BIOLOGY AND GEOGRAPHICAL

DISTRIBUTION OF DIFFERENT SPECIES

OF FRESHWATER PRAWNS IN THE
PHILIPPINES

Maria Rowena R Romana-Eguia, PhD.

Associate Professorial Lecturer, Practical Genomics Lab,
Biology Department, De La Salle University
Scientist/Geneticist (ret), SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department
n528 caridean prawn species in the PHL
and in adjacent countries (Albatross Philippine
expedition 1910, Chan 1998)
ndistributedin tropical, subtropical zones of
the world
n all farmed FW prawns belong to genus
Macrobrachium Bate 1868, the largest of the
family Palaemonidae
n found in lakes, rivers, swamps, irrigation
ditches, canals, ponds, estuarine areas
n In the PHL, at least 25 commercial fishing
grounds have FW prawns (Rosario & Tayamen,
2004)
n most species need brackishwater at larval
stages
n some complete their cycle in inland saline &
freshwater lakes
n Giant FW prawn or Macrobrachium rosenbergii
- highly important commercial species
Macrobrachium Species in the Philippines (22 documented in 2008)
Macrobrachium australe (koua river prawn)
Macrobrachium bariense
Macrobrachium cowlesi
Macrobrachium equidens (rough river or estuarine prawn)
Macrobrachium esculentum (sweet river prawn)
Macrobrachium gracilirostre
Macrobrachium horstii
Macrobrachium idae (Orana river prawn)
Macrobrachium jacobsonii
Macrobrachium jaroense (Jaro river prawn)
Macrobrachium lanceifrons (Philippine river prawn)
Macrobrachium lar (Giant jungle prawn, Monkey river prawn, Tahitian prawn)
Macrobrachium latidactylus (Scissor river prawn, broad fingered river prawn)
Macrobrachium latimanus (Mountain river prawn)
Macrobrachium lepidactyloides (Malayan scale prawn)
Macrobrachium mamillodactylus (knobtooth prawn)
Macrobrachium nipponense
Macrobrachium placidulum
Macrobrachium rosenbergii dacqueti – now named Macrobrachium rosenbergii
Macrobrachium rosenbergii rosenbergii – now named Macrobrachium spinipes
Macrobrachium scabriculum (Goda river prawn)
Macrobrachium weberi
Recall:
n528 caridean prawn species in the PHL and in adjacent countries
(Albatross Philippine expedition 1910, Chan 1998)

Kingdom: Animalia Linnaeus, 1758

Phylum: Arthropoda Latreille, 1829
Subphylum: Crustacea Brannich, 1772
Class Malacostraca Latreille, 1802
Subclass: Eumalacostraca Grobben 1892
Superorder: Eucarida Calman, 1904
Order: Decapoda Latreille, 1802
Suborder: Pleocyemata Burkenroad, 1963
Infraorder: Caridea Dana, 1852
Superfamily: Palaemonoidea, Rafinesque 1815
Family: Palaemonidae, Rafinesque 1815
Subfamily: Palaemoninae, Rafinesque, 1815
Genus: Macrobrachium
There are 175 recognized species and subspecies of
Macrobrachium in the world of which 39 species have been
recorded in the Philippine-Indonesia region (Chace and Bruce
1993).

The taxonomic key for describing adult males from some of

these various species focus mainly on:

a) the number of rostral teeth,

b) the shape and size or length of specific pereopod parts
relative to the other pereopod parts (e.g. carpus length in
terms of merus length etc.),
c) presence/absence of pubescence/ tubercles/spinules on the
different parts of the second pereopod
d) equal or unequal size of chelipeds
e) the length of the rostrum in relation to the antennal scale,
among others.
 Based on Holthuis (1980) the maximum total length for males is
105mm while females can be as long as 77mm. However, from
the Philippine samples, the maximum total length is 100mm while
the carapace length is from 18-46mm.

