Zoea larval stage of a crab, darkfield photomicrograph

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The genus Zoea was initially described by Louis Augustin Guillaume Bosc in 1802 for an animal now known to be the larva of a crab. The zoea stage (plural: zoeas or zoeae) is characterised by the use of the thoracic appendages for swimming and a large dorsal spine. A free-swimming planktonic larval form of many decapod crustaceans and especially crabs that has a relatively large cephalothorax, conspicuous eyes, and fringed antennae and mouthparts

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Size: 2598px × 3898px
Photo credit: © Scenics & Science / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: cephalothorax, crab, crustacean, darkfield, larval, marine, ocean, photomicrograph, sealife, stage, zoea