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A close-up view of a transparent Scyllaridae lobster larva in the phyllosoma stage

Lobster larva

Scyllaridae spp.

Not on exhibit
Animal type
Invertebrates
Ecosystem
Deep sea
Relatives
Crustaceans
Diet
Adults usually consume molluscs, other invertebrates, and detritus; unknown for larva
Range
Worldwide; Intertidal to 1,588 feet (484 m)
Size
Adults range up to 20 inches (51 cm)

Meet the lobster larva

You’re looking at a lobster larva, the offspring of slipper lobsters. A lobster begins life on the seafloor where the adults live, but their larvae drift up into the midwater where food is more abundant and currents can carry them to new homes.

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