Description of the first stage zoeas of four species of Etisus (Brachyura, Xanthoidea, Etisinae) reared from the central Red Sea, Saudi Arabia
Ovigerous crabs of Etisus anagluptus, E. electera, E. frontalis and Etisus sp. (presumably E. demani) were collected from Obhur Creek, north of Jeddah, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia. The morphological features of the first zoea of this species were described for the first time from the Red Sea species and were compared with the first zoea of E. laevimanus known from a previously published study. Setae in the coxal and basal maxillular endite may be used to distinguish E. laevimanus. There are some distinguishing characters between the species such as the length of the rostral spine compared to the antennal protopod, the number of antennule aesthetascs and the antennal exopod ratio. The carapace dorsal spine and the presence of 3.5 setae of the distal endopod segment of the second maxilliped were used to distinguish of the first zoeas in this present study.