Incomplete metamorphosis
- Pronunciation
- /in-kuhm-PLEET met-uh-MAWR-fuh-sis/
- Category
- Development
- Singular
- Incomplete metamorphosis
- Plural
- Incomplete metamorphoses
Definition
A type of metamorphosis in insects where development involves three stages: egg, nymph, and adult, without a pupal stage.
Etymology
From Latin 'in-', meaning 'not', and Greek 'metamorphosis', meaning 'transformation'.
Example
Grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis, transitioning directly from nymph to adult without a pupal stage.
Synonyms
- Hemimetabolism
- Hemimetaboly
Related Terms
- Nymph
- Molting
- Life cycle
- Exopterygota
Usage Notes
Incomplete metamorphosis is characteristic of insects in the orders Hemiptera, Orthoptera, and Odonata, among others.