Zoeal stages of two majoidea crabs, Doclea muricata (Herbst, 1788) and Acanthonyx limbatus (A. Milne Edwards, 1862),reared under laboratory conditions

Abstract

The early developmental stages of the Pisidae crab, Doclea muricata (Herbst, 1788), and the Epialtidae crab, Acanthonyx limbatus (A. Milne Edwards, 1862), from Pakistan are described for the first time. Zoeae I and II of Doclea muricata and Acanthonyx limbatus were obtained from field-collected ovigerous females that were kept under laboratory conditions. These larval stages are described, illustrated, and compared with those of earlier studies of known species of the genera. The larval stages of these 2 species can be differentiated by the presence of spines on the posterolateral angles of abdominal somites 3-5 and a pair of lateral spines on the telson furca in A. limbatus, whereas these spines are absent in D. muricata. As the present study was based only on early larval stages, complete information about the development of these species will be needed in the future. © TÜBİTAK.