SUBFAMILY : PALAEMONINAE


Branchhiostegal spine present, situated on, or slightly behind, anterior margin of carapace

Endopod of first pleopod of male without well developed appendix interna

Fifth pair of peropods with transverse rows of hairs on distal part of posterior margin

Rostrum with an elevayed basal dorsal crest of tooth

Pleura of fifth abdominal segment rounded

Dactylus of last 3 pairs of pereopods very strongly lengthened, longer than carpus and propodus together

Branchiostegal groove absent from carapace.

Most of distal parts of dorsal margins toothless save for small subdistal tooth, ventral margin with 2 to 6 teeth

Rostrum long and slender, with an elevated basal crest of 4 to 7 teeth over the eye.

Species : Nematopalaemon tenuipes

Branchiostegal spine absent

Anterior margin of carapace below antennal spine unarmed

Hepatic spine present

Branchiostegal spine absent

Dactylus of last 3 pairs of pereopods simple

Carpus of second pereopods distinctly longer than merus

Rostram with a distinct elevated basal crest.

Ventral margin of the rostrum with4 to 7 teeth

Telson gradually tapering to a sharp point, without posterior margin. tip of telson over reaching postero-lateral spines

In adult male, carapace with spinules anteriorly, second pair of pereopods with a very short pubescence which is especially distinct on the movable finger.

Carapus shorter than propodus

Species : Macrobranchium malcolmsonii

Rostrum without an elevated basal dorsal crest of teeth ; Pleura of fifth abdominal segment ending in a tooth

Pandibular pulp present

Endopod of first pleopod of male bears rudimentary appendix interna.

Branchiostegal spine situated some distance below branchiostegal suture.

Lower rostral teeth 4 to 6

Rostrum with subterminal teeth

Species : Palaemon concinnus

Dactylus of last 3 pairs of pereopods always shorter than propodus

Branchiostegal groove present on carapace.

Most of distal part of dorsal margin toothless, save for 1 or 2 subdistal teeth

Ventral margin with 6 to 10 teeth

Rostrum longer and slender with an elevated basal crest of 5 to 7 teeth over the eye

Dactylus of fifth pair of pereopods about 1/3 as long as propodus

Species : Exopalaemon styliferus

Endopod of fifth pleopod of male bears no appendix interna

Branchiostegal spine situated very near to branchiostegal suture.

Lower rostral teeth 2 to 3

Rostrum with no subterminal teeth

The sisth abdominal segment is about 1.5 times as long as the fifth.

Species : Palaemon semmelinkii

Carpus of second pereopods as long as or shorter than merus

Fifth legs are about the same length as the fourth

Fingers of 2nd legs of adult male with more than 4 teeth placed at regular intervals.

Sometimes restricted to the proximal part, teeth are generally of equal size, but one of the proximal teeth may sometimes be longer

Fingers with valvetty pubescence in their basal portion

Dorsal teeth of the rostrum beginning in the distal third of the carapace

Species : Macrobranchium scabriculum

Rostrum without a distinct elevated basal crest

Fingers of the large chela of the adult male at most with 1 or 2 teeth in the proximal part of the cutting edges

The rest of the cutting edge entire

4-6 teeth of the dorsal margin of the rostrum behind the orbit

Species : Macrobranchium aemulum

'2-3 teeth of the dorsal margin of the rostrum behind the orbit

Carpus of the second leg of adult males longer than chela

Second leg of male without tubercles at each side of cutting edge

Rostrum with 9 to 11 dorsal teeth, 3 of which generally are placed behind the orbit

Species : Macrobranchium idae

Rostrum with 12 to 15 dorsal teeth, 2 of which generally are placed behind the orbit

Species : Macrobranchium idella


Copyright 1998 Bioinformatics Centre, National Institute of Oceanography, Dona Paula, Goa, India