Larval development of the stygobitic shrimp Creaseria morleyi (Creaser, 1936) (Decapoda: Caridea: Palaemonidae) from the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

Abstract

Although the larval development of epigean palaemonid shrimps has been studied extensively, only a few investigations deal with stygobitic species. We present the larval development of the cave-adapted Creaseria morleyi (Creaser, 1936) from anchialine caves in the Tulum area, Quintana Roo, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico. Through the discovery of a series of larvae at different stages of development, we constructed a sequence extending through the juvenile stage. The larvae (41) were captured in plankton tows above the halocline at depths ranging between 11 and 15 m during eight surveys conducted between 2013 and 2016. Six larval stages and the first juvenile were identified; however, it is clear from the gradual modification of structures and appendages that more stages exist. The first larvae have a large quantity of vitellum and do not feed, since they have only rudimentary, and possibly non-functional, mouthparts. In the sixth stage and the juvenile, when the stages have no vitellum left, the mouthparts, chelae, and pleopods develop entirely. A comparison with other palaemonid shrimps suggests that C. morleyi has a greater affinity with those palaemonid species possessing extended larval development as is seen in species of MacrobrachiumSpence Bate, 1868.

Extravisual opsins in the blind shrimp Creaseria morleyi: presence and expression

“…In this subterranean environment, individuals have developed multiple adaptations to the lack of light, and oligotrophic conditions. Their bodies are translucent through loss of pigments and with greatly reduced eyes (Alvarez and Illife, 2008;Botello and Alvarez, 2010;Benítez et al, 2020). Nevertheless, in cenotes that receive light at the entrance area, individuals have vestigial eyes and perform a vertical migration that seems to be synchronized with the environmental light.…”