Phylum Arthropoda: Metamorphosis in Insects

INTRODUCTION

The word “metamorphosis” comes from the Greek which means to transform.
Metamorphosis is the process of transformation of an immature larval individual
into sexually mature reproducing adult. The transformed adult is completely
different from larvae in form, structure and habit. It is the way insects grow and
mature. Their lives are divided into separate stages for resting, growing and
reproducing.
Humans grow gradually. You began life as a baby and grow a little at a time
until you’re an adult. While you’re growing, the basic plan of your body doesn’t
change. You have the same body your whole life. Insects grow in stages and the
cycle of stages is metamorphosis. For many insects, the stages are so different
from one another that you might not recognize them as the same animal.
There are four types of metamorphosis in insects namely,

 No-metamorphosis,

 Complete metamorphosis,

 Gradual metamorphosis,

 Incomplete metamorphosis.
Most insects begin life as an egg and hatch within a few days of being laid. But
there are some insects that will live through an entire season as an egg before
hatching. The insects that stay in the egg longer need more time to grow and
become strong enough to live outside of the egg. When the temperature
becomes warm and comfortable these tiny insects will break out of their eggs
and, depending on the species, will go through any of the above said types of
metamorphosis.
The following is the description of types of metamorphosis,
NO METAMORPHOSIS
This type of metamorphosis is also known as ametabolous development. In this
type, the newly hatched creature looks like an adult except in size and
differences in armature of spines and setae.

Examples Orders

Silverfish Collembola

Springtail Collembola

Chewing lice Mallophaga

Sucking lice Anoplura

INCOMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS
This type of metamorphosis is also known as hemimetabolous development. In this type, the
immature stages are called as nymphs or naiads. These immature stages are aquatic and they
respire with the help of tracheal gills. On the other hand the adults are terrestrial and respire with
the help of tracheae.
 Examples Orders

Grasshoppers Orthoptera

Termites Isoptera

Booklice Corrodentia

Thrips Thysanoptera

Truebugs Hemiptera

Aphids Homoptera

Earwigs Darmaptera

GRADUAL METAMORPHOSIS
This type of metamorphosis is also known as paurometabolous development. In
this type, the newly hatched young ones resemble the adult in general body
form but lacks wings and external genital appendages. The young nymphs
undergo several nymphal stages through successive moulting to transform into
adult.
 Examples Orders

Mayflies Ephemeroptera

Dragonflies Odonata

Stone-flies Plecoptera

COMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS
This type of metamorphosis is also known as holometabolous development. In
this type, four metamorphic stages are included namely egg, larva, pupa and
adult. After hatching larva moults several times to become fully grown one. It
later becomes a pupa within a secreted case called as puparium. Inside the
puparium, the pupa differentiates into adult and then breaks open the case to
emerge out.
 Examples Orders

Lacewings Neuroptera

Beetles Coleoptera

Scorpion-flies Mecoptera

Coddid-flies Trichoptera

Moths, Butterflies Lepidoptera

Flies Diptera

Fleas Siphonoptera

Wasps, bees Hymenoptera

HORMONAL CONTROL OF METAMORPHOSIS

The role of hormones in the physiology of molting was first described by V. B.
Wigglesworth in the 1930's. When an immature insect has grown sufficiently, it
requires a larger exoskeleton then the sensory input from the body activates
certain neurosecretory cells in the brain. These neurons respond by
secreting brain hormone (BH) which triggers the corpora cardiaca to
release prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) into the circulatory system.
 This sudden release of PTTH stimulates the prothoracic glands to
secrete molting hormone/Prothoracic gland hormone (PGH) . These PGHs
are ecdysteroids which trigger moulting process.

PGH affects many cells throughout the body, but its principle function is to stimulate a

series of physiological events also known as apolysis. Apolysis leads to synthesis of a

new exoskeleton. During this process, the new exoskeleton forms as a soft, wrinkled

layer underneath the hard parts of the old exoskeleton. The duration of apolysis

ranges from days to weeks, depending on the species and its characteristic growth

rate. Once new exoskeleton has formed, the insect is ready to shed off its old

exoskeleton. At this stage, the insect body is covered by two layers of exoskeleton

and it is called as pharate.

Toward the end of apolysis, ecdysteroid concentration falls, and neurosecretory cells

in the ventral ganglia begin secreting eclosion hormone. This hormone triggers

ecdysis, the physical process of shedding the old exoskeleton. In addition, a rising

concentration of eclosion hormone stimulates other neurosecretory cells in the ventral

ganglia to secrete bursicon, a hormone that causes hardening and darkening of the

integument due to the formation of quinone cross-linkages in the exocuticle

(sclerotization).

In immature insects, juvenile hormone (JH) is secreted by the corpora allata prior to

each molt. This hormone inhibits the genes that promote development of adult

characteristics causing the insect to remain in immature state. Corpora allata

becomes atrophied during the last larval stage and stops producing juvenile hormone.

This releases inhibition on development of adult structures and causes the insect to

molt into an adult

At the approach of sexual maturity in the adult stage, brain neurosecretory cells

release a brain hormone that "reactivates" the corpora allata, stimulating renewed

production of juvenile hormone. In adult females, juvenile hormone stimulates

production of yolk for the eggs. In adult males, it stimulates the accessory glands to

produce proteins needed for seminal fluid and the case of the spermatophore. In the

absence of normal juvenile hormone production, the adults remain sexually sterile.

The following table contains the details of the hormones involved in the process of

metamorphosis,
Chemical
Hormone Secreted by Function
nature

Brain Hormone (BH) Neurosensory Lipids Activates corpora cardiaca

cells

Prothoracicotrophic Corpora Ecdysteroid Stimulates prothoracic

hormone (PTTH) cardiaca s glands

Prothoracic gland hormone Prothoraacic Ecysone triggers moulting

(PGH) glancs

Juvenile hormone (JH) Corpora allata Lipids Regulates morphogenesis

and promotes
metamorphosis