Habitat:
Freshwater, part of the early development requires salt and
brackishwater

Distribution:
Luzon: Caboroan, Bauang River in La Union, Iraan River and
Macrobrachium australe
Agan River (Mindoro)1 Buguey, Cagayan 2, Naujan River
(Mindoro)3
Visayas: Tangyan River in Igbaras, Iloilo, Cairawan River in
Economic Importance Laua-an, Antique 2, Malaga River, Hinunangan Bayin
Noted to be an important commercial
Leyte, Mananga River in Cebu 3(as cited in Chace and
species in Fiji and in Madagascar (Holthuis 1980;
also as cited in New et al 2000. Prawn Capture Bruce)
Fisheries and Enhancement In: New and Valenti) Mindanao: Pikit Side of Liguasan Marsh2,

Macrobrachium bariense
No available image
- ID based on 1940s Indonesian sample (preserved)
Macrobrachium cowlesi (data deficient*)
Habitat:
Distribution:
(as first reported in 1908, Albatross Philippine Expedition)
Mindanao: Malabang River in Mindanao3
Distribution (PHL and Indonesia):
Luzon – known only from two syntypes from Manila waters
by Holthuis (?)
*Myers, P., R. Espinosa, C. S. Parr, T. Jones, G. S. Hammond, and T. A. Dewey. 2023. The Animal
Diversity Web (online). Accessed at https://animaldiversity.org
**Macrobrachium cowlesi Holthuis, 1950 in GBIF Secretariat (2022). GBIF Backbone
Taxonomy. Checklist dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/39omei accessed via GBIF.org on
2023-05-14..
 Biology
Noted to be an important breed in brackishwater and seawater (Chan 1998). They produce small eggs that
commercial species in the
hatch into free-swimming larvae which are part of the marine plankton (as
Philippines (Domantay
1956) cited in Yeo et al 1999).

Habitat
Estuarine, prefers brackishwater; smaller animals found in mangrove creeks
Rarely goes beyond tidal freshwater

Distribution
Luzon: Bahile River1 in Palawan; Villaflor River1 in Mindoro; Naguilian River1
Abra River3; Barroro River in La Union1,3; Cagayan, Sta Ana and
Pamplona Rivers in Cagayan3; Pantal River and Bayambang swamp in
Pangasinan3; Donsol River in Sorsogon3
Visayas: Sewaragan River in San Joaquin, Panay Island1
Mindanao: Tambulig/ Aurora in Zamboanga del Sur2, Layawan in Oroquieta2,
Macrobrachium equidens San Francisco River in Surigao del Norte1

Habitat:
Freshwater

Distribution:
Luzon: Bauang River in La Union1, Buguey in Cagayan2
Visayas: Cairawan River, Lau-an in Antique2
Mindanao: Agusan River in Agusan del Sur2

Macrobrachium esculentum
 Distribution:

Visayas: Malaga River, Leyte3 (Albatross expedition, 1909)

Macrobrachium gracilirostre

Maximum total length based on the PHL samples is 38mm.

Distribution

Luzon – Cabraran River4 (Yeo et al 1999)

Visayas – Leyte1 (Cai and Ng 2001)Cairawan River (Laua-an Antique)2

Macrobrachium horstii
 Maximum total length is 69mm

Distribution:

Luzon: Tarlac2, Naujan River in Mindoro (Albatross exp 1908

as cited in Chace and Bruce)

Macrobrachium idae (Orana river prawn)

No available image Distribution:

Mindanao: believed to be found here per Chace and Bruce (1993)

Macrobrachium jacobsonii
 Distribution:
Luzon: Pugo River, Alag, Villaflor, Bongabong, and
Iraan Rivers in Mindoro, Gabriel, Tag Bariri and
Papait Rivers in Palawan (Cai and Shokita),

Visayas: Manuanga (or Mananga River?) and Sagay

Macrobrachium jaroense (Jaro river prawn)
Rivers in Cebu, Pitogo River in Panay (Chace
and Bruce; Cai and Shokita); Hibucawan River
near Jaro, Leyte (Cowles 1914 as cited in Chace
and Bruce) Tangyan River in Igbaras, Antique
(Eguia et al),
Mindanao: Pikit side of Liguasan Marsh, Layawan in
Oroquieta (Eguia at al)

