veliger
/ˈvɛlɪdʒər/
noun
- The free-swimming larval stage of many mollusks, such as snails and clams, that has a shell and a ciliated swimming organ called a velum.
- The veliger swims through the ocean using tiny hair-like structures.
- After hatching, the veliger drifts with the currents before settling on the seafloor.
- Marine biologists study the veliger stage to understand mollusk development.