nauplius

noun

nau·​pli·​us ˈnȯ-plē-əs 

plural nauplii ˈnȯ-plē-ˌī 

-ˌē

: a crustacean larva in usually the first stage after leaving the egg and with three pairs of appendages, a median eye, and little or no segmentation

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, a shellfish, from Greek nauplios

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above