Taxonomy of Shellfish

5.2.2. Metapenaeus brevicornis

Unit 5 -Key to important species the family Penaeidae

5.2.2. Metapenaeus brevicornis - Yellow shrimp

• Almost entire body hairless;
  
• Rostrum armed with 5 to 7 dorsal teeth, toothless on little less than its distal half, reaching from proximal margin of second, to distal margin of third antennular article, rostral crest high;
• Postrostral ridge not reaching posterior margin of carapace;
  
• Adrostral crest and groove reaching as far as second rostral tooth;
• Branchiocardiac ridge feeble, not reaching middle of carapace;
• Telson armed only with spinules, 1 or 2 distal pairs larger;
• Asmall ischial spine on first pereopod.
• In adult males, merus of fifth perepod with a proximal notch, followed by a keel-shaped tubercle;
  
• Each distomedian projection of petasma with a long and slender apical filament;
  
• Distolateral projections directed anterolaterally.
• In females, anterior plate of thelycum large square and grooved;
  
• Lateral plates boomerang-shaped (often continuous to posterior sternite) and enclosing 2 pear-shaped plates.