Eukaryote
larva Audio
lar·va [ lahr-vuh ]
Subclass of:
Life Cycle Stages
Etymology:
Latin larva = a ghost or mask
In the immature or larval stage the adult parasite is in disguise.
Definitions related to larva:
  • Independent, motile, sometimes feeding developmental stage in the life history of an animal.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Wormlike or grublike stage, following the egg in the life cycle of insects, worms, and other metamorphosing animals.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
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This content should not be used in place of medically-reviewed decision support reference material or professional medical advice. Some terms may have alternate or updated definitions not reflected in this set. The definitions on this page should not be considered complete or up to date.