Penaeus (Melicertus) Rafinesque, 1814

Chan, Tin-Yam, 2023, New subgeneric names for the most commercially important shrimp genus Penaeus Fabricius, 1798 (Crustacea, Decapoda, Penaeidae), ZooKeys 1141, pp. 29-40 : 29

Penaeus (Melicertus) Rafinesque, 1814

Type species.

Melicertus tigrinus Rafinesque, 1814 (= Cancer kerathurus Forskål, 1775).

Gender of subgenus.

Masculine.

Diagnosis.

Rostrum usually bearing 1 ventral tooth. Median sulcus at postrostral carina deep, long, about half carapace length. Adrostral sulcus as wide as postrostral carina, extending to near posterior margin of carapace. Gastrofrontal carina distinct and with posterior end turning anterodorally. Cervical carina long, extending almost to dorsal carapace. Hepatic carina distinct. First pereiopod with ischial spine small to absent. Fifth pereiopod bearing exopod. Sixth abdominal somite completely lacking dorsolateral sulcus. Telson with 3 pairs of lateral spines. Thelycum closed.

Species included.

Penaeus (Melicertus) kerathurus ( Forskål, 1775).

Remarks.

Amongst the members of Penaeus , only this subgenus has a geographical distribution in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. This subgenus is also unique in the genus by having a long cervical carina which has the dorsal end almost reaching the dorsal carapace.