What type of metamorphosis do water beetles undergo?
Answer
Complete metamorphosis
Water beetles follow the life cycle pattern known as complete metamorphosis. This developmental process requires passing through four distinct stages: egg, larva, pupa, and finally, the adult form. This progression contrasts with insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis, which skip the pupal stage and progress from nymph to adult. The necessity for the larval stage to feed intensely, often in a different niche than the adult (like the predatory Dytiscid larva versus the adult), followed by a terrestrial pupation, underscores the complexity of their complete transformation.
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