Penaeus japonicus (Bate, 1888)

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Synonyms

Penaeus pulchricaudatus Stebbing, 1914
FAO Names
En – Kuruma prawn, Fr – Crevette kuruma, Sp – Langostino japonés.
3Alpha Code: KUP Taxonomic Code: 2280100109
Scientific Name with Original Description
Penaeus canaliculatus japonicus Bate, 1888. Rep.Voyage Challenger (Zool.), 24:245.
Geographical Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: from the Red Sea, E. and S.E. Africa to Korea, Japan and the Malay Archipelago, also reported from Fiji. Eastern Atlantic: the species entered the eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal and has reached the south coast of Turkey.
Habitat and Biology
Bottom sandy mud and sand. Marine.Bathymetry: from 0 to 90 m.
Size
Maximum total length 190 mm (male), 225 mm (female); maximum carapace length 53 mm (male) 66 mm (female).
Interest to Fisheries
On the east and southeast coast of Africa, in Madagascar waters, in the Gulf of Aden, and in the Red Sea the Species is fished,but is of minor commercial importance. In India small fisheries for this species are mentioned for the Bombay and Madras areas (Kurian & Sebastian, 1976:l00). Domantay (1956:363) reported it among the commercially important prawns of the Philippines. In Japan the fishery is of major importance, the present species being the most valuable of the commercial shrimps, it is not only trawled but also plays a role in the pond fishery. In New Guinea P. japonicus forms a small percentage of commercial catches (Rapson & McIntosh, 1971:17) . In the eastern Mediterranean the species is caught by Turkish, Israelian and Egyptian trawlers. It is possible that the records of the fishery for Penaeus canaliculatus (see there) in India, Indonesia and the Philippines actually pertain to the present species. Serious and most successful efforts at culturing the species, both in ponds and tanks, are undertaken in Japan (Shigueno, 1975). In some areas outside Japan (e.g., Korea, Taiwan, France) the species is also used in aquaculture experiments.

Local Names
S. Africa : Ginger prawn .
Hong Kong : Flowery prawn .
Taiwan : Banded shrimp .
Japan : Kuruma ebi , Saimaki ebi (juveniles only.).
Korea : Oriental brown shrimp .
Australia : Japanese king prawn .
New Guinea : Japanese king prawn .
U.S.A. : Kuruma shrimp .
Israel : Kristal .
Source of Information
FAO CATALOGUE Vol.1 – Shrimps and Prawns of the World. An Annotated Catalogue of Species of Interest to Fisheries.L.B. Holthuis 1980. FAO Fisheries Synopsis No.125, Volume 1.