Hypermetamorphosis is the form of
metamorphosis done by certain
beetles, notably
Meloidae[?] and
Rhipiphoridae[?], and the
Strepsiptera. The first
instar[?] larva is markedly different from later instars; in the Strepsiptera it has legs and eyes, which it loses on finding a host and molting. The first instar larva of Meloidae has three claws on each foot, and is therefore called a
triungulin; this name is applied by extension to other first-instar hypermetamorphic insects.
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