Larvae of Nauticaris magellanica (Decapoda: Caridea: Hippolytidae) reared in the laboratory differ morphologically from those in nature

The variability of larval morphology in the caridean shrimp Nauticaris magellanica cultivated in the laboratory was analysed, and its applicability for the identification of larval stages collected from the plankton evaluated. Both morphometric and meristic variability of selected appendages was analysed comparing larvae from the rearing experiment with those obtained from the plankton. Larval development in the laboratory consisted of at least nine zoeal and five decapodid stages, followed by the first juvenile stage. Larvae collected from the plankton, comprising individuals from zoea II to, presumably, zoca VIII, were generally more developed and had a larger size than the corresponding stages reared in the laboratory. Cultured larvae showed a high exophenotypical variability starting with zoea IV, which impeded an immediate determination of larval stages obtained from the plankton.