What is the term for insects with external wing development?

What is the term for insects with external wing development?

• A. Exopterygotes
• B. Endopterygotes
• C. Paleopterygotes
• D. Apterygotes

Answer: (A)

Wing development pattern in insects is tested here. Insects with external wing development form wing buds on the outside of the body; the wings grow outward and unfold as the insect molts, so immature stages already resemble the adult in form and size. This is characteristic of groups that undergo incomplete metamorphosis, where juveniles (often called nymphs) look like smaller versions of adults and gradually acquire full wings through molts. This pattern is termed exopterygotes. In contrast, endopterygotes develop wings inside the body. The wings form as imaginal discs within the larva, and the insect must pass through a pupal stage before the wings emerge as fully formed adults—typical of complete metamorphosis. The term paleopterotes (or paleoptera) refers to a separate grouping based on wing folding and evolutionary history, not specifically the developmental mode, and apterygotes are wingless insects.

Wing development pattern in insects is tested here. Insects with external wing development form wing buds on the outside of the body; the wings grow outward and unfold as the insect molts, so immature stages already resemble the adult in form and size. This is characteristic of groups that undergo incomplete metamorphosis, where juveniles (often called nymphs) look like smaller versions of adults and gradually acquire full wings through molts. This pattern is termed exopterygotes.

In contrast, endopterygotes develop wings inside the body. The wings form as imaginal discs within the larva, and the insect must pass through a pupal stage before the wings emerge as fully formed adults—typical of complete metamorphosis.

The term paleopterotes (or paleoptera) refers to a separate grouping based on wing folding and evolutionary history, not specifically the developmental mode, and apterygotes are wingless insects.