meroplankton

American  

[mer-uh-plangk-tuhn] / ˌmɛr əˈplæŋk tən /

noun

1. a floating mass of eggs and larvae of organisms that are nektonic or benthic in their adult stage; temporary plankton.

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meroplankton British  

/ ˌmɛrəʊˈplæŋktən /

noun

1. plankton consisting of organisms at a certain stage of their life cycles, esp larvae, the other stages not being spent as part of the plankton community Compare holoplankton

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Etymology

Origin of meroplankton

First recorded in 1905–10; from mero- + plankton ( def. )