Abstract

-The presence of a Palinuridae phyllosoma larvae near Salado Bay (27º’S) north-central coast of Chile, is reported. The identification is discussed and the possibility of this larvae being Projasus bahamondei, which is the only species from the family that is described for the area, is discarded. The shape, size and position of the cephalic, pereionic, abdominal and telson appendices concords with descriptions of advanced stage Jasus frontalis larvae. Moreover, the specimen described here has five pairs of biramous pereiopods with setose exopods. In accordance with these observations and published data, it is proposed that this phyllosoma corresponds to a stage XII or XIII of J. frontalis larva.