Do silverfish undergo metamorphosis during their lifecycle?

Silverfish do not undergo metamorphosis during their lifecycle; instead, they develop through a process called gradual or incomplete metamorphosis. This means that they hatch from eggs as nymphs, which resemble small adults but are not fully grown. Over a series of molts, nymphs gradually mature into adult silverfish without entering distinct larval or pupal stages, which are characteristic of complete metamorphosis seen in other insects like butterflies or beetles.

This understanding of silverfish development clarifies why the option indicating that they do not undergo metamorphosis is correct. Other choices suggesting that metamorphosis occurs in a larval or pupal stage are rooted in misunderstandings of the different types of insect development. Insects that do exhibit metamorphosis transition through defined life stages, while silverfish follow a more straightforward maturation process from nymph to adult.