Larval development of Philyra platychira (Decapoda: Leucosiidae) reared in the laboratory

The complete larval development of Philyra platychira de Haan, 1841, from hatching to the megalopal stage, was obtained by laboratory rearing. Three zoeal and one megalopal stages are described and illustrated in derail. In the subfamily Philyrinae, it is unusual that the zoea has a lateral swollen protuberance on the carapace that in the third stage develops into a spine. The Philyra zoeae could be easily distinguished from the zoeae Arcania and Myra by having no lateral carapace spine, 2+1 setae on the endopod of the maxilla, and three small teeth on the posterolateral margin of the telson. In the Family Leucosiidae, Philyra is as advanced as the leucosiines, whereas Arcania and Myra are the most ancestral group, based on the zoeal characteristics. Therefore, it is considered that the subfamily Philyrinae might be a significantly heterogeneous group.