Taxonomy of Shellfish

5.2.3. Metapenaeus dobsoni

Unit 5 -Key to important species the family Penaeidae

5.2.3. Metapenaeus dobsoni - Kadal shrimp

• Almost entire body pubescent; but pubescence can be restricted to a few patches;
  
• Rostrum long, extending beyond antennular peduncle, slightly sinuous, armed with 7 to 9 dorsal teeth, but toothless on its distal half; postrostral ridge ending near posterior margin of carapace;
• Adrostral crest reaching as far as epigastric tooth, adrostral groove a little beyond;
• Branchiocardiac groove almost reaching to middle of carapace;
• Telson armed only with spinules;
• No ischial spine on first pereopod.
  
• In adult males, basial spine of third pereopod extremely long barbed and merus of fifth perepod with 1 or 2 large, triangular teeth;
  
• Each distomedian projection of petasma with a short filament on ventral surface and another on dorsal surface;
  
• Distolateral projections directed forward.
  
• In females, fifth pereopod often reduced to coax and basis;
  
• Thelycum with a long, grooved tongue-like anterior plate partially ensheather in a horse-shoe-like process formed by the lateral plates.