Macrobrachium scabriculum (Heller 1862)

Macrobrachium scabriculum (Heller, 1862)

Palaemon scabriculus Heller, 1862a:527 [type locality: Sri Lanka].

Palaemon (s.s.) dolichodactylus Hilgendorf, 1879:840, pl. 4: fig. 18 [type locality: Tete, Mozambique].

P[alaemon] dubius Henderson and Matthai, 1910:300, pl. 18: fig. 9 [type locality: Chingleput District, SE. India].

Macrobrachium scabriculum.—Holthuis, 1950a:224.

DIAGNOSIS.—Rostrum not reaching level of distal end of antennal scale, dorsal margin convex, rostral formula: 4–5 + 8–10/2–3, dorsal teeth subequally spaced; branchiostegal suture not extending posteriorly beyond hepatic spine; telson with posterior apex not overreaching posterolateral spines; antennal scale with lateral margin concave; 1 st pereopod with chela as long as carpus; 2nd pereopods unequal in length and dissimilar in form; major 2nd pereopod with palm compressed, fingers densely pubescent at extreme proximal ends, dentate on opposable margins, gaping, about as long as palm, palm completely covered in dense pubescence (in large males), chela 2–3 times as long as carpus, palm 1 to twice as long as carpus, carpus from to quite as long as merus, with distinct longitudinal groove; minor 2nd pereopod with fingers 1–1 times as long as palm; 3rd pereopod not overreaching antennal scale; maximum postorbital carapace length about 40 mm.

RANGE.—Eastern Africa, Madagascar, India, Sri Lanka, and Indian Ocean coast of Sumatra.

Macrobrachium scabriculum is a species of freshwater shrimp. It is distributed in countries and territories around the Indian Ocean (East Africa, Madagascar, South Asia, Sumatra). It is known as Goda River prawn. The total length of male prawns become about 6.5 cm long and in females it is about 5 cm. A kind of fur develop on the chelipeds of males. Eggs produced by M. scabriculum are smaller in size, brownish in color, elliptical or oval in shape and hatched larvae undergone migration to low saline water for completion its life cycle.

Macrobrachium scabriculum inhabit fresh and brackish water of larger rivers and streams.