Monkey River Prawn

Macrobrachium lar (Fabricius, 1798)

Palaemon Lar Weber, 1795:94 [nomen nudum].

?Palaemon longimanus Weber. 1795:94 [nomen nudum].

Palaemon Lar Fabricius, 1798:402 [type locality: “in India Dom. Daldorff” (? = Tranquebar)].

?Palaemon longimanus Fabricius, 1798:402 [type locality: “in India oriental Dom. Daldorff” (? = Tranquebar)].

Palaemon ornatus Olivier, 1811:660 [type locality: East Indies].

Pal[aemon] tridens White, 1847:78 [type locality: Mauritius ?].

P[alaemon] vagus Heller, 1862b:417, pl.2: figs. 42, 43 [type locality: Ambon].

Palaemon spectabilis Heller, 1862a:527 [type locality: Tahiti].

Palaemon ruber Hess, 1865:165, pl. 7: fig. 20 [type locality: Fiji Islands].

Palaemon mayottensis Hoffmann, 1874:32, pl. 9: figs. 61, 62 [type locality: Ile de Mayotte. Comoro Islands, and l'Île Nosy Fali, Madagascar].

Palaemon reunionnensis Hoffmann, 1874:33, pl.9: figs. 66, 67 [type locality: La Réunion].

Palaemon madagascariensis Hoffmann, 1874:35, pl. 7: fig. 58 [type locality: Nosy Fali, N.W. Madagascar].

Leander dionyx Nobili, 1905b:482, pl. 12: fig. 2 [type locality: Bogadjim (= Stephansort), Papua New Guinea].

Palaemon lar.—Cowles, 1914:380, pl. 2: fig. 7.

Macrobrachium lar.—Holthuis. 1950a:176, fig. 37.

DIAGNOSIS.—Rostrum falling slightly short of level of distal end of antennal scale, rostral formula: 2 + 5–7/2–4, posteriormost tooth of dorsal series more remote than others; branchiostegal suture not extending posteriorly beyond hepatic spine; telson with posterior apex not overreaching posterolateral spines; antennal scale with lateral margin convex; 1st pereopod with chela about as long as carpus; 2nd pereopods usually unequal in length, similar in form, palm subcylindrical, fingers bearing scattered setae not concealing surface, dentate on opposable margins, fingers usually gaping (in full-grown males), fingers from to quite as long as palm, palm not clothed in dense pubescence anywhere, chela more than 3 times as long as carpus, palm slightly longer than to twice as long as carpus, carpus shorter than merus, with shallow longitudinal groove; 3rd pereopod overreaching antennal scale by less than length of dactyl, propodus bearing numerous appressed spines; maximum postorbital carapace length more than 55 mm.

MATERIAL.—PHILIPPINES. Sablan, Benguet, Luzon; [16°30′, 120°40′E]; 14 Mar 1908: 2 males [35.7, 37.7].—Small creek at Varadero Bay, Mindoro; [13°30′N, 120°59′E]; 27 Oct 1909; dynamite: 2 males [15.1, 16.8] 1 female [16.3].—“Varadero Mountain,” [probably] Mindoro; 23 Jul 1908: 11 males [16.2–38.2] 2 females [24.3–27.7].—Calawagan River 3 miles from mouth, Mindoro; [13°25′N, 120°28′E]; 11 Dec 1908 (1500); 16′ seine: 1 male [24.2].—Mananga River, Cebu; [10°14′N, 123°50′E]; 25 Aug 1909: 2 pairs of 2nd pereopods.—Nonucan River, Iligan Bay, Mindanao; 8°13′N, 124°12′E; 6 Aug 1909 (0800); dynamite: 1 male [41.0].—Small stream at Mati, Pujada Bay, Mindana; [6°57′N, 126°13′E]; 15 May 1908: 8 males [9.2–26.3] 7 females {(20.2–20.9).

INDONESIA. Stream, Pulau Ambon; [3°40;S, 128° 10′]; 5 Dec 1909; dynamite: 6 males [13.0–26.0].—Ambon Market; [3°43′S, 128°12′E]; 5 Dec 1909; 1 male [24.2] 6 females [19.6–25.5], 3 ovig [19.6–25.5]).

