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Glite Dictionary
hemimetabolous

hemimetabolous

9.9
Having young that change slowly into adults without a pupal stage
  • adjective
  • /ˌhɛmɪˈmɛtəˌboʊləs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : hemimetabólico
  • Grasshoppers are classic examples of hemimetabolous development.

Examples

  • Unlike butterflies, which have a pupal stage, hemimetabolous insects do not undergo a drastic transformation.

  • Insects like mayflies are hemimetabolous, undergoing gradual changes rather than a complete metamorphosis.

  • Dragonflies are hemimetabolous insects, with young that live in water and differ greatly from adults.

  • The hemimetabolous insects develop through several nymph stages.

  • Many grasshoppers are hemimetabolous and do not have a pupal stage.

  • Dragonflies are hemimetabolous insects that progress through nymph stages, differing significantly from their adult form.

  • Grasshoppers exhibit hemimetabolous development, where the young do not resemble the adults at first.

Synonyms

hemimetabolic
vshemimetabolous
  • Specialized
9.9

Insect development where young grow into adults by shedding skins without a pupal stage

emphasizes the gradual transformation rather than molting details
hemimetamorphic
vshemimetabolous
  • Specialized
9.9

An insect whose young live in water and do not look like the adult

refers generally without specifying aquatic young
hemimetamorphous
vshemimetabolous
  • Specialized
9.9

An insect whose young live in water and slowly change into adults that look different

refers generally without specifying aquatic young

How Complete

holometabolous
  • Specialized
9.9
hemimetabolous
  • Specialized
9.9
ametabolous
  • Specialized
9.9

Surface Forms

hemimetabolous positive

Morphology

hemimetabolous = metabolous (semi-transparent) = hemi + metabolous

Formed by the productive prefix 'hemi-' plus the technical adjective 'metabolous', so the structure is interpretable for users with biology or morphological knowledge but may be obscure to average learners.

Etymology

Hemimetabolous breaks into hemi- meaning 'half', as in hemisphere, and metabolous linked to metamorphosis, the idea of 'change'. So a hemimetabolous insect makes a 'half' or partial change as it grows, with young that gradually become adults rather than changing all at once.