Domantay (1956) listed the species among

commercially important prawns in the Philippines. Of
interest to capture fisheries in the Philippines (New et
al 2000)

The earlier recorded maximum length is 72mm M and 62mm F(Holthuis

1980; also as cited in New et al 2000)The maximum total length is 76mm
 Distribution:

Luzon: Binga Lake, Sampalok Lake in San Pablo, Laguna, Naujan

Lake in Mindoro, Pagsanjan River in Laguna and
Naguillan river in La Union (Cai and Shokita?;
check ref); Tarlac and Laguna Lake (Eguia et al),
Santa Cruz in Laguna de Bay, Marikina river,
Antipolo (Albatross exp as cited in Chace and
Bruce)
Mindanao: Lake Mainit in Caraga region (Eguia at al)

It is the only endemic Macrobrachium species for the

Philippines; No report elsewhere

Macrobrachium lanceifrons (Philippine river prawn)

Economic Importance

Locally called hipon tagunton, it is one of the commercially

important prawn species in Laguna de bay as it is used for
The maximum total length is 53mm from current samples. human consumption and for duck food. Of interest to capture
The largest reported M lanceifrons is 61mm. fisheries in RP (as cited in New et al 2000)
 Biology
They feed on almost anything, from algae and plant matter. Adults are found
mainly in FW streams while larvae complete at least 11 zoeal marine pelagic
stages within three months. Postlarvae must then move to freshwater habitats
to complete their life cycle.

Habitat
Freshwater except for juvenile stages (brackishwater or seawater)

Distribution
Luzon – Sapilan Village, Tag Bariri in Palawan, Villaflor river in Mindoro (Cai and
Shokita, 2006), Sablan in Benguet, Calawagan River,Varadero Bay and
Mountain in Mindoro (Chace and Bruce 1993), Buguey, Pamplona and
Macrobrachium lar (Giant jungle prawn, Gonzaga in Cagayan; Baler, Quezon (Eguia et al)
Monkey river prawn, Tahitian prawn) Visayas – Manuanga and Sagay Rivers in Cebu (C&S, C&B); Cairawan river in
Laua-an, Antique (Eguia et al)
Mindanao – Layawan in Oroquieta (Eguia et al ), Nonucan River, Iligan Bay and
small stream in Mati, Pujada Bay (C&B)

Economic Importance
Domantay (1956) listed it as a commercially important species in the
Maximum recorded total length is 181mm. Philippines
 Natural Distribution

Luzon – Malayas river in Victoria, Mindoro; Alag River in Mindoro;

Macrobrachium latidactylus (Scissor river
prawn, broad fingered river prawn)
Naguillan river in La Union; Sta Rosa; Sta Cruz River in Palawan
(Cai and Shokita); Lubang Island and Naujan River in Mindoro,
Malabon market, River in Batangas, Tayabas in Quezon, Basud
River, Nato River in Lagonoy (?) Gulf, Legaspi in Albay, Damaea
River, (C&B) Buguey in Cagayan (Eguia et al)
Visayas – Sewaragan river in San Joaquin, Panay Island; Daakrongsod
river in Cebu (Cai and Shokita); Tangyan river in Igbaras, Iloilo,
Divisoria in Leyte (Eguia et al) ; Pangarauan River, Port Caltom in
Busuanga Island, Malaga River , Hinunangan Bay in Leyte (C&B)
Mindanao – San Francisco River in Surigao del Norte (Cai and
Shokita), Surigao River (C&B) Lake Lanao in Lanao del Sur,
Mangagoy river in Surigao del Sur (Eguia et al, C&B); Zamboanga
River (C&B)

Maximum recorded total length is 181mm.

