Exopterygota (Noun)
Meaning
Subclass of insects characterized by gradual and usually incomplete metamorphosis.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Exopterygota, which include cockroaches and crickets, exhibit gradual and incomplete metamorphosis from egg to adult stages.
- In the subclass Exopterygota, the young often resemble the adults, with wings and reproductive organs developing gradually.
- Butterflies and moths belong to a different group, the Endopterygota, which is distinct from the Exopterygota.
- Dragonflies, like other Exopterygota, undergo incomplete metamorphosis, with distinct juvenile stages preceding the adult form.
- Some researchers consider the Exopterygota to be a paraphyletic group, with the characteristic incomplete metamorphosis not being unique to this subclass.