metamorphosis

Also known as biological metamorphosis, Metamorphosis, Biological

thumb|A dragonfly undergoing the final moult of its metamorphosis; in this process it transforms from its nymphal form to its adult stage

AI overview

Metamorphosis is a biological process where animals undergo dramatic physical transformations, such as when a dragonfly changes from its aquatic nymphal form into a winged adult. This process matters because it allows animals to adapt to different environments and lifestyles at different stages of their lives, increasing their survival and reproductive success.

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Image: Metamorphosis of butterfly (PSF).png

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Commons category: Metamorphosis (biology)

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Article

19 sections

Contents

Etymology
Hormonal control
Insects
Development and terminology
Evolution
Temperature-dependent metamorphosis
Recent research
Chordata
Amphioxus
Fish
Amphibians <span class="anchor" id="amphibian_anchor"></span>
Frogs and toads
Salamanders
Newts
Caecilians
See also
References
Bibliography
External links

thumb|A dragonfly undergoing the final moult of its metamorphosis; in this process it transforms from its nymphal form to its adult stage

Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops including birth transformation or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some insects, fish, amphibians, mollusks, crustaceans, cnidarians, echinoderms, and tunicates undergo metamorphosis, which is often accompanied by a change of nutrition source or behavior. Animals can be divided into species that undergo complete metamorphosis ("holometaboly"), incomplete metamorphosis ("hemimetaboly"), or no metamorphosis ("ametaboly").