megalops

[ meg-uh-lops ]

noun

, Zoology.

1. the larval stage of marine crabs immediately prior to and resembling the adult stage.

Word History and Origins

Origin of megalops¹

1850–55; < New Latin, originally a genus name, equivalent to Greek megal- megal- + ṓps eye, face

Example Sentences

Megalops atlanticus inhabits the warm tropical and semitropical waters of the Atlantic.

From Washington Post

Using a handy guide provided, Matthias pointed out the critter was a zoea, a very young crab moving into the next stage of its life, a megalops.

From Washington Times

Alex Phillips and his colleagues are adapting the bodily characteristics of the Atlantic cranch squid, Teuthowenia megalops, for their AUV.

From BBC

This is the home of Megalops atlanticus, the tarpon.

From Time Magazine Archive

It is also the case with the abdomen of the Zoeae of the Crabs, the Porcellanae, and the Tatuira, which is still powerful, although usually bent under the breast; the two last swim tolerably by means of the abdomen, even when adult, as do the true Crabs in the young state known as Megalops.

From Project Gutenberg