Discovery of the Larval Stage of Lysiosquilloides taiwanicus
Accurate identification of stomatopod larvae is essential for understanding species distribution, life-history strategies, and population connectivity, yet larval stages remain unknown for many species. In this study, pelagic stomatopod larvae collected off Okinawa Island, Japan and Orchid Island, Taiwan were identified using DNA barcoding as a recently described species Lysiosquilloides taiwanicus Ahyong & Lin, 2022 from Taiwan. This represents the first confirmed description of the larval stage of this species. The larva is characterized by a distinctive triangular carapace bearing an elongated rostrum and prominent spines, as well as a forked uropodal protopod typical of lysiosquillid larvae. Because both specimens represent the final pelagic larval stage, it is highly likely that adult L. taiwanicus is also distributed in Japanese waters. These findings provide a valuable link between larval and adult stages and contribute to a better understanding of stomatopod biodiversity and dispersal patterns in the northwestern Pacific.
Read the full article, here