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leptocephalus
[ lep-tuh-sef-uh-luhs ]
noun
, plural lep·to·ceph·a·li [lep-t, uh, -, sef, -, uh, -lahy].
- a colorless, transparent, flattened larva, especially of certain eels and ocean fishes.
leptocephalus
/ ˌlɛptəʊˈsɛfələs /
noun
- the slender transparent oceanic larva of eels of the genus Anguilla that migrates from its hatching ground in the Caribbean to European freshwater habitats
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Word History and Origins
Origin of leptocephalus1
From New Latin, dating back to 1760–70; lepto-, -cephalous
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Example Sentences
He had observed that leptocephali larvae varied in size and deduced that the smaller they were, the nearer they would be from spawning areas.
From Salon
The first major stage in the life of a newborn eel is that of the leptocephalus, meaning ‘slender head’.
From Scientific American
Grassi observed these leptocephali larvae metamorphosed into glass eels when they arrived close to the coast and later grew into yellow eels.
From Salon
When the leptocephali near the coast, they transform into tube-like glass eels.
From Scientific American
The leptocephali might look delicate, but make no mistake: these youngsters can fend for themselves.
From Scientific American
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