• Animal cells and systems
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2010

The larvae of Scyra acutifrons are described and illustrated for the first time. The larval stage consists of two zoeal and a megalopal stages. The zoea of S. acutifrons is compared with those of other known species of the Epialtidae from the northern Pacific. The zoea of Scyra acutifrons can be easily distinguished from that of S. compressipes by having a longer rostral carapace spine and an endopod of maxillule with three setae. It is found that the genus Scyra (Pisinae) shows a great similarity to Pisoides bidentatus (Pisinae) and the genus Pugettia (Epialtinae) in the family Epialtidae; especially, S. acutidens coincides well with two Pugettia species (Pugettia incisa and P. gracilis) in the characteristics of the zoeal mouthpart appendages. To facilitate the study of plankton-collected material, a provisional key to the known zoeae of the Epialtidae from the northern Pacific is provided.