The complete larval development of Armases benedicti (Rathbun) (Decapoda, Sesarmidae), from the Amazon region, reared in the laboratory

Abstract

The four zoeal and one megalopal stages of the wharf crab Armases benedicti (Rathbun, 1897) larvae reared in the laboratory are described and illustrated in detail. The mean duration for each larval stage was 3, 2, 4, 4 and 13 days, respectively. The duration of the larval period from hatching to the first juvenile was 26 days. Morphologically, A. benedicti is very similar to the reported species of genus. However, a small lateral spine is clearly observed in the carapace of zoeal stages of this species. This feature appears to be unique among the family Sesarmidae. Another distinctive character for this species is the zoeal setation of the maxilla endopod (2+2) in which most of the sesarmids have setation (2+3) except for Sesarma tetragonum (Fabricius, 1798). Other comparisons with previous larval studies of the genus Armases Abele, 1992 are briefly discussed.

Larvae and first‐stage juveniles of the American genusArmasesAbele, 1992 (Brachyura: Sesarmidae): a morphological description of two complete developments and one first zoeal stage

“…The information on abdominal setation, concluded from the figures, is incomplete and contradictory: abdominal somite 5 of zoea I without setae; somites 4 and 5 of zoea II with only one seta; somite 6 of zoea III and IV with one seta. Lima and Abrunhosa (2006) suggest that the lateral spines of A. benedicti zoeae are homologous to the small anterolateral protuberances described for A. rubripes and A. ricordi by Díaz and Ewald (1968). However, the position of the protuberances, also present in A. roberti and A. americanum, is more anterior and more ventral than the habitual position of the lateral spines in other Grapsoidea (Cuesta 1999;Cuesta and Anger 2005).…”

“…The recent larval description of Armases benedicti by Lima and Abrunhosa (2006) appears doubtful, due to a number of striking differences, not only to all other species of the genera Armases and Aratus, but also to the zoeal ground pattern of the Sesarmidae (see above). The differences are: a carapace with lateral carapace spines, an endopod of the maxilla with 2+2 setae, an endopod of the first maxilliped of the first zoea with 2, 2, 2, 1, 5 setae, and a basis of the second maxilliped with three setae.…”

“…Other differences between A. ricordi and A. roberti, such as the setation of the second maxilliped, are presented in Table I. The description of the megalopa of A. benedicti by Lima and Abrunhosa (2006) is also debatable. The descriptions of the setation of the antenna, maxillule, first maxilliped, third maxilliped, abdominal somites, and uropod are doubtful or incomplete.…”

“…angustipes (Dana, 1852) by Kowalczuk (1994) and Cuesta and Anger (2001);A. miersii (Rathbun, 1897) by Zimmermann-Ruf (1997) and Cuesta et al (1999), and most recently A. benedicti (Rathbun, 1897) by Lima and Abrunhosa (2006). The larval stages and the first juvenile of A. roberti have recently been documented photographically, with a brief description of the chromatophore patterns (Anger et al 2006).…”

Composição, densidade e variação espaço-temporal de larvas de decápodes e estomatópodes do arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo, Brasil

“…Aratus pisonii (Warner, 1968), A. angustipes (Cuesta & Anger, 2001), A. benedict (Lima & Abrunhosa, 2006), A. miersii , S. rectum (Fransozo & Hebling, 1986), S. curacaoense (Anger et al, 1995), M. rubripes (Dias & Edwald, 1968), C. granulatus (Boschi et al, 1967;, C. interger , C. punctatus (Fagetti & Campodonico, 1971), C. cinireus (Costlow & Fagetti, 1967), C. affinis (Spivak & Cuesta, 2000), C. guanhumi (Costlow & Bookhout, 1968), C. armatum (Cuesta & Anger, 2005), C. carnifez (Flores et al, 2003), E. politus, E. notatus e G. lallandi, (Cuesta et al, 2002), G. lateralis (Willems, 1982).…”