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 nameNew scientific nameCommon name
P. aztecusFarfantepenaeus aztecusnorthern brown shrimp
P. brasiliensisFarfantepenaeus brasiliensisredspotted shrimp, spotted pink shrimp
P. brevirostrisFarfantepenaeus brevirostriscrystal shrimp, pink shrimp
P. californiensisFarfantepenaeus californiensisyellowleg shrimp, brown shrimp
P. chinensisFenneropenaeus chinensisfleshy prawn, Chinese white shrimp, oriental shrimp
P. orientalisFenneropenaeus chinensisfleshy prawn, Chinese white shrimp, oriental shrimp
P. duorarumFarfantepenaeus duorarumnorthern pink shrimp
P. esculentusPenaeus esculentusbrown tiger prawn
P. hathorPenaeus hathor
P. indicusFenneropenaeus indicusIndian prawn
P. japonicusMarsupenaeus japonicusKuruma shrimp, Kuruma prawn, Japanese tiger shrimp
P. merguiensisFenneropenaeus merguiensisbanana shrimp, banana prawn
P. monodonPenaeus monodongiant tiger prawn, black tiger shrimp
P. notialisFarfantepenaeus notialissouthern pink shrimp
P. occidentalisLitopenaeus occidentaliswestern white shrimp
P. paulensisFarfantepenaeus paulensisSão Paulo shrimp, Carpas shrimp
P. penicillatusFenneropenaeus penicillatusredtail prawn
P. schmittiLitopenaeus schmittisouthern white shrimp
P. semisulcatusPenaeus semisulcatusgreen tiger prawn
P. setiferusLitopenaeus setiferusnorthern white shrimp
P. silasiFenneropenaeus silasi
P. stylirostrisLitopenaeus stylirostriswestern blue shrimp, blue shrimp
P. subtilisFarfantepenaeus subtilissouthern brown shrimp
P. vannameiLitopenaeus vannameiwhiteleg 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 nameValid scientific nameCommon name
P. canaliculatusMelicertus canaliculatuswitch shrimp, tiger shrimp
P. kerathurusMelicertus kerathurusCaramote prawn, triple-grooved shrimp
P. latisculatusMelicertus latisulcatuswestern king prawn
P. longistylusMelicertus longistylusredspot king prawn, red-spotted prawn
P. marginatusMelicertus marginatusAloha prawn
P. plebejusMelicertus plebejuseastern king prawn