Morphological description of the megalopa and the first juvenile crab stage of Chiromantes eulimene (Decapoda, Brachyura, Sesarmidae), with a revision on zoeal morphology

Abstract

The complete larval development of a sesarmid crab from East Africa, Chiromantes eulimene (De Man 1895) was obtained through laboratory culture. It consists of five zoeal stages and a megalopa, followed by metamorphosis to the first juvenile crab. The morphology of all zoeal stages is revised and compared with previous descriptions. The megalopa and the first juvenile crab stage are, for the first time, fully described in detail and compared with those of other known species of the genus Chiromantes and further sesarmid crabs. The megalopal morphology of C. eulimene presents the typical combination of features that characterize sesarmid megalopae. The first crab stage is also similar to that of other sesarmid species, for which morphological descriptions are available. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.