Hemimetamorphosis (Noun)
Meaning
Incomplete or partial metamorphosis in insects.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- Insects undergoing hemimetamorphosis undergo a series of molts before reaching adulthood, but no dramatic transformation inside a pupa like flies and butterflies.
- Hemimetamorphosis is most commonly seen in insects like dragonflies, grasshoppers, and crickets, which exhibit incomplete metamorphosis.
- The lifecycle of true bugs, which includes cicadas and leafhoppers, is an example of hemimetamorphosis, with three distinct life stages: egg, nymph, and adult.
- Unlike complete metamorphosis, hemimetamorphosis in insects such as katydids and earwigs does not involve a dramatic transformation, with the young nymph closely resembling the adult.
- In some insects like stick insects and praying mantis, hemimetamorphosis occurs gradually as the animal molts and grows, eventually reaching its adult form.