Nymph (biology)

Nymph (biology)
Leaf Hopper nymph of the Common Jassid (Eurymela fenestrata). Specimen approx 10mm in length. Taken in Swifts Creek, Victoria, Australia in January 2007.

In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis (hemimetabolism) before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a pupal stage. Instead, the final moult results in an adult insect.[1]

This is the case, for example, in Orthoptera (crickets and grasshoppers), Hemiptera (cicadas, shield bugs, etc.), mayflies, termites, cockroaches, mantids, and Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies). Some arachnids (e.g., mites and ticks) also have nymphs.[citation needed]

Nymphs of aquatic insects, as in the orders Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies), Ephemeroptera (mayflies), and Plecoptera (stoneflies) are also called naiads, which is an Ancient Greek name for mythological water nymphs, who would lure men to their deaths with their cold black hearts. In older literature, these were sometimes referred to as the heterometabolous insects, as their adult and immature stages live in different environments (terrestrial vs. aquatic).[citation needed]

See also

References


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Nymph (disambiguation) — In Greek mythology, a nymph (νύμφη) is a female nature spirit. Nymph may also mean: Nymph (biology), is the immature form of some invertebrate species. A jungle nymph is a type of large stick insect found in Malaysia belonging to the order… …   Wikipedia

  • nymph — UK [nɪmf] / US noun [countable] Word forms nymph : singular nymph plural nymphs 1) a) literature in ancient Greek and Roman stories, one of the female spirits who live in rivers, mountains, or forests b) literary a young woman 2) biology a young… …   English dictionary

  • Spawn (biology) — The spawn (eggs) of a clownfish. The black spots are the eyes developing. Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm,… …   Wikipedia

  • heteropteran — ▪ insect order Introduction   any member of the insect order Heteroptera, which comprises the so called true bugs. (Some authorities use the name Hemiptera; others consider both the heteropterans and the homopterans to be suborders of the… …   Universalium

  • Head louse — This article is about the animal. For the disease known as head lice, see Pediculosis capitis. Head lice Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia …   Wikipedia

  • Tessaratomidae — Pycanum rubens, an adult from the Gunung Mulu National Park, Malaysia (Photo by Alan Cressler) …   Wikipedia

  • mayfly — /may fluy /, n., pl. mayflies. 1. Also called shadfly. any insect of the order Ephemeroptera, having delicate, membranous wings with the front pair much larger than the rear and having an aquatic larval stage and a terrestrial adult stage usually …   Universalium

  • orthopteran — /awr thop teuhr euhn/, adj. 1. orthopterous. n. 2. an orthopterous insect. [1895 1900; < NL Orthopter(a) (see ORTHOPTERON) + AN] * * * ▪ insect Introduction   broadly, any member of one of four insect orders. Orthopteran has come to be regarded… …   Universalium

  • Mantis — For other uses, see Praying mantis (disambiguation) and Mantis (disambiguation). Mantodea Temporal range: 145–0 Ma …   Wikipedia

  • Phasmatodea — Temporal range: 55.8–0 Ma …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”