Temperature-mediated developmental plasticity in winter and summer larvae of Palaemon serratus.

In a seasonal environment, variation in larval phenotype and developmental plasticity allow crustacean larvae to maximise survival by lengthening or shortening their development. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of temperature, laying season and their interaction on larval developmental pathways (larval instars and larval stages). We monitored the different larval stages and calculated the number of larval instars reached during the development of winter and summer larvae of Palaemon serratus incubated at 12, 16 or 20 °C.