Complete larval development of Novactaea pulchella (Crustacea: Decapoda: Xanthidae)

Abstract

Novactaea pulchella was reared in the laboratory, from hatching to the megalopal stage at 25°C. The larval stage of it consists of two zoeal and one megalopal stages. The first zoea of the present study differs from that described by Terada (1990) in the setal presence of the carapace, the maxilla and the maxilliped, and the lateral process on the abdominal somite. It is reported for the first time that brachyuran zoeas belonging to a species share two types of lateral processes on the abdominal somites. They are either on the abdominal somites 2 and 3 or on abdominal somites 2 to 5. A provisional key is provided to aid the identification of the actaeine zoeas in Korea and the adjacent waters.

Key words:

• Xanthidae
• Novactaea pulchella
• zoea
• megalopa
• abdomen
• lateral process
• key
• Korea

Notes

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