a free-swimming larval stage in the development of crabs that occurs subsequent to the zoea stage and in which the larvae have large eyes and the same number of legs as fully developed adults
2.
a larva in the megalops stage of development
megalops in American English
(ˈmɛgəˌlɑps)
nounWord forms: pluralˈmegaˌlops or ˈmegaˌlopses
an advanced larval stage of the true crabs, just preceding the definitive adult stage