Question

Distinguish between the following pair of terms: Incomplete and complete metamorphosis

Answer 1

Hint: Metamorphosis is a naturally occurring process found in arthropods by which an animal physically develops after birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and comparatively abrupt change within the animal's structure through cell growth and differentiation.

Complete answer: Arthropods can be divided into species undergoing either complete metamorphosis (holometabolous) or incomplete metamorphosis (hemimetaboly). Hormones (specifically known as molting and juvenile hormones), which aren't species-specific, apparently regulate these changes.
These physical changes that highly involve unique rates of growth and differentiation are amid alterations of the organism’s physiology, biochemistry, and behavior. The immature early stages/forms, or larvae, are adapted to environments and modes of life that differ from those of the adult forms.

Incomplete metamorphosis is the mode of development of certain insects that can be categorized into three distinct stages: the egg, the nymph, and lastly the adult stage (also known as the imago stage).
1. These groups undergo gradual changes to evolve into the final adult form.
2. The nymph, or immature insect, resembles the adult in morphology and eating patterns, although differing quite distinctly in size, body proportions, as well as their color pattern.
3. Rudimentary wings are visible and develop externally.
4. Insects showing this mode of development include grasshoppers, termites, and true bugs.
Complete, or holometabolous, metamorphosis is typically found in insects such as beetles, butterflies, moths, flies, and wasps.
1. Their life cycle is marked by the presence of four stages: the egg, larval stage, a pupal stage, and the adult stage.
2. The larva differs significantly from the adult.
3. It is devoid of wings, and its morphology and habits are more focused on growth and development instead of reproduction.

Note: Metamorphosis is a characteristic property of insects; it is characterized by a change of nutrition source or behavior of the species undergoing the process. The speed and extent of cell growth and differentiation vary from one species to another. In most species, such rapid and development take place during embryonic development itself.