FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Penaeidae 923
Penaeus penicillatus Alcock, 1905 REP
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / Penaeus indicus H. Milne Edwards, 1837; P. merguiensis
De Man, 1988; P. silasi Muthu and Motoh, 1979.
FAO names: En - Redtail prawn; Fr - Crevette queue rouge; Sp - Camarón colorado. anterior process
Diagnostic characters: Carapace rather smooth, lacking gastrofrontal
and hepatic crests; adrostral crest extending just
beyond epigastric tooth; tip of rostrum horizontally straight,
and rostral crest generally slightly elevated in youngs and
adult males, to moderately high in large females; rostrum
usually armed with 7 to 9 upper teeth (including those on carapace)
and 3 to 5 lower teeth; postrostral crest extending near
to posterior margin of carapace; gastro-orbital crest distinct,
occupying 1/2 to 1/3 the distance between hepatic spine and
orbital margin. In adult males, third maxilliped with distal
segment much longer than second segment which bears
a tuft of dense long hairs (as long as distal segment) at
tip. Petasma of males with distomedian projections slightly bent
posterior
process
distal 2 segments
of third maxilliped
(male)
distomedian
projection
lateral plates
thelycum
and not reaching distal margin of costae. Thelycum of females formed by 2 semi-circular lateral plates, with
theirmedianmarginsastumidlips;anterior process slightly rounded and obscured by hairs; posterior
process elongated and inserted between anterior part of lateral plates. Telson lacking lateral spines. Colour:
body semi-translucent, slightly greenish and covered with numerous minute dark brown dots; eyes light
brown and covered with some dark brown mesh-like stripes; rostral and abdominal dorsal crests reddish brown
to dark brown; antennal flagella reddish brown; antennular flagella of same colour as body and covered with
many dark spots; legs translucent and somewhat whitish; pleopods rather reddish; distal half of uropods
yellowish to greenish but always with reddish tips.
Size: Maximum body length 21.2 cm (carapace length 3.3 cm) in females and 16.3 cm (carapace length
3.1 cm) in males, commonly between 10 and 16 cm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: On soft bottoms, from the coastline to a depth of about 90 m. Caught by
trawls, seines, scoop nets, and artisanal gear. Marketed fresh and frozen. Reported to be rather common
in Malaysia, but can be easily
confused with Penaeus indicus,
P. merguiensis, and P.
silasi, and is probably not so
common in the area.
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific
from Pakistan to Taiwan
Province of China and Indonesia.
costa
petasma (ventral view)