Farming freshwater prawns

1CHAPTERBiologyTHE FOLLOWING NOTES contain background information on the genus Macrobrachiumand some basic details about the biology of M. rosenbergii. This section of the manual hasmainly been derived from Holthuis (2000), the work of Ling (1969), and a review by Ismaeland New (2000), and is intended to provide basic background information for extensionworkers and students.1.1 Names, natural range, and characteristicsof freshwater prawnsNAMING FRESHWATER PRAWNS (NOMENCLATURE)All the freshwater prawns that have been cultured so far belong to the genusMacrobrachium, Bate 1868, the largest genus of the family Palaemonidae. About 200 specieshave been described, almost all of which live in freshwater at least for part of their life.The giant river prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, was one of the first species tobecome scientifically known, the first recognisable illustration appearing in 1705. Thenomenclature of freshwater prawns, both on a generic and a species level has had quite amuddled history. In the past, generic names have included Cancer (Astacus) and Palaemon.Previous names of M. rosenbergii have included Palaemon carcinus, P. dacqueti, and P.rosenbergii and it was not until 1959 that its present scientific name, Macrobrachiumrosenbergii (De Man 1879) became universally accepted.Some taxonomists recognize a western sub-species (found in the waters of the eastcoast of India, Bay of Bengal, Gulf of Thailand, Malaysia, and the Indonesian regions ofSumatra, Java and Kalimantan) and an eastern sub-species (inhabiting the Philippines,the Indonesian regions of Sulawesi and Irian Jaya, Papua New Guinea and northernAustralia). These are referred to as Macrobrachium rosenbergii dacqueti (Sunier 1925) forthe western form and Macrobrachium rosenbergii rosenbergii (De Man 1879) for the easternform. However, from the perspective of freshwater prawn farmers, exact nomenclatureCHAPTER 11