1. Complete and Incomplete Metamorphosis
Let’s look at the difference!
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2. Metamorphosis actually means "change".
What is metamorphosis?
Metamorphosis refers to the way that certain organisms develop, grow, and change form.
Metamorphosis actually means "change".
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3. Two Types of Metamorphosis
COMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS -
has FOUR stages.
INCOMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS - has THREE stages (p.s. incomplete doesn’t mean not finished. It just means that the adult in complete metamorphosis is completely different from the larva. A nymph and its adult form are not completely different. They’re only a little different.)
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4. COMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS
Let’s take a closer look at each stage!
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5. 4 STAGES OF COMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS
Egg
Larva
Pupa
Adult
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6. EGG
The female lays eggs.
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7. LARVA
Larva hatch from the eggs. They do not look like adult insects. They usually have a worm-like shape.
Caterpillars, maggots, and grubs are all just the larval stages of insects. Larvae molt their skin several times and they grow slightly larger.
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8. PUPA BACK NEXT Larva make cocoons around themselves.
Larva don't eat while they're inside their cocoons.
Their bodies develop into an adult shape with wings, legs, internal organs, etc.
This change takes anywhere from 4 days to many months.
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9. ADULT
Inside the cocoon, the larvae change into adults. After a period of time, the adult breaks out of the cocoon.
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10. INCOMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS
Let’s take a closer look at each stage!
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11. 3 STAGES OF INCOMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS
Egg
Nymph
Adult
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12. EGG
A female insect lays eggs. These eggs are often covered by an egg case which protects the eggs and holds them together.
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13. NYMPH BACK NEXT The eggs hatch into nymphs.
Nymphs looks like small adults, but usually don't have wings.
Insect nymphs eat the same food that the adult insect eats.
Nymphs shed or molt their exoskeletons (outer casings made up of a hard substance called chitin) and replace them with larger ones several times as they grow.
Most nymphs molt 4-8 times.
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14. ADULT
The insects stop molting when they reach their adult size. By this time, they have also grown wings.
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15. WHAT ABOUT FROGS? BACK NEXT
Frogs undergo a different type of COMPLETE METAMORPHOSIS.
From the egg emerges a tadpole, which lives in the water, breathes with gills, and has a tail.
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16. As the tadpole grows, lungs and legs form, and the gills and tail are absorbed into the body.
Finally, the animal leaves the water and lives mainly on land, as a frog.
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17. Let’s see what we know!
Take the quiz!
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18. QUESTION #1 What are the two types of metamorphosis? Complete
Incomplete
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19. QUESTION #2 How many stages are there in complete metamorphosis? BACK
Answer: 4
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20. QUESTION #3 - Name the stages in complete metamorphosis. BACK NEXT Egg
Larva
Pupa
Adult
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21. QUESTION #4 How many stages are there in incomplete metamorphosis?
Answer: 3
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22. QUESTION #5 Name the stages of incomplete metamorphosis? BACK NEXT Egg
Nymph
Adult
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23. QUESTION #6
Identify the cycle as complete or incomplete metamorphosis.
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24. QUESTION #7
Identify the cycle as complete or incomplete metamorphosis.
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25. QUESTION #8 A B C D
Identify each stage of the complete metamorphosis of the butterfly.
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26. QUESTION #9
Identify the lifecycle of the frog as complete or incomplete metamorphosis.
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27. Once you’ve completed your worksheet, turn it in
Once you’ve completed your worksheet, turn it in. Then you can click on one of the games below to practice learning about life cycles
Life Cycle Games
Life Cycle of Flowering Plants
Plant Life Cycle (click on part 3)
Plant Reproduction (click on part 3)
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