Developmental changes in the mouthparts of juvenile Caribbean spiny lobster, Panulirus argus: Implications for aquaculture

Light microscopy and video analysis were used to examine the mouthpart morphology and feeding behaviour of the Caribbean spiny lobster from puerulus (megalopal stage) (5–8 mm carapace length, CL) to adult (85 mm CL). Upon settlement the pueruli did not possess fully functional mouthparts, however, efficient feeding appendages appeared in the first instar juvenile (after the first moult from puerulus). From this stage the density, robustness and complexity of setation on the mouthparts, together with the size and calcification of the mouthparts increased progressively with the size of the lobster.