FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Penaeidae 917
Penaeus japonicus Bate, 1888 KUP
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None.
FAO names: En - Kuruma prawn; Fr - Crevette kuruma; Sp - Camarón kuruma.
Diagnostic characters: Carapace with grooves and crests very distinct, bearing
both gastrofrontal and hepatic crests; rostrum generally armed with 9 or 10 upper
teeth (including those on carapace) and 1 lower tooth, lacking distinct accessory
crest on the blade; postrostral crest well developed and with a deep median groove
throughout its length; adrostral groove extending near to posterior margin of
carapace and almost as wide as postrostral crest; posterior end of gastrofrontal
groove divided into 2. First leg without ischial spine. Petasma of males with very
long distomedian projections overhanging distal margin of costae. Thelycum of
females a well-developed pouch with double tubes, opened anteriorly; anterior
and posterior processes fused, forming a subtriangular concave plate. Telson with
3 pairs of movable lateral spines. Colour: body pale yellowish and crossed with
dark brown transverse bands; those on carapace generally extending to lower
half of carapace, last abdominal band interrupted; eyes dark brown; antennal
scale somewhat greenish with white tips, flagella yellowish; legs whitish to yellowish
(large specimens); pleopods yellowish to reddish (large specimens) and with
brown and/or white spots at bases; distal part of uropods with a patch of bright
yellow, followed by another patch of bright blue, and with red margins.
distomedian
projection
anterior plate
thelycum
petasma
(ventral view)
ventral
costa
Size: Maximum body length 30 cm (females) and 20 cm (males), commonly between 11 and 20 cm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Inhabits shelf areas from the coastline to depths of about 90 m, but usually
less than 50 m, on sandy or sandy-mud bottoms. Adults usually are buried in the substrate during the daytime
and are active at night. Caught by trawls, drift nets, set nets, traps, and artisanal gear. Common, but apparently
not particularly abundant in the area; usually taken as bycatch in fisheries for other Penaeus species. Marketed
fresh and frozen, often sold together
with other species of
Penaeus. Consumed locally
and probably also exported to
some extent.
Distribution: Widely distributed
in the Indo-West Pacific
from the eastern coast of Africa
to the Red Sea, Japan,
Australia, and Fiji; also entered
the eastern Mediterranean
through the Suez Canal.
lateral
lobe