What is the name of the insect development process that bypasses the pupal stage?

The correct answer is based on the understanding of insect development processes. Gradual metamorphosis is a type of development where insects grow through a series of nymph stages before reaching maturity, without a distinctive pupal stage. Insects that undergo this development, such as grasshoppers and crickets, transition directly from one nymphal stage to another, resembling small adults rather than going through a pupal phase.

In contrast, complete metamorphosis involves a pupal stage and is seen in insects like butterflies and beetles. Holometabolism is synonymous with complete metamorphosis, emphasizing the transformative growth stages that include larva, pupa, and adult. Direct development refers to a scenario where the young hatch from eggs looking like miniature adults, which does not apply here. Understanding these definitions clarifies why gradual metamorphosis is the correct answer.