Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

meroplankton

noun

mer-oh-PLANK-ton

Definition

Meroplankton refers to organisms that spend only a portion of their life cycle as plankton. Typically, these are the larval stages of various marine and freshwater species, including fish, crustaceans, and mollusks.

Examples

Many fish species, such as cod and haddock, have meroplanktonic larvae that drift in the ocean before settling on the seabed.
The study of meroplankton is essential for understanding marine ecosystems and the life cycles of marine organisms.

Meaning

The term ‘meroplankton’ comes from the Greek words for ‘half’ and ‘plankton,’ indicating that these organisms are not fully planktonic throughout their life cycle. They are primarily benthic or nektonic as adults.