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):

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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.

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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

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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

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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.