The larval development of Maja squinado and M. brachydactyla (Decapoda, Brachyura, Majidae) described from plankton collected and laboratory‐reared material

Abstract

The morphology of the different larval stages (zoea I, zoea II and megalopa) of the majid crab Maja squinado Herbst, 1788 reared under laboratory conditions is described. The description of M. brachydactyla Balss, 1922 larvae is also revised, both from individuals reared in laboratory conditions and those collected from plankton samples. The larval stages of M. squinado are morphologically similar to those of the Atlantic species M. brachydactyla; the larval morphology does not justify the separation of M. squinado into two species. Larvae of M. brachydactyla obtained from the wild were similar to those reared under laboratory conditions. The morphology of the zoeal and megalopal stages of M. squinado and M. brachydactyla described in this paper have been compared with previous descriptions of the genus Maja, including M. brachydactyla (described as M. squinado).