Penaeus
Penaeus is a genus of prawns, including the giant tiger prawn, the most important species of farmed crustacean worldwide. The genus has been reorganised following a proposition of Pérez Farfante and Kensley based on morphological differences, in particular the genital characteristics of these animals, although this revision has not been universally accepted. Following the revision, many species formerly in the genus Penaeus have been reassigned to new genera in the family Penaeidae: Farfantepenaeus, Fenneropenaeus, Litopenaeus and Marsupenaeus. The following table gives an overview:
Old scientific name | New scientific name | Common name |
P. aztecus | Farfantepenaeus aztecus | northern brown shrimp |
P. brasiliensis | Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis | redspotted shrimp, spotted pink shrimp |
P. brevirostris | Farfantepenaeus brevirostris | crystal shrimp, pink shrimp |
P. californiensis | Farfantepenaeus californiensis | yellowleg shrimp, brown shrimp |
P. chinensis | Fenneropenaeus chinensis | fleshy prawn, Chinese white shrimp, oriental shrimp |
P. orientalis | Fenneropenaeus chinensis | fleshy prawn, Chinese white shrimp, oriental shrimp |
P. duorarum | Farfantepenaeus duorarum | northern pink shrimp |
P. esculentus | Penaeus esculentus | brown tiger prawn |
P. hathor | Penaeus hathor | |
P. indicus | Fenneropenaeus indicus | Indian prawn |
P. japonicus | Marsupenaeus japonicus | Kuruma shrimp, Kuruma prawn, Japanese tiger shrimp |
P. merguiensis | Fenneropenaeus merguiensis | banana shrimp, banana prawn |
P. monodon | Penaeus monodon | giant tiger prawn, black tiger shrimp |
P. notialis | Farfantepenaeus notialis | southern pink shrimp |
P. occidentalis | Litopenaeus occidentalis | western white shrimp |
P. paulensis | Farfantepenaeus paulensis | São Paulo shrimp, Carpas shrimp |
P. penicillatus | Fenneropenaeus penicillatus | redtail prawn |
P. schmitti | Litopenaeus schmitti | southern white shrimp |
P. semisulcatus | Penaeus semisulcatus | green tiger prawn |
P. setiferus | Litopenaeus setiferus | northern white shrimp |
P. silasi | Fenneropenaeus silasi | |
P. stylirostris | Litopenaeus stylirostris | western blue shrimp, blue shrimp |
P. subtilis | Farfantepenaeus subtilis | southern brown shrimp |
P. vannamei | Litopenaeus vannamei | whiteleg shrimp, Pacific white shrimp, King prawn |
A few more species that are sometimes given as Penaeus spp. are actually assigned to the genus Melicertus:
Invalid name | Valid scientific name | Common name |
P. canaliculatus | Melicertus canaliculatus | witch shrimp, tiger shrimp |
P. kerathurus | Melicertus kerathurus | Caramote prawn, triple-grooved shrimp |
P. latisculatus | Melicertus latisulcatus | western king prawn |
P. longistylus | Melicertus longistylus | redspot king prawn, red-spotted prawn |
P. marginatus | Melicertus marginatus | Aloha prawn |
P. plebejus | Melicertus plebejus | eastern king prawn |