exarate pupa

zoology

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June 26, 2026

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An exarate pupa is a stage in the life cycle of insects that undergo complete metamorphosis. In this stage, the insect's developing appendages, such as legs and wings, are not attached to the pupal skin but are free from the body. This is in contrast to an obtect pupa, where the appendages are fused to the pupal skin. The exarate pupa is a transitional phase between the larval and adult forms, during which significant internal rebuilding occurs. This stage is common in insects like beetles, flies, and wasps.1234

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insect
Types of larvae
…less glued to the body; exarate, with the appendages free and not glued to the body; and coarctate, which is essentially exarate but remaining covered by the cast skins (exuviae) of the next to the last larval instar (name given to the form of an insect between molts).
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…less glued to the body; exarate, with the appendages free and not glued to the body; and coarctate, which is essentially exarate but remaining covered by the cast skins (exuviae) of the next to the last larval instar (name given to the form of an insect between molts).
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Lepidoptera
Pupa, or chrysalis
…is greatest in small and exarate pupae (those in which the appendages are not fixed to the body by a skin or sheath) and least in large or compact ones.
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…is greatest in small and exarate pupae (those in which the appendages are not fixed to the body by a skin or sheath) and least in large or compact ones.
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