Worm's radical transformation shows metamorphosis can change the functions of cells

A squishy worm that starts its life as something of a floating head in the Pacific Ocean is changing what scientists know about metamorphosis at the cellular level.

The top 3

  1. Butterflies and Moths Undergo Complete Metamorphosis: Lepidoptera, including butterflies and moths, exemplify complete metamorphosis, transitioning through four distinct stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis or cocoon), and adult, with each stage having a vastly different form and lifestyle.
  2. Frogs Transform from Aquatic Tadpoles to Terrestrial Adults: Amphibians like frogs undergo a significant metamorphosis, evolving from aquatic tadpoles that breathe with gills and swim with tails to terrestrial adults with lungs and limbs, enabling a shift in habitat and diet.
  3. Sea Squirts Show Radical Larval-to-Adult Changes: Sea squirts (tunicates) exhibit a particularly dramatic metamorphosis; their larvae possess a notochord and resemble early vertebrates, but they transform into sessile, filter-feeding adults that are structurally very different.

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