Zoeal stages of Hiplyra variegata (Rüppell, 1830) (Crustacea: Brachyura: Leucosiidae) reared in the laboratory and collected from plankton at Al-Kharrar creek,central Red Sea |
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| Authors: | Ali M Al Aidaroos Ahmed E Al Haj Michael Türkay |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Marine Biology, Faculty of Marine Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia;2. Crustacea Section, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut Frankfurt a. M., Frankfurt am Main, Germany |
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| Abstract: | The zoeal stages of Hiplyra variegata are described and illustrated for the first time. Zoea I was obtained from an ovigerous female, and the zoea II and zoea III stages were captured in the plankton (their identity was confirmed by rearing some of them from earlier stages). Comparisons are made with the only other species of the genus of which larvae are known, i.e. H. platycheir. The presence of a lateral spine on the carapace of zoea I is one of the most important characters that can be used for easy recognition of H. variegata. It is important to note that the third zoea of H. variegata has four small spines at each posterolateral margin of the carapace, in contrast to three spines in other species. |
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