Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 1977. ; Hippolyte curacaoensis Schmitt and[. zostericola (Smith) are small caridean shrimp that inhabit grass beds in southern Florida. Ovigerous female shrimp were collected from shallow marine waters at Miami, Florida. Eggs hatched in the laboratory and the larvae were reared in plastic compartmented trays in salinities of 28-32 parts per thousand (ppt) at 26-28°C. Larvae were fed Artemia salina nauplii. H. curacaoensis were also fed Brachionus sp. H. zostericola larvae developed through six larval stages to postlarva. H. curacaoensis larvae developed through eight larval stages to postlarva. Developmental stages for both species are described and drawn. H. curacaoensis and H. zostericola larvae differ from each other and from other species of Hippolyte in the number of larval stages and in morphology. As a result of this study, the three species of Hippolyte that are most often confused, H. zostericola, H. curacaoensis, and H. pleuracanthus (Stimpson), may be more easily differentiated from each other.