FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes Western

Penaeidae 927
Trachypenaeus curvirostris (Stimpson, 1860) TRV
Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: ? Trachypenaeus asper Alcock, 1905 / Trachypenaeus
longipes (Paulson, 1875); T. malaiana Balss, 1933.
FAO names: En - Southern rough shrimp; Fr - Crevette gambri archée; Sp - Camarón fijador arquero.
Diagnostic characters: Entire body hairy, with grooves and crests on carapace
obscure. Rostrum slightly upcurved at tip, armed with 6 to 8 upper teeth
(including those on carapace) and extending to about distal antennular article.
Postrostral crest low and extending almost to posterior margin of carapace.
Longitudinal suture on carapace short. First 3 pairs of legs bearing epipods,
first leg additionally armed with a distinct ischial spine, fifth leg not exceeding
tip of antennal scale. Abdomen with a small median tubercle on second
segment, last 4 segments with a low dorsal crest, distinctly incised posteriorly.
Petasma of males T-shaped, distolateral projections broadly wing-like
anterior plate
posterior plate
thelycum
distomedian projection
distolateral
projection
petasma (ventral view)
and directed laterally, distomedian projections small. Thelycum of females with anterior plate concave
and bluntly pointed anteriorly, bearing a median groove; posterior plate with a distinct median notch
on anterior margin. Telson generally armed with 3 or 4 pairs of small movable lateral spines. Colour:
body greyish pink to greyish blue, sometimes whitish on sides; eyes dark brown; antennal flagella
reddish; legs pinkish and with some white patches; pleopods reddish with white markings on sides;
uropods almost entirely reddish, with margins whitish to yellowish.
Size: Maximum body length 10.5 cm (females) and 8.1 cm (males), commonly between 5 and 8 cm.
Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found on sand, mud, or sandy-mud bottom, from depths of 10 to 300 m,
but usually between 30 and 60 m. Reported from many places in the area, but its actual distribution is
unclear as it is often confused with other species of the genus. Probably of minor commercial importance.
Caught mainly at night by
trawls and bottom gill nets,
also by artisanal gear. Marketed
mainly fresh for local
consumption.
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific
from eastern coast of Africa
to Japan and northern
Australia, also entered the
eastern Mediterranean
through the Suez Canal.