| First zoea: about 1.3 mm long and 1.0 mm between tips of spines; rostral and dorsal spines rather short and blunt; laterals missing, large tooth at postero-lateral margin of carapace covers all except tips of swimming maxillipedes; abdomen composed of five segments and telson, with sub-equal lateral protuberances on second and third segments, fourth and fifth segments somewhat swollen laterally, sides of telson parallel to one another, and no lateral spines, but surface covered with minute hairs, grouped in threes and fours, concentrated on telson forks, (which are very sharp pointed) so as to make them appear finely spined, six internal setae; antennule typical; antenna small, with a short spinous process of protopodite, a swollen area (endopodite), and no exopodite; mlandibles like Lophopanopeus bellus but cutting surface rougher; maxillule usually with five spines on coxopodite and basipodite, and four on distal segment of the two-jointed endopodite; endites of protopodite of maxilla bear six setae, endopodite three and exopodite four; exopodite of first maxillipede with 4 plumose setae, basis with
8 bristles, and endopodite with 1, 2, 1, 2 and 5; second maxillipede correspondingly with 4, 4, and 0, 5 setae.; rest of thoracic appendages hidden beneath carapace; indication of two parts of third maxillipede (exopodite very small) and chela of first periopod.; anlages of four pairs of pleopods. Second zoea: about 1.6 mm long and 1.3 mm between tips of spines; several setae on lateral part of carapace and two dorsally; abdomen still of five segments and telson, no additional internal setae; lateral extension of antennule indicative of endopodite of megalopa; aesthetes increased in number and in two rows endopodite of antennae enlarged, longer than protopodite; mandible with cutting surface divided into numerous small teeth; plumose hair on external margin of protopodite of maxillule; more setae on maxilla, and three plumose projections on posterior part of scaphognathite; exopodite of maxillipedes with six swimming setae; thoracic appendages becoming fully developed before zoeametamorphoses into megalopa; pleopods greatly elongated but only four pairs. Megalopa: differs from P. veterum in presence of a small rostrum, a dorsal spine and a rudimentary sixth abdominal segment; mustard-yellow in color, with transparent periopods; black chromatophores on median part of carapace just posterior to eyes, and behind dorsal spine, also on each side of dorsal spine and between abdominal segments; on each segment (except dactylus of all but cheliped) of every leg is at least one spot of russet, usually medially placed; ventrally, a black spot at bases of antennules and antennae, on mandibles, and at junction of chelipeds to sternum, russet at proximal junctions of other periopods; carapace about 0.7 by 0.5 mm with a small blunt spine on median posterior region; antennule large with well developed peduncle, with distal segment especially elongated, and flagella rather small, with few setae.; antenna of about six segments; the distal one with one long and one short bristle, and the penultimate, one long seta; no palps on mandibles; endites of protopodite of maxillule bear short, stiff spines on inner margin and one seta on external; endopodite rudimentary; coxopodite of maxilla with six long plumose setae, and basipodite about nine short ones; endopodite quite degenerate, and exopodite with 20 setae around margin; setae few on first maxillipedes: four or five on each endite of protopodite, three on shrivelled endopodite, two on exopodite and epipodite; second maxillipede with poorly developed exopodite, bearing three short setae terminally; dactylus of endopodite inserted on proximal lateral margin of propodus, instead of terminally; exopodite of third maxillipede small, with only one distal seta: merus and ischium fused, and dactylus placed in position similar to that of second maxillipede; epipodite small chela large and strongly developed; no setae on dactylus of last pair of periopods as is usual in Brachyrhyncha, but which seem to be lacking in all the Pinnotheridae; only four pairs of pleopods, as none on small sixth abdominal segment; endopodite of each pleopod bears two short curved setae, and exopodite, six very long plumose hair. |