veliger

[ vee-li-jer ]

noun

1. a larval stage of certain mollusks, intermediate between the trochophore and the adult form.

veliger

/ ˈvɛlɪdʒə /

noun

1. the free-swimming larva of many molluscs, having a rudimentary shell and a ciliated velum used for feeding and locomotion

Word History and Origins

Origin of veliger¹

From New Latin, dating back to 1875–80; velum, -i-, -gerous

Word History and Origins

Origin of veliger¹

C19: from New Latin, from velum + -ger ( ous )

Example Sentences

One adult female alone can produce 1 million eggs in a lifetime and zebra mussel veliger, or larvae, are microscopic and can attach to almost anything in the water.

From Washington Times

“Right now, in the northeast district of Nebraska, we have three technicians who are responsible for doing boat inspections, handing out literature and collecting veliger samplings.”

From Washington Times

Crassostrea gigas is also an interesting model for developmental biology owing to its mosaic development with typical molluscan stages, including trochophore and veliger larvae and metamorphosis.

From Nature

A well-marked trochosphere is formed by the development of an equatorial ciliated band; and subsequently, by the disproportionate growth of the lower hemisphere, the trochosphere becomes a veliger.

From Project Gutenberg

But in these epibolic forms, just as in the embolic Paludina, the embryo proceeds to develop its ciliated band and shell-gland, passing through the earlier condition of a trochosphere to that of the veliger.

From Project Gutenberg