Morphological description of naupliar stages of peneid shrimp (Dendrobranchiata: Penaeidae) occurring in São Paulo State

Abstract

Description of the first larval stages in Decapoda crustaceans is of great importance in ecological studies that aim at the identification of the species present in the plankton and, consequently, the identification of the spawning sites and the period in which, in addition, the relationship of the first larval stages with the environment where they are. But in order to be able to carry out these studies, it is necessary to know the larval morphology providing the correct identification of the species. Considering that the knowledge about larval morphology goes beyond enabling the identification of planktonic forms, being a useful tool also in taxonomic and phylogenetic studies, the present project aims to obtain and describe post-embryonic stages of Dendrobranchiata shrimp occurring on the São Paulo coast. In addition to generating morphological descriptions that added to those already published and new larval descriptions present on the Brazilian coast will be used in the formulation of a larval identification key at the species level, a fundamental tool to overcome the barrier that makes it difficult to carry out studies on larval ecology with emphasis on migratory processes and species dispersion, considered fundamental in the life history of these organisms and the first step in understanding the habit of life and ecological factors essential for the cultivation of larvae that can be used in the restructuring of natural populations. Collections will be carried out at different seasons of the year on the São Paulo coast from Cananéia, far south to the north coast in Ubatuba by means of short-lived bottom trawls so that reproductive females are obtained alive. Collections will also be made on the consolidated substrate up to about 50 meters. Estuarine and rocky shore ecosystems will also be sampled. Reproductive females will be kept in the laboratory until the larvae are reached. The morphological description will be carried out by means of dissection and illustration of appendices, looking for possible patterns or combinations of morphological characters that allow the identification of the analyzed species, in addition to possible groupings between them that may support the phylogenetic groupings available in the literature.