Description of Leucosiidae (Crustacea: Brachyura) larval stages collected from the Manora channel, Pakistan, during 1993-1995

The present descriptive study is based on the brachyuran larval stages of three Leucosiidae species: Leucosia aff. biannulata (zoea I and III), Philyra aff. platychira (zoea I and III) and Philyra aff. syndactyla (megalopa). Samples were collected fortnightly during the day from the plankton in the Manora Channel, Pakistan between 1993-1995. A total thirty-nine samples were collected from which 398 Leucosiidae larvae were sorted and identified. The larval stages are illustrated and described in detail. The differences between the morphological characters of larvae studied and with those previously described by other authors are noted in tabular form.