Discover a SUMMARY of the metamorphosis of insects

From the acquaintance group of insects we can speak of a great variety of animals, some with surprising capacities, which have always awakened the interest of human beings, being a group of animals whose main characteristic is their gigantic diversity. One of the most recognized characteristics, and one that has always surprised human beings, is metamorphosis. Therefore in this lesson from a TEACHER we are going to offer you a summary of the metamorphosis of insects.

The word metamorphosis is very old, coming from ancient Greek, being used at that time to talk about great transformations. A great transformation was considered to be when one thing mutated or changed to another very different, being in some cases impossible to relate that thing before and after the mutation. With the passage of time this word began to be used to talk about the great changes of some animals.

Metamorphosis can refer to many things, but in the study of animals it refers to great evolutions that certain groups of animals perform

during its development. The metamorphoses can vary depending on the species that performs it, and they can be totally animals different if we observe its birth and its outcome, undergoing changes as incredible as the change of gender.

There are many groups of animals that perform metamorphosis, although the only vertebrates that suffer it are amphibians. Without a doubt the animals that carry out the metamorphosis the most are insects, being the group of animals whose metamorphosis is most recognized.

The insect metamorphosis is characterized by rupture of existing tissues in its larval period, and its replacement by new cellular tissues. In this period, a series of phases that the animal goes through in its growth are usually seen, these phases being variable, although there is always a larval phase and an adult phase.

To continue this lesson on the metamorphosis of insects, we must talk about the types of metamorphoses that insects can have. These types of metamorphoses are two, depending on the species of insect that performs it. The two types of metamorphoses are as follows.

Simple metamorphosis

Simple metamorphosis can be called in different ways, other names being that of hemimetabolism or that of incomplete metamorphosis. This metamorphosis is characterized by having three phases: egg, nymph and adult. They are gradual changes, not being total changes, for example there is a great resemblance between the nymph and adult stages.

The insects of this type of metamorphosis are shedding their skin, without having any inactive period, until they have wings and mature sexual organs, being at this moment when he becomes a mature being, and no longer needs to continue evolving.

Simple metamorphosis is characteristic of many groups of insects, among which are the following:

• Hemiptera
• Orthoptera
• Mantles
• Blatodeos
• Dermapteros
• Odonates
• Fasmatodea
• Ephemeroptera
• Phthiraptera
• Plecoptera
• Grylloblattodea

Complete metamorphosis

Like the simple metamorphosis, the complex also receives numerous names depending on who speaks of it, also calling it complicated metamorphosis or holometabolism.

This metamorphosis is characterized because the insect has 4 phases, that is, one more than in simple metamorphosis. These 4 phases are as follows:

1. Embryo: It is the phase that takes place inside the egg, which ends when the insect is able to break it and go outside.
2. Larva: It is the immature phase of the insect, in it it has reduced mobility and its function is to feed itself to be able to move to the next phase of metamorphosis. The larvae are very different from the adult specimen, looking like a totally different animal.
3. Pupa: It is the phase in which the animal is completely immobile, taking place in it the changes that will cause it to pass to its adult form. Many of the insects are protected in this phase by a kind of protection, to defend themselves from predators.
4. Adult: The insect reaches its final form, being the complete animal. In this way the insect stops shedding its skin.

The orders formed by the animals that perform the complete metamorphosis are the following:

• Raphidioptera
• Megaloptera
• Neuroptera
• Mecoptera
• Coleoptera
• Siphonaptera
• Diptera
• Trichoptera
• Lepidoptera
• Hymenoptera