Lepidopa myops

Taxon-Order: 

click on image for more illustrations

Distribution: 
Point Concecption to Baja California, Mexico
Habitat: 
Larvae: planktonic; Adults: benthic
Size: 
Larvae carapace length: 0.68-1.69 mm. Adults: 7.5-8.6 mm
Useful Facts or Characters: 

There are four zoeal stages and one megalopa stage; they are colorless and translucent except for red chromatophores.  There are large, prominent chromatophores on the telson.

Zoea I-IV are characterized by a long unarmed rostral spine and a pair of posterolateral spines on the carapace.

Natural History: 

Commonly known as another member belonging to the family of burrowing sand crabs.

References: 

Knight, M.D. (1970) The larval development of Lepidopa myops Decapoda Albuneidae reared in the laboratory and the zoeal stages of another species of the genus from California and the Pacific coast of Baja-California. Crustaceana (Leiden) 19: 125-156.