Today we want to delve deeper into the topic of Holometabola, a topic that has gained relevance in recent years and that undoubtedly generates great interest among the population. Holometabola is a topic that covers multiple aspects and has been the subject of constant debate and analysis. In this article, we will explore different perspectives and approaches related to Holometabola, with the aim of providing a comprehensive view on this topic. From its origins to its impact today, Holometabola has captured the attention of academics, experts and the general public, being the object of study and interest in various areas. Without a doubt, Holometabola has become a relevant topic in contemporary society, which is why it is essential to deepen its understanding and scope.
Holometabola Temporal range: Mississippian origin
Molecular clock indicates a possible | |
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Panorpa communis, a scorpionfly (order Mecoptera) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Insecta |
(unranked): | Eumetabola |
(unranked): | Holometabola Burmeister, 1835 |
Orders | |
See text | |
Synonyms | |
Endopterygota Sharp, 1898 |
Holometabola (from Ancient Greek holo- "complete" + metabolḗ "change"), also known as Endopterygota (from endo- "inner" + ptéryg- "wing" + Neo-Latin -ota "-having"), is a superorder of insects within the infraclass Neoptera that go through distinctive larval, pupal, and adult stages. They undergo a radical metamorphosis, with the larval and adult stages differing considerably in their structure and behaviour. This is called holometabolism, or complete metamorphism.
The Holometabola constitute the most diverse insect superorder, with over 1 million living species divided between 11 orders, containing insects such as butterflies, flies, fleas, bees, ants, and beetles.
The earliest holometabolan fossils date from the Carboniferous.
The Holometabola are sometimes divided into three assemblages: Neuropterida (Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidioptera, Strepsiptera and Coleoptera), Hymenopteroida (Hymenoptera), and Panorpida (Siphonaptera, Diptera, Trichoptera, Lepidoptera and Mecoptera).
Molecular analysis has clarified the group's phylogeny, as shown in the cladogram.
Holometabola |
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(Endopterygota) |
The Endopterygota are distinguished from the Exopterygota by the way in which their wings develop. Endopterygota (literally "internal winged forms") develop wings inside the body and undergo an elaborate metamorphosis involving a pupal stage. Exopterygota ("external winged forms") develop wings on the outside their bodies and do not go through a pupal stage. The latter trait is plesiomorphic, however, as it is found also in groups such as Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), which are not Neoptera, but more basal among insects.