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A description of larval and early juvenile development in Paralomis spinosissima (Decapoda: Anomura: Paguroidea: Lithodidae) from South Georgia waters (Southern Ocean)

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Abstract

The early ontogenetic stages of Paralomis spinosissima Birstein and Vinogradow, 1972, are described in detail and illustrated, with notes on morphological variability observed. Larval and early juvenile development was described to the crab I instar reared under controlled conditions of temperature and food supply. The abbreviated larval development invariably passed through two zoeal stages and the benthic megalopa stage. The larval development was completed without food supply, and food Artemia nauplii were first given after moult to the crab-I stage. Simplification and retarded development of the mouthparts are discussed as a function of lecithotrophy of these larvae and based on morphology no facultative feeding mode is suggested. Lecithotrophy in the Southern Ocean Lithodidae is discussed to be an adaptation allowing independence from seasonal food availability at high latitudes.

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the biology teams at King Edward Point, who have kept the crab-rearing programme going for five years now, and to the observers working on South Georgia’s fisheries, for continually bringing us crab samples. This work was carried out at the British Antarctic Survey, Applied Fisheries Laboratory at King Edward Point, South Georgia, under contract to the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Thanks are due to Gustavo Lovrich and an anonymous reviewer for helpful comments on the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biological Sciences Division, British Antarctic Survey, Natural Environment Research Council, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 OET, Cambridge, UK

    Jamie Watts, Sarah Clarke & Mark Belchier

  2. National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, School of Ocean and Earth Science, University of Southampton, European Way, SO14 3ZH, Southampton, UK

    Sven Thatje

Authors
  1. Jamie Watts
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  2. Sven Thatje
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  3. Sarah Clarke
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  4. Mark Belchier
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Correspondence to Sven Thatje.

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Watts, J., Thatje, S., Clarke, S. et al. A description of larval and early juvenile development in Paralomis spinosissima (Decapoda: Anomura: Paguroidea: Lithodidae) from South Georgia waters (Southern Ocean). Polar Biol 29, 1028–1038 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0146-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-006-0146-1

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