Descriptions of the nisto stage of Scyllarus demani Holthuis, two unidentified Scyllarus species, and the juvenile of Scyllarus martensii Pfeffer (Crustacea : Decapoda : Scyllaridae), reared in the laboratory; and behavioural observations of the nistos of S. demani, S. martensii and Thenus orientalis (Lund)

Abstract

Live final-stage phyllosoma larvae of T. orientalis, S. martensii, S. demani, and an unidentified specimen, Scyllarus sp. A, were obtained from the mid-shelf region of the Great Barrier Reef. While held in the laboratory, larvae of all species metamorphosed to the subsequent, nisto, stage; the nisto of S. martensii developed further to the first juvenile phase. An additional, nisto, Scyllarus sp. B, obtained in a plankton sample, remains unidentified. In this paper, the nistos of S. demani, Scyllarus sp. A, and Scyllarus sp. B, and the juvenile of S. martensii are described; and behavioural observations of live material, including nistos of T. orientalis, are discussed.