1. University of Sulaimania
School of Science
Department of Biology
2nd Class Year
Practical Entomology
2011-2012
10 Lab. th
Insect Metamorphosis
and
Life Cycle
Lecturer: Farhad A. Khudhur

2. Objective
• This Lab. aim to give basic knowledge
about insect metamorphosis.
• Provide familiarities about
Holometabolous and non holometabolous
insects.

3. Metamorphosis
• Ecologically similar larvae and adults
– “Ametabola” = Egg–young–adult
• Silverfish, Firebrat.
– “Paurometabola” = Egg–larva–adult
Cockroaches, Grasshoppers, Crickets, Pray Mantis, Stick-like
and leaf-like insects, Termites, Earwigs, Aphids, True Bugs,
Cicadas, Lice.
• Ecologically different larvae and adults
– “Hemimetabola” = Egg–larva–adult
• Mayfly, Dragonfly, Damselfly, Stonefly.
– Holometabola = Egg–larva–pupa–adult
• Aphidlion, Antlion, Beetles, Butterflies, Moths, Caddisfly, Flies,
Mosquitoes, Bees, Wasps, Ants.

4. Ametabolous
(No metamorphic)
Firebrat &
Silverfish

5. Paurometabola

6. Paurometabola

8. Hemimetabola
Mayfly

9. Hemimetabola
Damselfly

10. Hemimetabola
Dragonfly

16. References
• Imes, Rick. (2000). Beginner’s guide to Entomology. London.
Chancellor Press, 160 pp.
• Gillot, Cedric. (2005). Entomology. 3rd ed. Springer,
Dordrecht., The Netherlands. 831 pp.
• Grzimek’s Animal Life Encyclopedia, 2nd edition. Volume 3,
Insects, edited by Michael Hutchins, Arthur V. Evans, Rosser
W. Garrison,
• Resh, Vincent H. & Cardé, Ring T. (2003). Encyclopedia of
Insects. USA. Academic Press, Elsevier Science, 1266 pp.
• Elzinga, Richard J. (1997). Fundamentals of Entomology. 4th
ed. New Jersey, Prentice-Hall, Inc. 475 pp.