Metapenaeus kutchensis sp.nov., a penaeid prawn from the Gulf of Kutch

Abstract

While examining a collection of prawns from the Gulf of Kutch, the authors found that some of the specimens do not fully conform with any of the known Indo-Pacific species of the genus Metapenaeus. The dominant species reported from the commercial catches of this region (Srivatsa 1953 and Lakumb 1960) is Metapenaeus monoceros Fabricius. A careful study of the material has shown that although the specimens possess certain characters of M. monoceros they reveal several striking features that are not shared by this species. Since the characteristics of these specimens do not correspond with those of any species described so far, the authors have decided to describe the material discussed hereunder as a new species of the genus Metapenaeus Wood-Mason & Alcock.