Nymph (biology)

In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis (hemimetabolism) before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a pupal stage. Instead, the final moult results in an adult insect. Nymphs undergo multiple stages of development called instars.

This is the case, for example, in Orthoptera (crickets and grasshoppers), Hemiptera (cicadas, shield bugs, etc.), mayflies, termites, cockroaches, mantises, stoneflies and Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies).

Nymphs of aquatic insects, as in the Odonata, Ephemeroptera, and Plecoptera, are also called naiads, an Ancient Greek name for mythological water nymphs. In older literature, these were sometimes referred to as the heterometabolous insects, as their adult and immature stages live in different environments (terrestrial vs. aquatic).

In fly fishing with artificial flies, this stage of aquatic insects is the basis for an entire series of representative patterns for trout. They account for over half of the over all patterns regularly fished in the United States.

Nymph

A nymph (Greek: νύμφη, nymphē) in Greek mythology and in Latin mythology is a minor female nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. Different from other goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubile maidens who love to dance and sing; their amorous freedom sets them apart from the restricted and chaste wives and daughters of the Greek polis. They are beloved by many and dwell in mountainous regions and forests by lakes and streams. Although they would never die of old age nor illness, and could give birth to fully immortal children if mated to a god, they themselves were not necessarily immortal, and could be beholden to death in various forms. Charybdis and Scylla were once nymphs.

Other nymphs, always in the shape of young maidens, were part of the retinue of a god, such as Dionysus, Hermes, or Pan, or a goddess, generally the huntress Artemis. Nymphs were the frequent target of satyrs.

Nymph (Dungeons & Dragons)

In the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game, the nymph is a type of Fey. Nature's embodiment of physical beauty, they are so unbearably lovely that even a glimpse can blind or kill onlookers. They are based on the nymphs of Greek mythology.

Publication history

The nymph first appeared in the original Blackmoor supplement (1975).

The nymph appeared in the first edition of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons in the original Monster Manual (1977).

The nymph appeared in the second edition in the Monstrous Compendium Volume One (1989), and reprinted in the Monstrous Manual (1993). The reviewer from RPGnet felt that the nymph was one of the inclusions in the book that helped make forest environments "well covered". The grain nymph appeared for the Dragonlance setting in the Taladas: The Minotaurs set (1991). The nymph was further detailed in Dragon #240 (October 1997). The grain nymph and the unseelie nymph appeared in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Four (1998).

The nymph appeared in the third edition Monster Manual (2000), and in the 3.5 revised Monster Manual (2003). The nymph (apsara) appeared in Oriental Adventures (2001).

Nymph (disambiguation)

In Greek mythology, a nymph (Ancient Greek: νύμφη) is a female nature-spirit.

Nymph may also mean:

Biology

Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Modern biology is a vast and eclectic field, composed of many branches and subdisciplines. However, despite the broad scope of biology, there are certain general and unifying concepts within it that govern all study and research, consolidating it into single, coherent fields. In general, biology recognizes the cell as the basic unit of life, genes as the basic unit of heredity, and evolution as the engine that propels the synthesis and creation of new species. It is also understood today that all organisms survive by consuming and transforming energy and by regulating their internal environment to maintain a stable and vital condition.

Subdisciplines of biology are defined by the scale at which organisms are studied, the kinds of organisms studied, and the methods used to study them: biochemistry examines the rudimentary chemistry of life; molecular biology studies the complex interactions among biological molecules; botany studies the biology of plants; cellular biology examines the basic building-block of all life, the cell; physiology examines the physical and chemical functions of tissues, organs, and organ systems of an organism; evolutionary biology examines the processes that produced the diversity of life; and ecology examines how organisms interact in their environment.

Biology (journal)

Biology is a quarterly, peer-reviewed, open access, scientific journal covering research on all aspects of biology. It was established in 2012 and is published by MDPI. The editor-in-chief is Chris O'Callaghan (University of Oxford). The journal publishes reviews, research papers, and communications.

Subject Areas

This journal covers all topics related to biology. More detail about the journal and its scope is available in the first editorial. Research fields of interest include, but are not limited to:

Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life

Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life is a college-level introductory biology textbook that covers basic biochemistry, anatomy, taxonomy, evolution, biotechnology and ecology. The book is designed to create in students a broad foundation of knowledge in biology and is frequently used in AP Biology classes in American high schools. Each book includes an interactive CD-ROM with links to additional instructional material. Like many textbooks new versions are printed every few years and reflect new gains in scientific knowledge. The book is published by Brooks/Cole and is currently in its twelfth edition. It was primarily compiled by Cecie Starr and Ralph Taggart with pictures and illustrations by Lisa Starr.

The book was translated into few languages, among others into Hebrew, published by the Open University of Israel.

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