What are the life stages found within complete metamorphosis?

• A. Egg, larva, pupa, adult
• B. Egg, nymph, adult
• C. Egg, chrysalis, adult
• D. Egg, pupa, juvenile, adult

Answer: (A)

Complete metamorphosis involves four distinct life stages—egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The larva is typically a worm-like, feeding stage (like a butterfly caterpillar or a fly maggot) that grows, while the pupa is a non-feeding, transformative phase during which the insect reorganizes into the adult form. In contrast, incomplete metamorphosis uses egg → nymph → adult, where the young resemble smaller adults and there’s no pupal stage. A sequence that uses chrysalis omits the larval stage, and one that includes a juvenile instead of a larva introduces an incorrect term for the feeding stage. Therefore, the four-stage sequence egg, larva, pupa, adult is correct.