their exoskeleton becomes too tight and they must replace it.

This will happen many times until the insect finally becomes the size of an adult. Insects that have an incomplete metamorphosis life cycle include true bugs, grasshoppers, cockroaches, termites, praying mantises, crickets, and lice. These two lubber grasshoppers are examples of a nymph and adult form. Can you tell which one is the nymph and which is the adult? Page Baluch. Incomplete Metamorphosis. Monarch Life Cycle.

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