Biology

Metamorphosis: Types, Examples and Stages

Types of metamorphosis
Types of metamorphosis

Change in the shape and form of an animal that it undergoes during its development from an egg to the adult form is called metamorphosis.  There are two types of metamorphosis, complete metamorphosis and incomplete metamorphosis. Four stages of metamorphosis are also provided here.

Example

Insects, frogs, etc.

Type of metamorphosis

Metamorphosis is of two types.

1.Complete metamorphosis

2.incomplete metamorphosis

Complete metamorphosis

The process of complete metamorphosis completes in four stages i.e.

Egg                →                 Larva                  → pupa               →adult

Egg

The adult female insect lays eggs.

Larva:

The young one, the larva hatches out of the egg is completely different from adults. It feeds actively and moves about.

Pupa:

After storing food inside the body it encloses itself in a cover to become a pupa.     

Adult ;

  After going through further changes, the pupa comes out of the capsule, it is now termed as an adult, because it resembles its parents

Example

  • Mosquito
  • Housefly
  • Butterfly

Incomplete metamorphosis

Process of incomplete metamorphosis consists of three developmental stages i.e.

Egg        →       nymph      →     adult

Egg:

The adult female insect lays eggs.

Nymph:   the miniature young one, called nymph emerges out of egg which closely resembles the adult. It lacks wings and has immature reproductive organs.

Adult: after the development of wings and maturity of reproductive organs, the nymph becomes adult.

Example

  • Cockroach
  • Honey bee
  • Termite

See also: Characteristics of mammals

 

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