PHYLLOSOMA LARVAE OF SCYLLARUS SPECIES (DECAPODA, SCYLLARIDAE) FROM THE SHELF WATERS OF AUSTRALIA

Zooplankton samples from tropical (the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Nor thwest Shelf of Western Australia) and temperate (east coast of Tasman ia) regions of Australia contained phyllosoma larvae of 14 species of Scyllarus. All but two species were represented at the final, gilled s tate - the exceptions showed intermediary development between subfinal and final stages. Two species were represented as complete larval ser ies, the remainder as incomplete series. The final, or most developed, stage of the 14 unidentified species, referred to as Scyllarus specie s A-N in this paper, are described and compared with the literature. L arvae of five species appear to be new larval records for the Indo-Wes t Pacific. Larvae of another three species correspond with those attri buted previously to S. rugosus H. Milne Edwards, 1837, S. sordidus (St impson, 1860) and S. demani Holthuis, 1946. These, and some other larv al identifications or affinities tendered in the literature are examin ed.