HYPERMETAMORPHISM
When an insect passes through more than the three normal stages of metamorphosis, i.e. the larval, pupal, and imaginal, it is said to undergo a hypermetamorphosis. The best-known examples are the supernumerary stages of Meloë, Stylops, etc.
Fig. 637.—Hypermetamorphosis of male of Aspidiotus nerii: 1, freshly hatched larva; 2, larva shortly before pupating; b, rudiments of the legs; fl, of the wings; 3, pupa before moulting; 4, the same after moulting; 6, larva farther advanced than in 2; a, antennal rudiments; b, rudiments of legs; v, stomach; OG, brain; M. Fl, rudiments of the elevator and depressor muscles of the wing; M. Th, rudiments of the dorsal muscles; H, rudiments of the testes; 7, pupa shortly before entering upon the imago state (5); A, eyes; a, antenna; o, mouth; WD, wax-glands; BG, ventral nervous cord; Sb, caudal setæ; tr, tracheæ; p, genital armature.—After Schmidt.
As has already been observed, Schmidt has shown that in the male of the Coccidæ, there is a true hypermetamorphosis, as shown by Fig. 637. In Aspidiotus nerii there are five stages, there being two larval (1, 2) and two pupal stages (3, 4, 7). Stage 3 (Fig. 637, 2) may be compared with the pro-pupa stage of Riley (Fig. 581).
Fig. 638.—Mantispa interrupta, and side view of the same without wings: natural size.—Emerton del. a, freshly-hatched campodeoid larva of Mantispa styriaca, enlarged; b, the same, but older, before the first moult; enlarged.—Brauer.
We have already, on page 602, described the hypermetamorphosis of the neuropterous insect Mantispa (Fig. 638).
Fig. 639.—Triungulin (a) of a Californian Meloë: b, the three triungulin claws; c, antenna; d, maxillary palpus; e, labial palpus; f, mandible; g, an abdominal joint; h, imago, ♀; i, antenna of ♂.—After Riley.