A leptocephalus (meaning "slim head" [1]) is the flat and transparent larva of eels and other members of the superorder Elopomorpha. This is one of the most diverse groups of teleosts , containing 801 species in 4 orders, 24 families, and 156 genera.

Distribution and size of leptocephali larvae of the American eel, Anguilla rostrata. Eels are any of several long, thin, bony fishes of the order Anguilliformes. They have a catadromous life cycle, that is: at different stages of development migrating …

May 5, 2015 · Eels and other members of the Superorder Elopomorpha have a leptocephalus larval stage, during which they are flat and transparent. This group is quite diverse, containing over 800 species spanning several orders and families, becoming prevalent during the Cretaceous period, over 140 million years ago.

This undulating creature is a large Leptocephalus, a not-often-seen eel in its larval stage. It was filmed by Barry Haythorne and Rob Rutgers while they were scuba diving in Bali. The six-minutes of footage provides a look at the swimming eel larva’s tiny head and face and its long transparent body. More from Scientific American:

Eels begin life as flat and transparent larvae, called leptocephali. Eel larvae drift in the sea's surface waters, feeding on marine snow, small particles that float in the water. Eel larvae then metamorphose into glass eels and become elvers before finally seeking out their juvenile and adult habitats. [8]

Jan 12, 2013 · The marine eels and other members of the Superorder Elopomorpha have a leptocephalus larval stage, which are flat and transparent. This group is quite diverse, containing 801 species in 24 orders, 24 families, and 156 genera. They arose in the Cretaceous period 140 million years ago.

May 27, 2024 · The leptocephalus is an eel’s transparent, flat larva, and its name means “slim head.” They belong to the superorder Elopomorpha, which is one of the most diverse groups of teleosts. This group contains over 800 species within 4 …

Jan 6, 2022 · This large size leptocephalus must be a species of Muraenidae (moray eels), and probably the larva of a long thin ribbon eel, which is metamorphosing, not feeding, and is entering shallow water to finish metamorphosis into a young eel.

Jan 20, 2013 · Leptocephalus (meaning=slim heads) are ribbonlike, translucent, pelagic larva of marine eels and some freshwater eels and other members of Elopomorpha. Eels with this transparent larva stage includes some of the popular and …

Oct 22, 2020 · Leptocephali are the unique larvae of eels and their relatives of the teleost superorder Elopomorpha that have remained poorly understood despite their ubiquitous presence at tropical to temperate latitudes. This review examines recent advancements in understanding the behavioral ecology and distribution of leptocephali.