 Natural Distribution
Luzon – Maagnas, Lagonoy Gulf (C&B)
Visayas – Loquilocon in Samar (C&B)
Mindanao – Mount Apo (C&B)

Macrobrachium latimanus (Mountain river prawn)

Natural Distribution

Luzon – Tag Bariri, Panitian and Panibacan rivers in Palawan; Agan river
in Mindoro (Cai and Shokita 2006), Abra River (Eguia at al)
Visayas – Sewaragan river in San Joaquin, Panay (Cai and Shokita),
Antique (Eguia at al)
Mindanao – Mabuhay river in Mindanao; Zamboanga River (C&B)

Rest of the world

Indo-West Pacific, Malay archipelago, Fiji, Indonesia (C&B),Taiwan

Macrobrachium lepidactyloides (Malayan scale prawn)
 Habitat
Freshwater

Natural Distribution
Luzon – Panibacan River in Palawan (Cai and Shokita),
Aringay River in La Union and San Juan River (as cited
in C&B)
Mindanao – Tambulig and Aurora in Zamboanga del Sur.
Mangagoy river in Surigao del Sur and Pikit side of
Liguasan Marsh (Eguia et al)
Macrobrachium mamillodactylus (knobtooth prawn)
Economic Importance
Domantay (1956) listed this species among the economically
important prawns in the Philippines. Of interest to capture
fisheries in RP and Indonesia (as cited in New et al 2000)

Maximum total length is 137mm (Holthuis 1980).

 Distinguishing Features
Per Holthuis 1980, maximum total length is 86mm for
females and 75mm for males.

Economic importance
Per Holthuis, Liu (1955:56) listed M nipponense as one
among the species of economic importance in Northern
China, Sowerby (1925:133) reported it as common near
Shanghai and to be caught and eaten by Chinese. Dried
Macrobrachium nipponense prawns of this species are exported in cardboard boxes
from Hong Kong to the world. Also of commercial
importance in Japan where it is mostly dried (Tanikawa
1971:245)
 Natural Distribution

Luzon – Calawagan River in Mindoro, Yawa River in Legaspi

(C&B)
Visayas – Malaga River, Hinunangan Bay in Leyte (C&B)
Mindanao –Zamboanga River (C&B)

Macrobrachium placidulum

Natural Distribution
RP (Cai and Shokita)

Macrobrachium scabriculum (Goda river prawn)

 Natural Distribution
Mindanao – Liguasan Marsh (Eguia et al)

Macrobrachium weberi
 Habitat
Freshwater but larvae requires brackishwater to survive; within 2-3
days, from hatching they should be placed in brackishwater

Natural Distribution
Luzon – Calumpit in Bulacan
Mindanao – Dinas, Tambulig and Aurora in Zamboanga del Sur,
Sebuguey Bay, Siay in Zamboanga Sibugay (Eguia et al)

Rest of the world

Distributed naturally in India, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Malay

Peninsula, Borneo and Java, Sri Lanka, East Pakistan, Indonesia (Cai
et al 2004, Ling ).

Macrobrachium rosenbergii* (formerly

known as M rosenbergii dacqueti)
commonly known as giant freshwater
prawn *change approved by International Code
of Zoological Nomenclature
 Habitat
Freshwater but larvae requires brackishwater to survive;
within 2-3 days, from hatching they should be placed in
brackishwater

Natural Distribution
Luzon – Calumpit in Bulacan and Sorsogon(Eguia et al )
Visayas – Leganes in Iloilo,
Mindanao – Dinas, Tambulig and Aurora in Zamboanga del
Sur, Sebuguey Bay, Siay in Zamboanga Sibugay, Lake Apo
in Bukidnon (Eguia et al)

Macrobrachium spinipes (formerly

known as M rosenbergii rosenbergii)
also commonly known as giant
freshwater prawn *change approved by International Code
of Zoological Nomenclature
 Macrobrachium rosenbergii
(giant river prawn/giant freshwater prawn)

• Common names: ulang, udang, kising-kising,

scampi

• earlier known as Palaemon carcinus, P. dacqueti,

and P. rosenbergii until 1959

• indigenous in S & SE Asia, northern Oceania,

western Pacific islands

• the major producers: Bangladesh, Brazil, China,

Ecuador, India, Malaysia, Taiwan Province of
China, Thailand
n Macrobrachium rosenbergii
• long rostrum beyond antennal scale
•rostrum has 11-14 dorsal teeth, 8-10
ventral teeth
•2nd legs large, robust, equal size, w/
spines & sharp tubercles

