(Risso, 1816)

Description
Larval morphology changing with developmental stage; larval development encompasses six megalopal (or erichtus) stages. A good description was not available from literature. Giesbrecht, 1910 provides an extended description and illustrations of the subsequent stages and a comparison with the similar stages of Rissoides desmaresti. The medio ventra-spine on the antennular segment is present from stage 3-4 onwards (TL 3.6-3.9 mm), whereas in R. desmaresti this spine appears already in the first stage (TL 3.6-4.1 mm). The ventero-distal spines on abdominal pleurae appear in the eighth stage (TL 13 mm); in R. desmaresti these spines are present from the first stage onwards.

Size
Total larval body length 3.6-14.5 mm.

Depth range/habitat
— Larvae: planktonic, shallow.
—Adult: benthic, subtidally to about 40 metres.

Distribution in the North Sea
In the North Sea, it is restricted to the southern part, entering the area from the Channel.

World distribution
Adults occur in the Mediterranean, on the Atlantic coasts of Portugal, France, southern coasts of the British Isles. Larvae have a more widespread distribution, in our area also occurring in the southern North Sea, entering from the Channel.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Crustacea
Class Malacostraca
Subclass Eumalacostraca
Superorder Hoplocarida
Order Stomatopoda
Superfamily Lysiosquilloidea
Family Nannosquillidae
Genus Platysquilla
Species Platysquilla eusebia

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Platysquilla eusebia (Risso, 1816)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Heterosquilla eusebia | Risso, 1816
Lysiosquilla eusebia | Risso, 1816

Giesbrecht, W., 1910. Stomatopoden. Fauna und Flora des Golfes von Naepel, 33(1): 1-240.

Hamond, R., 1971. The leptocostracan, euphausiid, stomatopod, and decapod Crustacea of Norfolk. Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society, 22(2): 90-112.

Mauchline, J., 1984. Euphausiid, Stomatopod and Leptocostracan Crustaceans. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series), No. 30.

van der Baan, S.M. and L. Holthuis, 1966. On the occurrence of Stomatopoda in the North Sea with special reference to the larvae from the surface plankton near the lightship 'Texel'. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research, 3(1): 1-12.

van der Baan, S.M. and L. Holthuis, 1969b. Second note on the occurrence of stomatopod larvae in the North Sea near the lightship "Texel". Netherlands Journal of Sea Research, 4(3): 350-353.

Verweij, J., 1966. The origin of the stomatopod larvae of the southern North Sea. Netherlands Journal of Sea Research, 3: 13-20.

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