General characters to recognize the stages of brachyuran larval phases (exceptions apply, especially
among lower Brachyura, e.g. Dromiidae, Homolidae and Raninidae).
____________________________________________________________________________________

Phase/Stage Features
____________________________________________________________________________________

Zoea I - Eyes sessile;
- Antennule and antenna without endopod buds;
- First two maxillipeds natatory, exopod segmented and distally
with 4 long setae;
- Third maxilliped absent or not visible;
- No uropods;
- Telson not separated from 6th abdominal somite, groups with
typical forked telson usually with 3 pairs of medial setae.

Zoea II - Eyes stalked;
- Antennule and antenna endopod first appear as buds;
- First two maxillipeds with 6 natatory setae on exopods;
- Developing third maxilliped may be present under carapace;
- No uropods;
- Telson usually not separated from the 6th abdominal somite (e.g.
except Majidae), furcal arch may bear 4 pairs of setae.

Zoea III - Eyes stalked;
- Mandibular palp may be present as primordia;
- First two maxillipeds with 8 natatory setae on exopods;
- Developing third maxilliped usually present;
- Developing pereopods and pleopods may be present;
- Uropod buds present;
- Telson separated from 6th abdominal somite; may have additional
setae on furcal arch.

Zoea IV (and older stages)
- Eyes stalked;
- Mandible with palp primordia;
- Exopod of maxillipeds with 10 or morenatatory setae;
- Pleopod and pereopod buds more developed than previous
stages but not yet functional;
- Telson separated from 6th abdominal somite; may have additional
setae on furcal arch.

Decapodid (Megalopa)
- Eyes stalked;
- Mandible with setose palp;
- Maxillipeds no longer natatory, now functional mouthparts;
- Pereopods complete and functional, the first one chelate;
- Pleopods biramous, segmented and setose;
- Uropods setose.
____________________________________________________________________________________