Photo of the Day

Photo © Audrey Jeane
Eel Larva X-ray

Eel Larva X-ray
by Vania Kam


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. Fish with a leptocephalus larva stage include eels like the conger, moray eel and garden eel.