Development of Apseudes chilkensis Chilton (Tanaidacea, Crustacea), a forage organism in estuaries

Abstract

The developmental stages of the tanaidacean, Apseudes chilkensis Chilton, a common forage organism in the brackish waters of Kerala are described. The size and structure of chelipeds along with body length, seventh pair of pereopods, pleopods, nature of oostegites and genital cone are the characters selected to distinguish the different developmental stages. Commencing from egg, the development stages pass through the lecithotrophic hatching, manca 1, manca 2, juvenile, preparatory stage and copulatory stages. Presence of different types of males in the population indicate protogyny, a common feature of tanaidaceans