Birgus latro

The carapace of the first stage crab (0.88–0.96 mm SL) has a V-shaped longitudinal whitish band (Fig. 3 A, B). The pleon has a longitudinal whitish stripe along the middle portion and transverse whitish stripes on the portion containing the future tergal plates. The gastric and intestinal portions with a brownish content are visible under the semitransparent carapace and pleon; this feature can be observed in first stage crabs of all species.

The shield of the first stage crab has faint small brownish pigments; they develop into two brownish patches at the anterior one-third of the animal and a brownish band extending from the middle margin through each side wall of the whitish/creamy shield in juveniles that have an SL of> 1 mm after one month of age (Fig. 3 A–G, 4A–E). The shield of some individuals has a longitudinal brownish stripe at the mid-posterior portion (Fig. 3 E, 4A, D, E). The second and third pereiopods of the first stage crabs are reddish (Fig. 3 A). After one month of age, the pereiopods generally exhibit a whitish/creamy color, and the palm of the left cheliped (the first pereiopod) develops two longitudinal brownish bands on the middle and upper portions; the propodi and carpi of the second and third pereiopods have longitudinal brownish stripes on the upper and/or lower margins; the dactyli and meri of the pereiopods become brownish (Fig. 3 C, E, G, 4A, C–E). The brownish color of the body parts gradually changes to purplish after nine months of age (Fig. 4 A, C–E); purplish color of the specimens was not different from that of the live crab (Fig. 4 D, E).