FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

912 Shrimps and Prawns
Metapenaeus moyebi (Kishinouye, 1896)
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Metapenaeus burkenroadi Kubo, 1954 / Metapenaeus dalli Racek,
1957; M. mastersii (Haswell, 1879) (= M. ensis (De Haan, 1844)).
FAO names: En - Moyebi shrimp; Fr - Crevette moyebi; Sp - Camarón moyebi.
anterior plate
Diagnostic characters: Body
covered with fine pubescence.
Rostrum armed with 7 to 10
teeth along entire upper margin,
nearly straight or slightly
uptilted at tip, extending to
(after Motoh and Buri, 1984)
merus of fifth leg (male)
distolateral
projection
about middle of distal antennular article. Postrostral crest low. Branchiocardiac
crest weak and indistinct. First leg with ischial spine small or nearly
absent. In adult males, merus of fifth leg with a basal notch followed by a twisted
keeled tubercle. Petasma of males with distomedian process enlarged and
laminose or flap-like, strongly projected forward and diverging; distolateral
projection directed anterolaterally. Thelycum of females with anterior plate
distomedian
projection
lateral plates
thelycum
petasma (ventral view)
flask-shaped, its anterior margin slightly convex and bearing 3 tubercles of subequal size; lateral
plates kidney-shaped and often with angular contours. Telson without distinct lateral spines.
Colour: body semi-translucent, somewhat pale green and covered with with dense dark brown dots;
eyes black-brown; antennal flagella reddish; pleopods slightly pinkish; distal part of uropods somewhat
yellowish green and with reddish brown margins.
Size: Maximum body length 12.6 cm (females) and 8.3 cm (males), commonly between 5.5 and 9.5 cm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found on mud or sandy-mud bottom in estuaries, backwaters, and
nearshore waters to depths of about 45 m. Caught by trawls, set nets, seines, traps, and artisanal gear.
Appears to be quite abundant throughout its range in the area and is frequently seen in local markets, but
only of secondary economic
importance due to its relatively
small size. Also reported
to be used for
aquaculture in Malaysia and
Singapore but probably not
the main cultured species
there. Marketed mainly fresh
for local consumption.
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific
from the eastern coast of
India and Sri Lanka to Japan
and Indonesia.