Final-stage phylosoma larvae of Scyllarus species (Crustacea : Decapoda : Scyllaridae) from shelf waters of the Great Barrier Reef

Abstract

Samples of macrozooplankton collected from the shelf area of the Great Barrier Reef (between 18°35′S. and 19°10′S., and 146°30′E. and 147°00′E.) contained phyllosoma larvae of 12 different species of scyllarid lobster. All species were represented at the final stage, three as complete larval series and the remainder as incomplete series. Five species have been identified: Thenus orientalis, Scyllarus martensii, S. demani, S. rugosus and S. sordidus. In this paper the final-stage larvae of S. demani, S. rugosus, S. sordidus and six unidentified Scyllarus species, referred as Scyllarus species A–F, are described and compared with previous references in the literature, and a key developed for their separation.