Day 14 West Palm Beach leaf larvae refer to…

Day 14 West Palm Beach
Leaf larvae refer to the larval stage of the extant shrimp without claws. The transparent larvae are thin and flat and have long feet. This stage may last for several years, and eventually the leaf-shaped larvae can grow to a large size. Leaf larvae of lobster need to undergo another transition stage before they become benthic adults. Although leaf-shaped larvae are a very interesting stage, scientists have not yet done much research on them, and it is not clear to some species or even what they eat.

P1, 7
Leafy larvae of Cicadidae
Slipper Lobster Phyllosoma Larva
(Scyllaridae spp.)
Orchistoma pileus
Leaf larvae use jellyfish as tools to prey on prey

P2
"Slipper lobster" – larvae of the genus Prawn
(Thenus sp.)

P3
Panulirus argus
Caribbean spiny lobster larvae
(Panulirus argus)

P5
Schematic diagram of lobster leaf larvae

P4, 6, 8, 9
Leafy larvae of Cicadidae
Slipper Lobster Phyllosoma Larva
(Scyllaridae spp.)

Taken at-15-25m.
Open sea of West Palm Beach Florida, USA.
Special Thanks: Suzan Meldonian, Walker’s Dive Charters