RANGE.—Widespread throughout the Indo-Pacific region from East Africa to the Marquesas Islands, probably not indigenous on Hawaii.

*27. Macrobrachium latidactylus (Thallwitz, 1891)

Palaemon latidactylus Thallwitz, 1891:97 [type locality: northern Celebes].—Cowles. 1914:392, pl. 3: fig. 10.

Palaemon (Eupalaemon) endehensis De Man, 1892:465, pl. 27: fig. 42 [type locality: Flores, Indonesia].

Palaemon (Macrobrachium) lampropus De Man, 1892:493, pl. 29: fig. 49 [type locality: Celebes and Timor, Indonesia].

Macrobrachium latidactylus.—Holthuis, 1950a:239, fig. 50.

DIAGNOSIS.—Rostrum not reaching level of distal end of antennal scale, dorsal margin slightly convex, rostral formula: 3–5 + 10–1–5, interspaces often wider near posterior and anterior ends of dorsal series; branchiostegal suture not extending posteriorly beyond hepatic spine; telson with posterior apex not overreaching posterolateral spines; antennal scale with lateral margin straight; 1st pereopod with chela as long as carpus; 2nd pereopods unequal in length and dissimilar in form; major 2nd pereopod with palm compressed, fingers not densely pubescent, fingers denticulate on opposable margins, gaping, –1 times as long as palm, latter nowhere densely pubescent, chela 1 times as long as carpus, palm longer than carpus, carpus 1 times as long as merus, not longitudinally grooved; minor 2nd pereopod with fingers 1 times as long as palm; 3rd pereopod not overreaching antennal scale, propodus not covered with spines or scales; maximum carapace length about 25 mm.

MATERIAL.—PHILIPPINES. River at Tilik, Lubang Island; [13°49′N, 120° 12′E]; 14 Jul 1908: 1 male [17.1].—Malabon Market [probably suburb of Manila, Luzon; 14°39′N, [120°57′E]; 8 Aug 1908: 1 male [17.7].—River at Batangas, Luzon; [13°45′N, 121°03′E]; 7 Jun 1909: 2 males [12.0, 12.2] 5 females [3.8–11.7], 2 ovig [10.0, 11.7].—“Yom River, (Tayabas) Luzon;” 25 Feb 1909: 1 male [13.8].—Basud River, Luzon; [14°06′N, 123°E]; 15 Jun 1909; 1 male [10.2].—Nato River, Lagonoy Gulf, Luzon; [13°36′N, 123°33′E]; tidewater; 18 Jun 1909 (0630): 24 males [6.5–13.8] 12 females [5.1–8.3], 2 ovig [8.0, 8.3].—Yawn River. Legaspi, Luzon; [13°10′N, 123°45′E]; 7 Jun 1909 (0600): 36 males [4.9–21.5] 21 females [8.0–13.8], 14 ovig [8.0–13.4].—“Damaea River,” Luzon; 25 Feb 1909: 2 males [12.2, 15.8].—Naujan River, Mindoro; [13°16′N, 121°19′E]; 5 Jun 1908: 12 males [6.0–15.0] 3 females [4.6–10.3], 2 ovig [8.6, 10.3].—Pangauaran River, Port Caltom, Busuanga Island; [12°11′N, 120°05′E]; 16 Dec 1908 (0700); 25′ seine: 2 males [11.0, 12.9] 1 ovig female [12.0].—Malaga River, Hinunangan Bay, Leyte; [10°24′N, 125°12′E]; 30 Jul 1909: 10 males [13.0–20.0].—Surigao River, Mindanao; [9°48′N, 125°29′E]; 8 May 1908: 8 May 1908: 1 male [10.3].—Vicars Landing, Lake Lanao, Mindanao; [7°47′N, 124°11′E]; 22 May 1908; seine: 4 males [7.2–18.5].—Zamboanga River, Mindanao; [6°54′N, 122°04′E]; 9 Oct 1909: 1 male [20.2].

