Page 165 - DK Children's Encyclopedia

Metamorphosis SEE ALSO

▸ ▸ Amphibians p.15
▸ ▸ Animal groups
Some animals go through amazing changes between birth p.22
and adulthood. Their appearance changes so much that ▸ ▸ Eggs p.86
their fully grown shape is completely different to the ▸ ▸ Insects p.134

newborn one. This process is called metamorphosis. ▸ ▸ Life cycle p.146

Birth of a butterfly 2. Caterpillar
Becoming a beautiful butterfly is a A hungry caterpillar
emerges from the egg.
long process involving many stages It eats leaves and begins
and different forms. The process to grow. Although it
takes between a month and a year. starts life small, the
caterpillar develops
quickly. Metamorphosis
is a Greek word
meaning
“change in
shape.”
1. Eggs
Butterflies start out as tiny
eggs, laid on plants. The
size, shape, and color of the 3. Chrysalis
egg depends on the type of The caterpillar wraps
butterfly. itself in a protective layer
called a chrysalis. Inside,
the caterpillar completely
The chrysalis is changes its body shape.
attached to a
branch or leaf.

4. Butterfly
Once the changes are
complete, a butterfly
Frogspawn emerges from the
chrysalis. In a few hours,
the butterfly can fly, and
the life cycle begins again.

Tadpole
Adult frog

The chrysalis
is left empty.
Froglet

Becoming a frog
The life cycle of a frog has many stages. A female
lays many eggs, called frogspawn, usually in The wings need to
water. These hatch into tiny tadpoles with gills for dry out before the
breathing. Tadpoles grow bigger and develop legs. butterfly can fly.
Over a few more weeks, a froglet loses its tail,
grows a frog’s tongue, and becomes an adult.

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