Complete larval development of two species of the Asian crab genus Pseudosesarma (Brachyura: Thoracotremata: Sesarmidae)

Abstract

The complete larval development of the sesarmid crabs Pseudosesarma bocourti (A. Milne-Edwards, 1869) and P. moeschii (de Man, 1892) was obtained through laboratory culture. The previously unknown larval stages of both species, consisting of four zoeal stages and a megalopa, are morphologically almost identical and thus described and illustrated as one.The morphology of the zoeae and megalopae is similar to that known from other species of Sesarmidae, but zoeal stages of three species of Pseudosesarma can be differentiated from other known larvae of sesarmids by the presence of the very long curved posterolateral processes on pleomere 5. While zoeal stages of P. bocourti and P. moeschi are morphologically very similar, the megalopae of both species can be easily distinguished by the setation on the uropod (1,5 in P. moeschii versus 1,6 in P. bocourti).