The larval morphology of Palaemon floridanus Chace, 1942 (Decapoda, Palaemonidae) compared with other species of Palaemon and Palaemonetes

Eight zoeal larval forms and the postlarval form of the prawn, Palaemon floridanus Chace, 1942, are described, based on laboratory reared animals that passed through as few as 8 or as many as 16 larval instars. This extended pattern of larval development was found to be consistent over the genus as a whole, regardless of the wide range of salinity occupied by different species. Structural characteristics that are shared by larvae of all Palaemon spp. thus far examined are presented. A more detailed analysis of larval morphology of temperate-tropical American species of Palaemon and Palaemonetes revealed more differences within than between the two genera, suggesting that they are more closely related than previously regarded.