Planktonic organisms that spend only their larvae/ juvenile stages in the planktonic community. Examples of meroplankton would be crab and barnacle larvae).
those animals that spend part of their life cycle in the plankton but become part of the nekton or benthos as adults, such as some larval fish and crabs. See holoplankton.
Meroplankton are organisms that are planktonic for only a part of their life cycles, usually the larval stage. Examples of meroplankton include the larvae of sea urchins, starfish, crustaceans, marine worms, and most fish.