List of twenty-four commercially important species of prawn:- 1. Hippolysmata Ensirostris 2. Palaemon Styliferus 3. Palaemon Tenuipes 4. Macrobrachium Malcomsonii 5. Macrobrachium Rosenbergii 6. Macrobrachium Rude 7. Heterocarpus Wood-Masoni 8. Parapandalus Spinipes 9. Plesiotiika Martia 10. Aristeus Semidentatus 11. Atypopenaeus Stenodactyius and Others.
1. Hippolysmata Ensirostris:
Hippolysmata Ensirostris is distributed in India (along the coasts) Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Sumatra
Maximum size – 80 mm
Fishery importance in India – Good fishery in Bombay and Godavari estuary areas.
2. Palaemon Styliferus (Rushna Chingri):
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Distribution – Pakistan to Malay Archipelago. In India, present along the northern regions of both coasts.
Maximum size – 90 mm
Fishery importance in India – One of the most important fisheries of the Gangetic Delta.
3. Palaemon Tenuipes:
Distribution – India (northern regions of both coasts) to New Zealand through Malaysia.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Maximum size – 80 mm
Fishery importance in India – Another important fisheries in Bombay and Gangetic Delta.
4. Macrobrachium Malcomsonii:
Distribution – India and Myanmar. Present in the peninsular rivers of India and migrates into brackish waters during breeding season.
Maximum size – Male-230 mm Female-200 mm
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Fishery importance in India – Fairly good fishery during monsoon in North-East Coast.
5. Macrobrachium Rosenbergii (Golda Chingri):
Distribution – Wide distribution, it extends from the Indo-Pacific zone up to Indo- China. In India common in lakes and estuaries.
Maximum size – 320 mm
Fishery importance in India – Very good fishery during the monsoon and post-monsoon months, particularly in Kerala.
6. Macrobrachium Rude:
Distribution – India (South-West Coast and East Coast), East Africa, Madagascar and Sri Lanka.
Maximum size – 130 mm
Fishery importance in India – Good seasonal fishery in Orissa. Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.
7. Heterocarpus Wood-Masoni:
Distribution – In India present in Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the coast of Kerala.
Maximum size – 130 mm
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Fishery importance in India – Has potential of commercial importance. It is a predominent species in deep-water trawling.
8. Parapandalus Spinipes:
Distribution – In India it is recorded only in the South-West Coast. It is also present through Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea.
Maximum size – 130 mm
Fishery importance in India – Has potential of commercial importance. Present in good numbers in deep-water trawling (150 to 200 fathoms) off Kerala coast.
9. Plesiotiika Martia:
Distribution – In India found both in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. Widely distributed through Indian Seas to Japan, Australia and Hawaiian Islands.
Maximum size – 125 mm
10. Aristeus Semidentatus:
Distribution – South-West Coast of India. Present in Kermadec Islands, Kei Islands and Arabian Sea.
Maximum size – 150 mm
Fishery importance in India – Has potential of commercial importance. Present in good numbers in deep-water trawling (150 to 200 fathoms) off Kerala coast.
11. Atypopenaeus Stenodactyius:
Distribution – Indian seas (West and East Coasts) through Malaysia, Hong Kong to Japan.
Maximum size – 50 mm
Fishery importance in India – Caught in large numbers all throughout the year from Mumbai coast. In East Coast caught in small numbers.
12. Metapenaeus Affinis:
Distribution – Found along the coasts of India. Indian seas to Malaysia, parts of Indonesia to Hong Kong and Japan.
Maximum size – 180 mm
Fishery importance in India – Very important fisheries along both the coasts. Juveniles are caught from estuaries.
13. Metapenaeus Brevicornis (Chamne Chingri):
Distribution – Found along the northern region of both coasts. Present from Pakistan through India, Malaysia, Thailand. Indonesia to East Borneo.
Maximum size – 125 mm
14. Metapenaeus Dobsoni:
Distribution – Common along South-West Coast of India. Present in India through Malaysia, Indonesia to Philippine Islands.
Maximum size – 125 mm
Fishery importance in India – Important fishery along the South-West Coast. Juveniles caught from estuaries and river mouth.
15. Metapenaeus Monoceros (Honne Chingri):
Distribution – Along the entire coastline of India. Present in Mediterranean and Indian seas to Malaysia.
Maximum size – 180 mm
Fishery importance in India – Important fishery of commercial importance.
16. Parapenaeopsis Hardwickii:
Distribution – Bombay area and Godavary estuary. From Indian waters through Malaysia to South China
Maximum size – 120 mm
Fishery importance in India – Good fishery along Mumbai coast and in Godavary estuary.
17. Parapenaeopsis Stylifera:
Distribution – India (all along the coast line), Sri Lanka, Malaysia to Indonesia and Borneo.
Maximum size – 140 mm
Fishery importance in India – Commercially important species along the entire West Coast.
18. Penaeopsis Rectacuta:
Distribution – Madras, Kerala Coast and Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Gulf of Aden through India, Malaysia, Philippines, South China sea and Japan.
Maximum size – 130 mm
Fishery importance in India – Commercially important species, obtained in large quantities of Kerala coast (100-200 fathoms).
19. Penaeus Indicus (Chapda Chingri):
Distribution – All coastal waters of India. Found in India, Sri Lanka, Gulf of Aden, Madagascar, East Coast of Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Northern Australia.
Maximum size – 230 mm
Fishery importance in India – Most important commercial species along all Indian Coast and also in estuaries.
20. Penaeus Monodon (Bagda Chingri):
Distribution – In India more common along the East Coast (Bengal and Orissa) and all along West Coast. It is present from South Africa to Southern Japan.
Maximum size – 320 mm
Fishery importance in India – Very important commercial species particularly in Bengal and Orissa. Present in West Coast but not as dominant as in the east.
21. Penaeus Semisulcatus (Hende Bagda):
Distribution – Widely distributed in Indo-West- Pacific in India, Malaysia, Indonesia, Australia (Northern and North-Eastern). New Guinea, Philippine Islands to Southern Japan. Common on the East Coast of India.
Maximum size – 250 mm
Fishery importance in India – Small fishery in East Coast. Very common in the ‘bheri fisheries’ of West Bengal due to its tolerance to wide salinity range.
22 Solenocera Hextii:
Distribution – Bay of Bengal (65 to 276 fathoms) and along entire West Coast in India.
Maximum size – 140 mm
Fishery importance in India – Large size is attractive commercially and caught in varying numbers along West Coast.
23. Acetes Erythraeus:
Distribution – Found in East and South-West Coast of India. Red Sea through Bay of Bengal to Malay Archipelago.
Maximum size – 30 mm
Fishery importance in India – Fairly good fishery in West Bengal, Orissa and T. Nadu. Caught in large numbers (December to April) in Thiruvanantapuram coast.
24. Acetes Indicus:
Distribution – In India, common along the northern area of West Coast and in the East-Costal areas and eastuarine regions. Present along India through Gulf of Siam to Malaya and East Indies.
Maximum size – 40 mm
Fishery importance in India – Good fishery along Northwest Coast and East Coast. In Mumbai it contributes 20% of shrimp fisheries.