Systematic Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Crustacea
Order: Decapoda
Family: Penaeidae
Genus: Penaeus
Species: Penaeus penicillatus
(Alcock, 1905)
Common name: Red tail prawn
Chinese name: 紅尾蝦, 多毛對蝦

Rostrum horizontal and reaching tip of scaphocerite, with 4-5 dorsal teeth and 1-6 ventral teeth. Adrostral groove extending to first post-rostral tooth. Carapace with three post-rostral teeth; antennal and hepatic spines present; hepatic groove shallow but without hepatic carina. Third pereiopod overreaching tip of scaphocerite by entire dactylus. Telson without lateral spines. Dorsal carina present from posterior half of 4 to 6 abdominal somites. Colour: Body translucent and covered with dense black-brown spots. Margin of rostrum deep brown. Pereiopods rather white. Antennal flagellum red. Distal half of uropods red.

Found in 90 m deep sandy bottom.

Maximum length ~ 210mm, commonly 100-150 mm.

Red Sea, Madagascar to Pakistan, Malay Archipelago, Hong Kong, Taiwan.