Metamorphic Life Cycles
Elementary School
Definition
Life cycles in which an animal changes its body form dramatically as it develops. In complete metamorphosis (as in butterflies) the stages are egg, larva, pupa, and adult, while incomplete metamorphosis (as in grasshoppers) skips the pupa stage.
Worked examples
Butterfly: egg → caterpillar (larva) → chrysalis (pupa) → adult butterfly
Complete metamorphosis has four distinct stages with a resting pupa phase where the body is reorganized.
Grasshopper: egg → nymph → nymph → nymph → adult grasshopper
Incomplete metamorphosis skips the pupa; nymphs look like small adults and molt several times as they grow.
Common mistakes
- All insects go through complete metamorphosis with a pupa stage → Some insects (like grasshoppers, dragonflies) have incomplete metamorphosis with no pupa Only certain insect groups undergo complete metamorphosis; many skip the pupa and have nymph stages instead.
- The caterpillar and butterfly are different animals → The caterpillar (larva) and butterfly are the same individual at different life stages Metamorphosis transforms one organism through stages; it's not a change from one species to another.
- Nymphs in incomplete metamorphosis look completely different from adults → Nymphs resemble small, wingless versions of adults and gradually develop adult features Unlike larvae in complete metamorphosis, nymphs have the basic body plan of adults from hatching.
Where you'll use it next
You'll apply metamorphic life cycles when studying insect biology, ecosystems, and adaptations in later biology units, and when analyzing how organisms develop and survive in different environments.
See also
Animal Life CyclesNon-metamorphic Life CyclesGrowth and ChangeGrowth PatternsAnimal ClassificationParent-Offspring Relations
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026