Imago

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Imago

In biology

Biology

Biology is a branch of the natural sciences concerned with the study of living organisms and their interaction with each other and their environment ....
, the imago is the last stage of development of an insect

Insect

Insects are the biggest class of arthropods and the only ones with wings. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet. They are most diverse at the equator and their diversity declines toward the poles....
, after the last ecdysis

Ecdysis

Ecdysis is the molting of the cuticula in arthropods and related groups . Since the cuticula of these animals is also the skeletal support of the body and is inelastic, it is shed during growth and a new, larger covering is formed....
of an incomplete metamorphosis, or after emergence from the pupa

Pupa

A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in Holometabolism insects, those that undergo a complete metamorphosis, going through four life stages; embryo, larva, pupa and imago....
where the metamorphosis is complete. As this is the only stage during which the insect is sexually mature and, if it is a winged species, has functional wings, the imago is often referred to as the adult stage.

The Latin plural of imago is imagines, and this is the term generally used by entomologists

Entomology

Entomology is the science study of insects. At some 1.3 million described species, insects account for more than two-thirds of all known organisms,date back some 400 million years, and have many kinds of interactions with humans and other forms of life on earth....
- however, imagos is also acceptable.

The stage of subimago

Subimago

The subimago is the stage of development in an insect in which the insect is winged and capable of flight but not yet sexually mature. This occurs in only one Extant taxon order of insects, the Ephemeroptera or mayfly....
exists in the Ephemeroptera (mayflies).