Metamorphosis
Also known as: biological metamorphosis · metamorphosis, biological
- 1Metamorphosis is a biological process involving abrupt changes in an organism's body structure.
- 2The process occurs during the postembryonic development of various animals including insects and amphibians.
- 3Complete metamorphosis, or holometaboly, involves transition between radically different lifecycle stages.
- 4Incomplete metamorphosis, or hemimetaboly, occurs between stages that share similar physical traits.
- 5Ametaboly refers to species that do not undergo significant structural changes during development.
Metamorphosis is a biological process in which an animal undergoes a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in its body structure as part of its development.
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signature magical power of the enchantress
Circe is famously known for her ability to transform humans into animals, most notably turning Odysseus's crew into swine.
Metamorphosis is a biological process in which an animal undergoes a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in its body structure as part of its development. Some insects, fish, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans, cnidarians, echinoderms, and tunicates undergo metamorphosis, often accompanied by a change of nutrition or behavior. Some animal species undergo complete metamorphosis ("holometaboly") between radically different lifecycle stages; others have incomplete metamorphosis ("hemimetaboly") between somewhat similar stages, or no metamorphosis ("ametaboly"). Organisms with larval stages undergo metamorphosis to the adult stage.
A dragonfly undergoing the final moult of its metamorphosis; in this process it transforms from its nymphal form to its adult stageWikimedia CommonsIncomplete metamorphosis in the grasshopper with different instar nymphs. The largest specimen is adult.Wikimedia CommonsTwo types of metamorphosis are shown. In a complete ( holometabolous ) metamorphosis the insect passes through four distinct phases, which produce an adult that does not resemble the larva. In an incomplete ( hemimetabolous ) metamorphosis an insect does not go through a full transformation, but instead transitions fr...Wikimedia CommonsJust before metamorphosis, only 24 hours are needed to reach the stage in the next picture.Wikimedia CommonsAlmost functional common frog with some remains of the gill sac and a not fully developed jawWikimedia CommonsThe large external gills of the crested newtWikimedia Commons 81 words