planktotrophic

English

Etymology

plankto- +‎ -trophic

Adjective

planktotrophic (not comparable)

1. (biology) That feeds on plankton
   • 2001 October 26, C. L. Van Dover et al., “Biogeography and Ecological Setting of Indian Ocean Hydrothermal Vents”, in Science‎^[1], volume 294, number 5543, →DOI, pages 818-823:

     In addition to an adult stage that is a capable swimmer, R. exoculata has a free-swimming, planktotrophic, post-larval stage that feeds on photosynthetically derived organic material and can be found as far as 100 km from a known vent field (53, 54 ).

Related terms

• planktotroph
• planktotrophy