The complete larval development of the crab Pilumnus spinifer (Brachyura: Xanthoidea: Pilumnidae) reared in the laboratory

Abstract

The complete larval development of the crab Pilumnus spinifer from the western Mediterranean was obtained in the laboratory. All four zoeal stages and the megalopa are described and illustrated. The morphological characters of the larvae of Pilumnus spinifer are compared with those of other known larvae of the genus. The zoeae of P. spinifer show the rostral spine longer than the antennule (excluding aesthetascs); short lateral spines present on the carapace, and the mediolateral processes are present only in abdominal somites 2 and 3. The megalopa is similar to that of other Pilumnidae species. The morphology of the larval stages shows very similar characteristics to that of those of P. hirtellus and P. dasypodus, among the described stages of the family.

Keywords:

• Brachyura
• Decapoda
• larval development
• megalopa
• Pilumnidae
• Pilumnus spinifer
• Xanthoidea
• zoea

Acknowledgements

We wish to thank all participants in the cruise MEDITS_ES‐0600 on board B/O Cornide de Saavedra. This research was performed within the frame of the research programme “MEDITS‐DEMERMED”. We also wish to thank Dr J. A. Cuesta for his help in locating key references and for helpful comments.