leptocephalus en · NOUN
Etymology
From (obsolete) genus name Leptocephalus, equivalent to Ancient Greek λεπτός (leptós, “thin, slim”) + κεφαλή (kephalḗ, “head”).
Meanings
-
The flat, transparent larva of an eel, originally thought to be a distinct species.
There they spawn, and from the fertilized eggs emerge the leptocephali, which then ride on currents all the way back to Europe.
2012, Caspar Henderson, The Book of Barely Imagined Beings, Granta Books, published 2013, page 69:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| leptocephali | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Relateds
leptocephalic · leptocephalous