Taxonomy of Shellfish

Unit 7 - Non-penaeid prawns

7.1.1. Macrobrachium rosenbergii - Giant river prawn

• Rostrum long slender, usually extending distinctly beyond the antennal scale;
• Dorsal margin armed with 11 to 14 teeth of which the posterior 2 or 3 are placed behind the orbital margin, 9 or 10 forming an elevated basal crest;
• Most of distal part of dorsal margin toothless or with only a few teeth (including 1 or 2 subdistal teeth);
• Ventral margin armed with 8 to 14 teeth. In adult male, carapace smooth, second pair of pereopods spinous, cutting edges of fingers with 1 or 2 large proximal teeth, rest of the edges entire without rows of tubercles at either side;
• Movable finger with a dense velvety pubescence, covering it entirely except for the distal end, no pubescence on the rest of these legs, except for scattered hairs.