What is "centrolecithal"

centrolecithal \cen`tro*lec"i*thal\ (s[e^]n`tr[-o]*l[e^]s"[i^]*thal), a. [Gr. ke`ntron center + le`kiqos yolk of an egg.] (Biol.) Having the food yolk placed at the center of the ovum, segmentation being either regular or unequal.
--Balfour.

a. (context biology English) Having the yolk placed in the centre of the cytoplasm of the ovum.

Centrolecithal (Greek kentron = center of a circle, lekithos = yolk) describes the placement of the yolk in the centre of the cytoplasm of ovums. Many arthropod eggs are centrolecithal.

During cytokinesis, centrolecithal zygotes undergo meroblastic cleavage, where the cleavage plane extends only to the accumulated yolk and is superficial. This is due to the large dense yolk found within centrolecithal eggs and triggers a delayed embryonic development.