Pilumnus reticulatus Stimpson, 1860 (Decapoda: Brachyura: Pilumnidae): a reappraisal of larval characters from laboratory reared material

Abstract

The pilumnid crab Pilumnus reticulatus Stimpson, 1860 is known to range from the Caribbean Sea to Argentina (Atlantic). It has also been recorded from the Pacific coast of Panama. Larvae of Pilumnus reticulatus from females collected in the mouth of the Rio de la Plata were reared in the laboratory from zoea I to megalopa. A reappraisal of larval characters is made by comparing the results of this present study with the previous descriptions of Montú et al. (1989) and with those from other Pilumnus species: P. dasypodus, P. sayi, P. vespertilio, P. hirtellus, P. kempi, P. scabriusculus and P. minutus.