Endopterygota

The Endopterygota (or Holometabola), are insects of the subclass Pterygota.

Endopterygota Temporal range: Pennsylvanian – Recent
File:Panorpa communis V.jpg
Panorpa communis, a scorpionfly (order Mecoptera)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Class:	Insecta
Infraclass:	Neoptera
Superorder:	Endopterygota Sharp, 1898
Orders
Hymenoptera Coleoptera Strepsiptera Raphidioptera Megaloptera Neuroptera Mecoptera Siphonaptera Diptera Trichoptera Lepidoptera

They have complete metamorphosis. This means they go through different larval, pupal, and adult stages. The larval and adult stages differ very much in their anatomy and behavior. This is called holometabolism, or complete metamorphism.

They are distinguished from the Exopterygota (or Hemipterodea) by the way in which their wings develop. Endopterygota ("internal winged forms") develop wings inside the body during metamorphosis.

The earliest endopterygote amber fossils date from the Carboniferous.

Endopterygota Media

• European wasp white bg.jpg

  European Wasp on a white background. Specimen is about 12mm. Taken in Swifts Creek, Victoria, Australia.

• Raphidia icon.png

  Raphidioptera

• Corydalus cornutus illustration (rotated).png

  Corydalus cornutus illustration (rotated)

• Osmylus (white background).jpg

  Osmylus (white background)

• Pseudacrossus przewalskyi (Reitter, 1887).jpg

  Pseudacrossus przewalskyi (Reitter, 1887)

• Elenchus koebelei

• RHYACOPHILA DORSALIS Male Pont Forge de Sailly Watigny 02 MHNT.jpg

  RHYACOPHILA DORSALIS Male Pont Forge de Sailly Watigny 02 MHNT

• Arctia villica SLU.JPG

  Arctia villica, insect collections SLU, Uppsala

• Common house fly, Musca domestica.jpg

  Common house fly, Musca domestica

• Scorpionfly (white background).jpg

  Scorpionfly (white background)