Complete Metamorphosis vs. Incomplete Metamorphosis

Main Difference

The main difference between Complete metamorphosis and Incomplete metamorphosis is that complete metamorphosis comprises of a very active, voraciously eating larva and an inactive pupa whereas incomplete metamorphosis involves of a nymph, which looks like a miniature adult.

Difference Between Complete Metamorphosis and Incomplete Metamorphosis

Comparison Chart

Complete Metamorphosis vs. Incomplete Metamorphosis

Complete metamorphosis comprises of a very active, voraciously eating larva and an inactive pupa whereas incomplete metamorphosis involves a nymph, which looks like a miniature adult. The complete metamorphosis contains four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult whereas incomplete metamorphosis includes three stages: egg, nymph, and adult. The exoskeleton of the insect is fully molting during the complete metamorphosis, but certain portions of the exoskeleton of the insect remain through the whole lifetime in incomplete metamorphosis. Complete metamorphosis occurs in wasps, beetles, moths, mosquitoes, ants, and fleas while incomplete metamorphosis occurs in the cockroach, termites, dragonfly, grasshopper, praying mantis, and cockroaches. The final stage of the insect develops reproductively successful in complete metamorphosis whereas some of the earlier phases of the insect are reproductively successful in incomplete metamorphosis. The complete metamorphosis contains larva which is entirely different from an adult in the body as well as food habit whereas incomplete metamorphosis consists of a nymph which resembles a nymph in shape as well as food habit. Complete metamorphosis is also known as perfect metamorphosis, or holometabolous whereas incomplete metamorphosis is also known as imperfect metamorphosis and hemimetabolous

What is Complete metamorphosis?

Complete metamorphosis is the type of insect growth that includes four different stages as egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages, which differ significantly in morphology. The complete metamorphosis begins with the laying of eggs by the female insect. The larva is the second stage of the complete metamorphosis, hatch from the eggs. Eggs from a mating female reach the larval stage. The larval stage can entirely differ from the adult stage in morphology, behavior, food, size, and habitat. The larval body is soft and worm-like. The larva is voraciously feeding and store much food inside them to ready for the next stage of their lifecycle. Due to the great hunger for food, the larval stage shows very fast growth. During their growth, the larva molts their skin several times. The pupal stage starts with the formation of cocoons around it and stays inside without eating and moving. Their bodies improve more sections, legs, internal organs, and wings and the stage ranges from four days to many months conditional on the species. The breakdown of the cocoon frees a fully developed larva. Butterflies, beetles, moths, ants, fleas, bees, and wasps are examples of the complete metamorphosis.

What is Incomplete Metamorphosis?

Incomplete metamorphosis denotes to a type of insect growth in which regular changes occur in the insect during the progress from the egg to the adult. There are three stages of the incomplete metamorphosis known as egg, nymph, and adult. The eggs are lay by the female insect upon mating with a fertile male. The egg case protects and covers the eggs when the proper conditions are present, and the eggs hatch into younger nymphs. The nymph looks mostly like the adult without wings, but small in size and their food routines are also the same as the adults. It grows into the adult through a succession of molts. It shed its exoskeleton around 4-8 times. When it develops into an adult, the molting does not occur and start wandering in search of opposite sexes for mating. The incomplete metamorphosis occurs in termites, dragonflies, lice, true bugs, grasshoppers, praying mantis, crickets, and cockroaches.

Conclusion

Above this discussion, it concludes that incomplete and complete metamorphosis are two types of metamorphosis shown by insects. Complete metamorphosis comprises of a very active, voraciously eating larva and an inactive pupa oppositely incomplete metamorphosis comprises of a nymph, which looks like a miniature adult.