Ontogenetic Changes in Pigmentation Pattern in Mesanthura miyakoensis (Crustacea: Isopoda: Anthuridae).

Species in the anthurid isopod genus Mesanthura have specific, dorsal dark pigmentation patterning on the body. Though Mesanthura species have traditionally been distinguished mainly by differences in the dorsal pigmentation pattern in females, the stability of the pigmentation pattern within species had not been investigated, and information was lacking on ontogenetic variation in the pattern. Our study showed the following for M. miyakoensis . (1) Mancae begin to show dorsal pigmentation in the marsupium roughly 9 days before their release. (2) The pigmentation pattern in the first-instar mancae (first free-living stage) differs from that in later instars. (3) The pigmentation pattern in females is discrete and stable from putative second-instar mancae through females lacking oostegites, and distorted but recognizable in ovigerious females. (4) The pattern in males is different from and less discrete than that in females; it remains similar through the molt from subadult to adult male but changes markedly with age, leading to heavy pigmentation of the body. (5) The pigmentation pattern in mancae and females remains stable and observable after storage in ethanol for at least 13.7 months. Our results suggest that comparisons of pigmentation pattern across species in Mesanthura taxonomy should be restricted to females in the post-manca or later stages.