The zoea larva of the blue king crab, Paralithodes platypus
The zoea is a free-swimming larval stage of crustaceans. It follows the nauplius stage, and precedes the post-larva. Zoea larvae swim with their thoracic appendages (vs nauplii, which use cephalic appendages, and Megalopa which use abdominal appendages for swimming) It often has spikes on its carapax for defence. In many decapods, due to their accelerated development, the zoea is the first larval stage. Image File history File links The zoea larva of a blue king crab, Paralithodes platypus. ... Image File history File links The zoea larva of a blue king crab, Paralithodes platypus. ... Genera Acantholithodes Cryptolithodes Dermaturus Glyptolithodes Hapalogaster Lithodes Lopholithodes Neolithodes Oedignathus Paralithodes Paralomis Phyllolithodes Placetron Rhinolithodes King crabs, also called stone crabs are a family of crab-like decapod crustaceans chiefly found in cold seas. ... A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... Classes & Subclasses Class Branchiopoda Subclass Phyllopoda Subclass Sarsostraca Class Remipedia Class Cephalocarida Class Maxillopoda Subclass Thecostraca Subclass Tantulocarida Subclass Branchiura Subclass Pentastomida Subclass Mystacocarida Subclass Copepoda Class Ostracoda Subclass Myodocopa Subclass Podocopa Class Malacostraca Subclass Phyllocarida Subclass Hoplocarida Subclass Eumalacostraca The crustaceans (Crustacea) are a large group of arthropods (55... The nauplius larva of a prawn A nauplius is the larva of many kinds of crustaceans. ... Suborders and Infraorders Dendrobranchiata Pleocyemata Caridea Stenopodidea Reptantia, comprising: Eryonoidea Achelata Astacidea Glypheidea Thalassinidea Anomala Brachyura The decapods or Decapoda are a group of crustaceans within the class Malacostraca, including many familiar groups of crustaceans, such as crabs, lobsters and shrimp, but also some families that are less well known. ...
Zoea may be of any standard form - humanoid, insectoid, planktonoid, ameoboid, phytoid, etc - or of no particular form.
They can also change forms, exchange bionano and ultratech with other zoea by means of pili (exuded tendrils), exopods (additional limbs), pheronomes, or tightbeam EM or sonics, or more often a combination of several or all media.
In terms of numbers, most zoea are of the basic transapient (First Toposophic) bionano form (with only a few standard additional pico-augments), but there are also Second Toposophic, Third Toposophic, and even distributed megastructure Fourth Toposophic-based zoea, such as form the bodies and psychophysiologies and/or avatars of Lifegivers and other intermediate toposophic Minds.
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