FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Penaeidae 911
Metapenaeus intermedius (Kishinouye, 1900)
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None.
FAO names: En - Middle shrimp; Fr - Crevette ceinture; Sp - Camarón cintura.
thelycum
distomedian projection
distolateral
projection
Diagnostic characters: Body
covered with fine pubescence.
Rostrum distinctly directed
upward and very straight,
merus of fifth leg (male)
bearing 8 to 12 teeth along
entire upper margin and ex-
petasma (ventral view)
tending to about distal segment
of antennular peduncle. Postrostral
crest low. Branchiocardiac crest distinct. First leg bearing a distinct ischial spine. In adult males,
merus of fifth leg with a basal notch followed by a distinct keel. Petasma of males with distomedian
processes triangular and exceeding distolateral projections; outer margin of distomedian processes
bearing an external spinule. Thelycum of females bearing a posteromedian ogival boss;
posterior edges of lateral plates slightly raised; coxal projections of fourth leg long, flat and
truncate. Telson with 3 pairs of large lateral spines. Colour: body somewhat whitish, becoming
slightly pinkish in large adults, covered with dense dark brown dots; eyes dark brown; rostrum, outer
margin of antennal scale, and dorsal abdominal crest black-brown; antennal flagella reddish brown; legs
whitish; pleopods slightly reddish with white markings on outer sides; distal part of uropods bluish, with
margins reddish brown to somewhat purplish.
Size: Maximum body length 19.3 cm (females) and 13.6 cm (males), commonly between 10 and 14 cm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found mainly in depths to 130 m, usually between 20 and 60 m. Taken
mainly by trawls. Very common
in the Strait of Malacca
and Gulf of Thailand, probably
also abundant in Viet Nam. Of
moderate commercial importance
because of its relatively
large size. Marketed mostly
fresh for local consumption.
Distribution: Indo-West
Pacific from the Andaman
Sea to Malaysia, southern
coast of China, and Japan.