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Contributions of larval biology to crustacean research

Klaus Anger-2005-01-01-Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar-und Meeresforschung (Alfred-Wegener-Institut)
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TL;DRAbstract

Most crustaceans pass through a complex life cycle, commonly comprising a benthic juvenile-adult and a pelagic larval phase. As a consequence of radical transitions in life style, different ontogenetic stages of the same species may differ greatly in ecology, behaviour, functional morphology, anatomy, and physiology. The interdisciplinary field of larval biology analyzes developmental changes in all those traits, as well as persisting effects of larval condition on postmetamorphic fitness. Larval biology is thus not only an intrinsic subject of life-history studies, but also it contributes essential information to various other disciplines within the broad area of crustacean research. Comparative studies of larval morphology, for example, aid the identification of phylogenetic relationships among higher taxa. In extreme cases (e.g. parasitic cirripedes), even the affiliation to the Crustacea could only be shown with larval characters. Patterns of larval behaviour, dispersal and recruit

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Most crustaceans pass through a complex life cycle, commonly comprising a benthic juvenile-adult and a pelagic larval phase. As a consequence of radical transitions in life style, different ontogenetic stages of the same species may differ greatly in ecology, behaviour, functional morphology, anatomy, and physiology. The interdisciplinary field of larval biology analyzes developmental changes in all those traits, as well as persisting effects of larval condition on postmetamorphic fitness. Larval biology is thus not only an intrinsic subject of life-history studies, but also it contributes essential information to various other disciplines within the broad area of crustacean research. Comparative studies of larval morphology, for example, aid the identification of phylogenetic relationships among higher taxa. In extreme cases (e.g. parasitic cirripedes), even the affiliation to the Crustacea could only be shown with larval characters. Patterns of larval behaviour, dispersal and recruit

Keywords

BiologyEcologyLarvaPopulation biologyPopulationBiological dispersalLife history theoryMetapopulation

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