noun
- plural of megalops; the larval stage of certain crabs characterized by large eyes and a long abdomen
Usage: zoological
Examples
- The megalopses drifted in the ocean currents before settling to the seafloor.
- Marine biologists collected megalopses to study crab development.
- The megalopses stage lasts several weeks in most crab species.
- Researchers identified different crab species by examining their megalopses.
- The megalopses eventually metamorphose into juvenile crabs.