Brachyura larvae
Field collection

Crustacean larvae, like most other planktonic organisms, are collected in the wild using nets of various mesh sizes that are generally towed behind a vessel or left drifting where there are sufficient currents. Mesh sizes of 500 µm are generally sufficient. A 4-5% formaldehyde (10:1 dilution of commercial formalin) solution is adequate for fixation of specimens. However, for final preservation and handling in the laboratory, transfer to 70% ethanol or 50% isopropanol is recommended.