First Zoea of a Rare Deep-sea Shrimp Vexillipar repandum Chace, 1988 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Caridea, Alpheidae), with Special Reference to Larval Characters of the Family

Abstract

First zoea of a rare alpheid shrimp Vexillipar repandum Chace, associated with a deep-sea hexactinellid sponge, is described and illustrated based on laboratory-hatched material. The general morphology of the first zoea of V. repandum is similar to those of the previously-known examples of Alpheus. A diagrammatic key for identification of the family among caridean zoeas is proposed.