The first zoeal stage of four speeies of trapezia (Crustacea, Braehyura, Xanthidae)‎

Abstract EN

Ovigerous females of four species of Trapezia Latreille were obtained from Red Sea corals collected by scuba divers in obhor Creek, near Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The species concerned are Trapezia cymodoce (Herbsi), T.

ferruginea Latreille, T.

digitalis Latreille and T.

tigrina Eydoux and Souleyet.

Laboratory hatchings were obtained for each species, but attempts to rear the larvae further were not successful.

The first zoeal stages were com-pared with eaeh other and with published descriptions.

The oral appendages of the four species are very similar, but differences in the carapace spines and the telson processes may be used to separate the species.