Larvae of Homola (Crustacea; Dromiacea) from South Africa

Summary

Five zoeal stages of probably a single Homola species from the S.E. Atlantic are described. There are six zoeal stages in this species, of which the first is lacking from the present series. The zoeae probably belong to Homola barbata Fabr., linking the stages previously described by Pike and Williamson (1960) and by Rice (1964), giving a good idea of the complete larval development of this genus. Anomalies in the published work, however, point to the existence of taxonomic problems not previously apparent from studies on the adults alone.

The absence of exopods from the legs of these larvae adds further support to the contention that the grouping of the Dromiidae and Homolidae together in the Dromiacea is artificial.