Redescription of the megalopa of Plagusia dentipes (Brachyura: Plagusiidae) from Japan

Abstract

Several megalopae of the plagusiid crab Plagusia dentipes were collected from Tateyama at the Pacific coast of Japan. The comparison of these specimens with previous descriptions of this stage from Japan, revealed a lack of detail in the earlier morphological accounts. Therefore, the megalopal stage of Plagusia dentipes is redescribed and once again illustrated. The new set of morphological characters for this stage is used for a detailed comparison with other known megalopae of the genus Plagusia. The results allow preliminary conclusions on phylogenetic relationships within this genus of rafting crabs.