The Transparent Eel Larva

Common Name: Leptocephalus larva

Order: Elopomorpha

Distribution:
Leptocephalus can be found worldwide, specially in European areas.

Description:

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 mostly known eels such as Moray eel and garden eel. The body is laterally compressed and contains jelly-like substances on the inside, with a thin layer of muscle with visible myomeres on the outside. hey have a simple tube as a gut. They have dorsal and anal fins, but lack pelvic fins. They also don’t have any red blood cells, which they only begin produce when the change into the juvenile glass eel stage. They also possess fang-like teeth that are present until metamorphosis, when they are lost.

Habit:

They feed on tiny floating marine
substances called “marine snow”. They can be found in about 100 meters deeps at night and a little deeper in daytime.