Sedova N.A.1, Grigoriev S.S.2 2022. Morphology of the larval stages of Spirontocaris murdochi Rathbun, 1902 (Decapoda: Thoridae) from adjacent waters of Kamchatka // Arthropoda Selecta. Vol.31. No.1: 19–33 [in English].
1 Kamchatka State Technical University, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683000 Russia. E-mail: sedova67@bk.ru
2 Kamchatka Branch of Pacific Geographical Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, 683003 Russia.
doi: 10.15298/arthsel. 31.1.03
ABSTRACT. Larval stages of shrimp Spirontacaris murdochi Rathbun, 1902 (Decapoda: Thoridae) from plankton in eastern part of Sea of Okhotsk, Pacific waters along southeastern coast of Kamchatka, and western part of Bering Sea are described. Main morphological differences from larvae of corresponding stages of other species of Spirontocaris were revealed. Individual variability in number of spines in anteroventral margin of carapace, segmentation of exopod of antenna and scaphocerite, level of development of pleopods, length of uropods, and shape of telson were found. Armament of maxillules in all stages, maxillae in early zoeae, relative length of rostrum, and morphology of pereopods can be considered the least variable and more reliable features for species identification. Asymmetry of morphology and arms of carapace, antennae, maxillules, maxillae, pereopods, and maxillipeds was revealed.
KEY WORDS: shrimp, larvae, morphology, stages of development, variability, Pacific Ocean, Sea of Okhotsk, Bering Sea.