Complete Larval Development of Emerita holthuisi Sankolli, 1965 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Hippidae) Reared in the Laboratory

Authors: FEROZ AKHTAR SIDDIQUI, FARHANA SHAFIQ GHORY

Abstract: Emerita holthuisi Sankolli, 1965 is the representative of the family Hippidae reported from Pakistan by Tirmizi, 1977. During 1994 and 1995 E. holthuisi was reared in the laboratory from hatching to megalopal stage. The development of E. holthuisi was followed by zoea I-VI and megalopa, this process was completed within 52 days in the laboratory at room temperature (25-27 °C) by using filtered seawater with salinity 30-32%o and pH 7.8-7.9. The larval and megalopal stages are illustrated, described and compared with the larvae and megalopae of the 3 species: Emerita holthuisi, E. talpoida, and E. rathbunae. The same species was studied by Sankolli, 1967 from India; the second was described by Rees, 1959, from North Carolina; and the third was described by Knight, 1967, from Mexico.

Keywords: Decapoda, Hippidae, Complete development of Emerita holthuisi

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