zoea
/zōˈēə
/noun (plural zoeae /zōˈēˌē/ or zoeas)
A larval form of certain crustaceans, such as the crab, having a spiny carapace and rudimentary limbs on the abdomen and thorax.The carapace of a zoea covers the head and the forward portion of the thorax....
- Anthony Rice has used morphology of zoea to develop phylogenies of subsets of decapods that provides a different insight into relationships.
- The purpose of this study was to examine and identify Brachyuran zoea of the San Francisco Bay Estuary, then to generate a dichotomous key.
Origin
Early 19th century: modern Latin, from Greek zōē 'life'.