Metamorphosis endowed the insects with properties that enabled them to conquer the Earth. It is a hormonally controlled morphogenetic process that transforms the larva into the adult. Metamorphosis appeared with the origin of wings and flight. The sesquiterpenoid juvenile hormone (JH) suppresses wing morphogenesis and ensures that metamorphosis takes place at the right ontogenetic time. This review explores the origin of insect metamorphosis and the ancestral function of JH. Fossil record shows that the first Paleozoic winged insects had (hemimetabolous) metamorphosis, and their larvae were likely aquatic. In the primitive wingless silverfish that lacks metamorphosis, JH is essential for late embryogenesis and reproduction. JH production after the embryo dorsal closure promotes hatching and terminal tissue maturation.

Institute of Entomology Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences České Budějovice Czech Republic

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