Heterometaboly (Noun)
Meaning
Development of insects with incomplete metamorphosis in which no pupal stage precedes maturity.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- In some insect species, such as true bugs and grasshoppers, heterometaboly is the typical form of development, resulting in young that resemble miniature adults.
- Heterometaboly is a characteristic of insects in the orders Orthoptera, and Hemiptera, where there is no dramatic transformation between juvenile and adult stages.
- The term heterometaboly is sometimes considered synonymous with hemimetaboly or incomplete metamorphosis, although technically it specifically refers to certain insects within hemimetaboly.
- Dragonfly and cockroach young undergo a process of development called heterometaboly, in which their young form gradually approaches the adult form without a distinct resting or pupal stage.
- During heterometaboly, the immature stages usually go through a series of ecdyses as they increase in size and gradually acquire more adult features.