SCIENCE HOLIC AND PHOBIC on Instagram: "• The leptocephalus is the larval stage of eels, appearing shortly after hatching. 🐠 • Its body is almost completely transparent, allowing internal organs and structures to be visible. 🔍 • This transparency helps the larva avoid predators in the open ocean by blending into the water. 🌊 • Despite its delicate appearance, it is alive, growing, and actively feeding on plankton and marine detritus. 🦐 • Leptocephalus larvae have flat, ribbon-like bodies, wh

WHY & HOW | FACTS | NEWS on Instagram: "The leptocephalus is the clear, ribbon-like larval form of eels and certain other fish such as tarpons and bonefish. For eels, including the European eel (Anguilla anguilla) and American eel (Anguilla rostrata), this stage begins right after hatching and can last anywhere from several months to over a year. Leptocephali are flat, leaf-shaped, and nearly invisible in the water because of their transparency. They drift vast distances on ocean currents before