Partially abbreviated larval development in an undescribed freshwater palaemonid prawn of the genus Macrobrachium from Chiapas, Mexico

Abbreviated larval development is a characteristic of several species of pa laemonid shrimps. There are at least 29 species of freshwater palaemonids i n South America with such development, but none has been described from Mex ico. In the present work, the partially abbreviated larval development of a freshwater Drawn from Perla de Acapulco, Chiapas, Mexico, located at about 250 hn from the coast, is described and illustrated in detail. The larvae pass through three zoeal stages before becoming postlarvae. Each females ca rries an average of 25 large eggs, which vary in size fi om 2.0 to 2.8 mm d iameter. The larval development is compared with that of some related South American species that are known to possess abbreviated larval life.