Description of the first to fourth zoeal stages of Macrobrachium equidens (Dana, ‎‎1852) (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palaemonidae).‎

Abstract

An ovigerous female of Macrobrachium equidens (Dana, 1852) collected from near ‎shore of Sandspit back waters (Karachi, Pakistan) (Long. 66° 54’ 24”E Lat. 24° 50’ ‎‎24”N) on 19, October, 2009, and kept under the laboratory conditions. Larvae were ‎hatched out after 13 days. Zoea I to zoea III stages passed within 6 days at room ‎temperature 31°C, water temperature 29°C, in filtered seawater of a salinity of 37 ‰ and ‎pH 7.9. The Zoea IV of the same species was collected from planktonic sample of ‎Manora Channel, Karachi (Long. 66° 59’ E Lat. 24° 48’ N) on 1995. The larvae of this species are described and illustrated along with comparisons to ‎those described previously.‎