''Penaeus'' is a genus of
prawns
Prawn is a common name for small aquatic crustaceans with an exoskeleton and ten legs (members of the order of decapods), some of which are edible.
The term ''prawn''Mortenson, Philip B (2010''This is not a weasel: a close look at nature's most ...
, including the
giant tiger prawn (''P. monodon''), the most important species of
farmed crustacean worldwide.
Taxonomy
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'' (members of which are listed to the right) have been reassigned to new genera in the
family
Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...
Penaeidae
Penaeidae is a family of marine crustaceans in the suborder Dendrobranchiata, which are often referred to as penaeid shrimp or penaeid prawns. The Penaeidae contain many species of economic importance, such as the tiger prawn, whiteleg shrimp, ...
: ''
Farfantepenaeus'', ''Fenneropenaeus'', ''
Litopenaeus'', and ''
Marsupenaeus''.
The following table gives an overview:
A few more species that are sometimes given as ''Penaeus'' spp. are actually assigned to the genus ''
Melicertus'':
References
External links
*
List of species
{{Authority control
Crustacean genera
Penaeidae
Taxa named by Johan Christian Fabricius