Definitions

1. noun

The larval stage of certain species of sea cucumbers and sea urchins, characterized by a long, slender body and a pair of appendages.

“The phyllosoma stage is a crucial part of the life cycle of the sea urchin.”

2. noun

A free-swimming, often planktonic, larval stage found in some echinoderm species.

“Phyllosomas are an essential component of marine ecosystems.”