The complete larval development and first juvenile of the spider crab Inachus thoracicus Roux, 1830 (Brachyura: Majidae: Inachinae)

Abstract

The larval (two zoeae and megalopa) and first crab stages of the majid crab Inachus thoracicus Roux, 1830 are described and illustrated from laboratory-hatched material obtained from an ovigerous female collected on the western Mediterranean continental shelf. The morphology of all the stages is compared with that of the corresponding stages of other known species of the genus Inachus. The larvae of I. dorsettensis, I. phalangium and I. thoracicus are morphologically similar, and differ in some characteristics from I. leptochirus.