Which term describes a change in shape or form during the development of an animal, particularly insects?

The term that describes a change in shape or form during the development of an animal, particularly insects, is metamorphosis. This biological process involves significant physical changes that occur as an organism progresses from one life stage to another, such as from larva to pupa and then to adult in insects. Metamorphosis is crucial for various species, allowing them to adapt to different environments and ecological niches throughout their life cycles.

Transmutation and transformation may imply changes or alterations in a broader or more abstract sense but do not specifically refer to biological development in the same way that metamorphosis does. Metabolism refers to the biochemical processes occurring within living organisms to maintain life, such as energy conversion and chemical breakdown, but it does not pertain to the change in form during growth and development. Therefore, the most accurate term in this context is metamorphosis, as it directly describes the distinct phases and transitions that are characteristic of certain insect species.