FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Penaeidae 919
Penaeus longistylus Kubo, 1943
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Penaeus caesius Dall, 1957; P. jejunus Hall, 1956 / None.
FAO names: En - Red-spot king prawn; Fr - Crevette royale à taches rouges; Sp - Camarón real manchado.
(after Motoh and Buri, 1984)
posterior
process
lateral
process
distomedian
projection
anterior process
thelycum
ventral
costa
Diagnostic characters: Carapace with grooves and crests very distinct, bearing
both gastrofrontal and hepatic crests; rostrum with tip distinctly upturned, armed
with 10 to 12 upper teeth (including those on carapace) and 1 lower tooth, lacking
distinct accessory crest on the blade; postrostral crest well developed, with a
deep median groove extending to about half of its length; adrostral groove
extending almost to posterior margin of carapace and about twice as wide as
postrostral crest; posterior end of gastrofrontal groove divided into 2. First leg
bearing a strong ischial spine. Petasma of males with short distomedian projec-
petasma (ventral view)
tions not overhanging distal margin of costae. Thelycum of females formed by 2
subrectangular lateral plates with tumid lips; anterior and posterior processes somewhat fused, with
anterior end rounded. Telson with 3 pairs of movable lateral spines. Colour: body generally yellowish green,
becoming slightly pinkish in large adults; lower border of carapace reddish; posteroventral carapace
and abdominal pleura each with a short vertical black bar except fifth pleuron which bears 2 vertical
bars; lateral side of third abdominal segment often with a large red-brown circular spot; eyes brownish
and with many dark dots. Rostrum, postrostral crest, distal part of antennal scale, antennal carina, and dorsal
crests of abdomen dark brown to red-brown; antennal flagella yellowish white; legs yellowish to reddish;
pleopods yellowish; uropods yellowish at basal half and purplish at distal half, with margins red and black
except outer margins of exopods bright blue.
Size: Maximum body length 18 cm (females) and 15 cm (males), commonly between 10 and 15 cm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Inhabits reefs, sand or sandy-mud bottoms in depths from 18 to 60 m. Taken
by trawlers offshore at night and in the vicinity of coral reefs, often together with Penaeus latisulcatus. Less
common than P. latisulcatus in the area, except off northeastern Australia, where a commercial fishery has
been developed for this species, with an annual catch ranging from 600 t to 1 800 t between 1983 and 1990.
Marketed fresh or frozen, often
sold together with P. latisulcatus,
both locally consumed and
exported.
Distribution: Western Pacific;
reported from Thailand,
Malaysia, Singapore, South
China Sea, Taiwan Province
of China, the Philippines,
Australia, and Lord Howe Island.