Taxonomical study of laboratory reared first to eight zoeal stages of Lysmata vittata (Stimpson, 1860) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Hippolytidae)

Abstract

The larvae of Hippolytidae show such diversity that it is impossible to frame any definition which will distinguish them as a whole from other Caridea (Gurney, 1942). The present information is based on the morpho-taxonomic study of the zoeal stages of Lysmata vittata (Stimpson, 1860). The ovigerous females of L. vittata was collected from Buleji. Larvae were hatched at room temperature 23-25oC, in filtered seawater of a salinity of 40-37 ppt and pH 7.8. Eight zoeal stages of L. vittata are described along with their illustrations, and compared with the available descriptions of its congener's larvae given earlier.

Keywords

• decapoda
• hippolytidae
• taxonomic study
• lysmata vittata
• pakistan