Life‐history studies on New Zealand Brachyura

Abstract

The stage one Zoea larva of Hemiplax hirtipes (Jacquinot, 1853) from New Zealand is described, and present knowledge concerning larvae of crabs of the family Ocypodidae is summarised and discussed. No diagnostic character is common to all ocypodid Zoea larvae and larval relationships within the family are obscure. Megalopa larvae of this family are structurally modified in response to specialised ecological requirements, and this may also be true of the adult crabs. The original relationships of ocypodid genera may be preserved in the planktonic Zoea larvae which show close affinities with those of the Hymeno‐somidae, Pinnotheridae, and Grapsidae.