ABSTRACT
Scyllarid lobsters are a diverse group in terms of size, habitat, and distribution. The life history of scyllarid lobsters consists of an initial, delicate, planktonic phyllosoma; a non-feeding, intermediate, nisto stage; and a final, benthic, juvenile/adult stage. Each life stage has specific nutritional/environmental requirements, which must be comprehensively understood in order to successfully rear scyllarid lobsters in captivity. Maintenance of the fragile phyllosomas in culture conditions is the most difficult aspect of developing scyllarid lobster aquaculture techniques. Until recently, the main focus of larval rearing in the laboratory has been on larval morphology, but this has led to limited numbers of juveniles being produced. Significant advances, however, have been made with Thenus phyllosoma culture, allowing for the mass production of juveniles. The key to this success has been to first comprehensively understand larval nutritional, environmental, and physiological requirements and then to optimize rearing conditions to suitcommercial scale culture. This chapter summarizes the important aspects of larval physiology and details the past and present attempts at larval rearing.
