Phyllosoma larvae in the IIOE (1960-65) collections - Systematics

Abstract

The systematics of the phyllosoma larvae sorted out from the International Indian Ocean Expedition (1960-65) collections is dealt with. In a total of 84 specimens of larvae present in the collections, 51 are palinurids and the rest 33 scyllarids. The larval series contain phyllosoma stages of most of the commercially important spiny lobsters of the Indian Ocean region including the important species of the Indian coast, namely, Panulirus homarus (Linnaeus). The species with maximum number of larval specimens in the collection is P. versicolor (Latreille). The paucity of larvae in the samples from near the coastal areas of India and Ceylon is a strange feature noticed in the distribution of the larvae