Larval development of Austinixa bragantina (Crustacea: Brachyura: Pinnotheridae) reared in the laboratory

ABSTRACT

The zoeal and megalopal stages of Austinixa bragantina Coelho, 2005, a small pinnotherid crab found in association with ghost shrimps Callichirus major (Say, 1818) and Lepidophthalmus siriboia Felder & Rodrigues, 1993 in the northeastern region of the state of Pará, Brazil, were reared in the laboratory from hatching to the megalopal stage. The duration of the larval period from hatching to megalopa was 28 days and the mean of duration for each larval stage was 6, 5, 5, 6, and 6 days, respectively. In the present study, the zoeal and megalopal stages are described and illustrated in detail.