Pedogenesis
Pedogenesis describes the attainment of sexual maturity at a young age. In pedogenesis, reproductive functions develop more rapidly, while somatic development proceeds at a normal rate. In contrast to this, neoteny means a delayed somatic development with constant reproductive development.
The term pedogenesis was first used to describe early reproduction in parthenogenetically reproducing insects, while neoteny was used to describe the giant larvae of some amphibians.
Pedogenesis occurs in some insects in such a way that unisex reproduction ( parthenogenesis , thelytocia: females develop from unfertilized eggs) is brought forward to one of the stages of juvenile development, such as a larval or pupal stage . Sometimes pedogenesis is therefore understood as a special form of parthenogenesis.
Examples of pedogenesis can be found, for example, in gall midges of the genera Miastor and Heteropeza , whose larvae produce new generations of gall midges, which, like them, also live under bark. The winged adults only develop in unfavorable living conditions, such as the habitat drying out. The fungus-dwelling gall mosquito Henria psalliotae forms successor generations in the pupa, here too no adults are developed.
Another example is found in beetles in the Micromalthidae family ( Micromalthus debilis ).