Early juvenile development of Mediterranean Liocarcinus depurator (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Portunidae)
19 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables The early juvenile crab stages (C1 to C5) of the portunid crab Liocarcinus depurator (Linnaeus, 1758) were obtained in the laboratory from megalopae captured from the plankton in the northwest Mediterranean. Morphological development through these stages is described an...
| Published in: | Journal of Natural History |
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| Main Authors: | , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Taylor & Francis
2011
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10261/46112 https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2011.590948 |
| Summary: | 19 pages, 8 figures, 3 tables The early juvenile crab stages (C1 to C5) of the portunid crab Liocarcinus depurator (Linnaeus, 1758) were obtained in the laboratory from megalopae captured from the plankton in the northwest Mediterranean. Morphological development through these stages is described and compared with previous juvenile descriptions and adult morphology. The definitive adult morphology of carapace teeth is only apparent from stage C4. The incision on the lower orbital margin of the carapace and the mesial lobe (“portunid lobe”) of the endopod of the first maxilliped starts to be evident from C3. Stage C5 is already very similar to that of the typical adult crab.Male and female crabs can be distinguished from stage C2 onwards, based on sexual dimorphism in pleopods. The morphology and size of Mediterranean juvenile crabs was compared with the previous description of individuals reared in the laboratory from ovigerous females from British North Atlantic waters We wish to thank all participants in the cruise INTER97 (AMB95-0901-C02-01) on board CSIC R/V García del Cid, as well as Dr Montserrat Ramón for taking care of rearing juvenile crabs at some stages. Financial support was provided by theMinistry of Science and Research to GG (post-doctoral fellowship; INIA) Peer reviewed |
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