ABSTRACT
Apart from larval characters such as zoeal spines and stages, developmental characters are rarely used for inferences on decapod phylogeny and evolution. In this review we present examples of comparative developmental data of decapods and discuss these in a phylogenetic and evolutionary context. Several different levels of developmental characters are evaluated. We consider the influence of ontogenetic characters such as cleavage patterns, cell lineage, and gene expression on our views on the decapod ground pattern, on morphogenesis of certain structures, and on phylogenetic relationships. We feel that developmental data represent a hidden treasure that is worth being more intensely studied and considered in studies on decapod phylogeny and evolution.
