70% of ALL known species of animal undergo metamorphosis. Yeah, that thing caterpillars do.
This 70% only actually includes insects - but amounts to 800,000 different species, or 85% of insects.
The most amazing thing here is simply how many frickin' insects we know about!
The process of metamorphosis requires the animal to almost completely liquify itself, aside from its little brain, heart, respiratory system, a speckling of muscles and something called 'imaginal disks', which turn into the external structures of the body like the head, legs and eyes.
That ex-caterpillar-now-goo serves as fuel to develop the imaginal discs.
A caterpillar has to molt its skin 5 times in only 2 weeks due to its rapid growth by collecting fat reserves. Its penultimate molt comes during the metamorphosis stage where the innards are liquefied beneath another skin layer, the pupal cuticle - the thing that makes up the outer shell - pupa.
You can see a high quality time lapse of this whole process nowadays on YouTube and it's way more awesome than you think. First, preparation for metamorphosis:
Then, metamorphosis!
If that's not satisfying enough, you can even see a timelapse of the INNARDS via x-ray:
Sometimes I wish I could just blow all my money on cameras and butterflies. Sigh.
Enjoy your week everybody! After all, the chances are your body isn't about to become liquefied in a shell made of eyes and genitals. Your life could be worse.
