Question

In hypermetamorphosis, there are
A. Several larval moultings
B. More than one pupal stage
C. Several larval stages showing different structure and habits
D. Several types of larvae

Answer 1

Hint: Hypermetamorphosis, also known as heteromorphosis, is used in entomology. It is a complete insect metamorphosis that involves morphologically different premature stages.

Complete solution:
Hypermetamorphosis, also known as heteromorphosis, is used in entomology which refers to a class of variants of holometabolism. It is a complete insect metamorphosis. In hypermetamorphosis, several of the larval instars are functionally and morphologically different from each other. In holometabolous insects like flies, moths or wasps, all larval stages look similar, growing larger as the insect matures. While in hyper metamorphic insects, at least one instar, generally the first, differs substantially from the rest. In many hyper metamorphic species, first instars are a few, tiny, very mobile larvae that find their way to a food source. The term for a mobile-first instar is a planidium, from the Greek language: planos meaning "roaming". The examples of first-instar larval morphology are campodeiform. It is elongated, flattened, and active, roughly resembling the morphology of insects of the genus Campodea.

So, the correct answer is option C.

Additional Information:
Hypermetamorphosis commonly occurs as an adaptation of ontogeny of certain parasitoid insects:
i. Beetle families Meloidae and Ripiphoridae,
ii. Order Strepsiptera
iii. Flies in the families Acroceridae, Bombyliidae and Nemestrinidae,
iv. The Neuropteran family Mantispidae and
v. The parasitic wasp family Eucharitidae.

Note: In the planidial form, a lot of species do not feed; they change their skin first and then change their bodily form to a form more suited to eating rather than seeking food. The second instar is however completely different in appearance and behaviour, often turning into grub- or maggot-like in the instars prior to pupation.