RANGE.—Malaya, Taiwan, Philippines, and Indonesia.

*28. Macrobrachium latimanus (Von Martens, 1868)

Pal[aemon] latimanus Von Martens, 1868:44 [type locality Loquilocon, Samar, Philippines].

Palaemon euryrhynchus Ortmann, 1891:738, pl. 47: fig. 12 [type locality: Fiji Islands].

Palaemon (Macrobrachium) singalangensis Nobili, 1900a:487 [type locality: “Aier Mantcior, presso il Monte Singalang,” Sumatra].

Macrobrachium latimanus.—Holthuis, 1950a:205, fig. 43.

DIAGNOSIS.—Rostrum not reaching level of distal end of antennal scale, dorsal margin convex, rostral formula: 1–2 + 5–10/2–4, dorsal teeth typically more crowded anteriorly; branchiostegal suture not extending posteriorly beyond hepatic spine; telson with posterior apex not overreaching posterolateral spines; antennal scale with lateral margin straight or slightly concave; 1st pereopod with chela as long as carpus; 2nd pereopods subequal in length, similar in form, palm compressed, fingers not densely pubescent, fingers dentate on opposable margins, not noticeably gaping, to quite as long as palm, latter nowhere densely pubescent, chela about 3 times as long as carpus, palm 1–2 times as long as carpus, carpus shorter than merus, with faint longitudinal groove; 3rd pereopod overreaching antennal scale by less than length of dactyl, propodus rather densely spinulose; maximum postorbital carapace length more than 30 mm.

MATERIAL.—PHILIPPINES. Stream at Maagnas, Lagonoy Gulf, Luzon; [13°43′ N, 123°40′E]; 17 Jun 1909: 1 male [15.0] 1 female [10.0].

RANGE.—India, Sri Lanka, Ryukyu Islands, Philippines, and Indonesia, eastward to the Marquesas Islands.

*29.Macrobrachium lepidactyloides (De Man, 1892)

Palaemon (Macrobrachium lepidactyloides (De Man, 1892:497, pl. 29: fig. 51 [type locality: “Raka-mbaha, W. Flores” (Holthuis, 1950a:251)].

Palaemon lepidactylus.—Cowles, 1914:389, pl. 3: fig. 9. [Not P. lepidactylus Hilgendorf. 1879.]

Macrobrachium hirtimanus.—Holthuis, 1950a:245 [part], fig. 51a.

Macrobrachium lepidactyloides.—Holthuis, 1952a:210, pl. 15: fig. 2.

DIAGNOSIS.—Rostrum not nearly reaching level of distal end of antennal scale, dorsal margin somewhat sinuous, rostral formula: 5–7 + 4–6/2–4, dorsal teeth unequally spaced; branchiostegal suture not extending posteriorly beyond hepatic spine; telson with posterior apex not overreaching posterolateral spines; antennal scale with lateral margin straight; 1st pereopod with chela as long as carpus; 2nd pereopods unequal in length and dissimilar in form; major 2nd pereopod with palm compressed, fingers not densely pubescent, fingers dentate on opposable margins, not markedly gaping, longer than palm, latter nowhere densely pubescent, chela more than twice as long as carpus, palm about as long as carpus, carpus about as long as merus, with shallow longitudinal groove; minor 2nd pereopod with fingers about 1 times as long as palm; 3rd pereopod overreaching antennal scale by length of dactyl and about of propodus, propodus bearing numerous flattened spines or subacute scales; maximum postorbital carapace length more than 25 mm.

MATERIAL.—PHILIPPINES. Zamboanga River, Mindanao: [6°54′N, 122°04′E]; 9 Oct 1909: 3 males [16.2–19.0] 1 ovig female [10.6].

RANGE.—Philippines, Indonesia, and Fiji Islands.

Macrobrachium lar is a species of freshwater shrimp found throughout the Indo-West Pacific area, ranging from East Africa through to the Marquesas Islands and was first described in 1798. This species is found in flowing rivers and creeks near sea level.