Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Cochin
Abstract
Several species of low volume, high value prawns are of great fishery potential throughout the world and hence they play vital role in the economics of those countries through the domestic and export trade. Although the decapod penaeids with their rich biodiversity are widely subjected to research and vividly described in various literatures, the super family Palaemonidae remains at the back and have not
received due attention in India insplte of their academic and economic impoitance. Moreover all available literature on this group are highly scattered.
The palaemonid prawns form an important
source for capture and culture fisheries in
the inland waters. The prawns under the subfamily
Palaenominae are Inhabitants of inland
waters with potential for aquaculture, whereas
the members of the subfamily Pontomlnae are
exclusively marine and they being brilliantly
coloured, are potentially valuable as ornamental
candidates for marine aquaria. Since majority of
the members of palaemonidae are valuable components
in the economics of Asia, America and Europe, informations on their taxonomy, distribution and biology are important prerequisites for managem