•the tip of its telson reaches distinctly

beyond the posterior spines of
the telson
 Sample
from
Calumpit,
Bulacan

Sample
from
Mindanao

Largest samples from the Philippines were found in Mindanao:

Illana Bay (23.6cm or 9.29inches)
Panguil Bay (23.5cm or 9.25inches)
2 forms (New2002, De Bruyn et al 2004, Chand et al 2005 ):
Ø Western (M.rosenbergii dacqueti , now referred to as M rosenbergii)
Ø Eastern (M.rosenbergii rosenbergii finally identified as M spinipes)

Eastern or
Australasian group

Western or
Oriental group

De Bruyn et al 2004
M spinipes (Wowor, pers comm) vs. M rosenbergii

low basal crest

Antenna – all blue M. spinipes

Different body color

and pattern
High basal crest

M. rosenbergii

Antennae – brown
except for blue 2nd
antenna
•4 major phases in the life cycle of FW prawn: eggs, larvae, postlarvae
(PL) and adults

•time spent by each spp. of Macrobrachium in the different phases (also

growth rate, max. size) varies according to environmental conditions
(mainly T˚C)
 M rosenbergii eggs

• slightly elliptical (0.6- 0.7 mm,

eggs long axis)

berried female • bright orange until 2-3 days

before hatching as they become
grey-black

• colour change happens as

embryos use their food
reserves
FW prawn larvae

-has 11 stages (Uno and Kwon 1969) before

metamorphosis

Stage I larvae (zoeae)

- < 2 mm long
- swim upside down using
thoracic appendages
- positively attracted to light

Stage XI (larvae)
- 7.7 mm long
Postlarvae (PL)

- also about 7.7 mm long

- similar movement, swimming
behavior as adult prawns
- are translucent
- have a light orange pink head
area
 cephalothorax

rostrum
eye abdomen

Pleopods
(swimming legs)

chelipeds Periopods
(walking legs)
Parts of the FW prawn used in reproduction:
In Females:

• Membrane covered oval GONOPORE in the base of

3rd PERIOPODS – where eggs are extruded

• BROOD CHAMBER with attachment sites for holding

clusters of eggs; ripe female can easily be detected
through ovaries visible as large orange-coloured
masses occupying a large portion of the dorsal and
lateral parts of the cephalothorax. brood chamber
 Parts of the FW prawn used in reproduction:

In Males:

• Flap-covered GONOPORE in the base of the 5th PERIOPODS

– where sperms are extruded

• 2nd pair of swimmerets or PLEOPODS is modified for use in

mating; the spinous projection is called APPENDIX
MASCULINA
Other distinguishing features of sexually mature males vs. females

nSIZE: Mature M prawns >> mature F prawns

n2nd chelipeds: M larger and thicker
nHEAD: M proportionately larger
nABDOMEN: M narrower, F broader
nPLEURA : F longer; pleura of 1st, 2nd & 3rd tailsegments form a brood
chamber in which the eggs are carried
Classification of Adult Female prawns:

1. virgin females (V or VF)

2. berried (egg carrying) females (BE or BF)
3. open brood chamber (spent) females (OP).
Main Male Morphotypes:
1. blue claw males (BC) –aggressive, dominant &
territorial; w/ extremely long claws
2. runts or small males (SM) – submissive, less
aggressive; have small claws
3. orange claw males (OC) – aggressive, sub-
dominant ; w/ golden colored claws w/c
are 30-70% shorter than claws of BCM
Reproductive behavior of M. rosenbergii

• ave. age at maturity: 4-6 months (or ave size: 15-20g)

• Successful mating occurs between ripe softshelled ♀

Male
(w/c have just completed their pre-mating moult) and
hardshelled ♂

• Mating of adults prawns: deposition of a gelatinous

mass of spermatophore under the thoracic region of
♀ body (between the walking legs)
Female
Reproductive behavior of M. rosenbergii

• w/in a few hours of mating, eggs are extruded

and then guided by ovipositing setae into the
brood chamber
Male

• eggs are fertilized externally by the

spermatophore attached to ♀’s body

• fertilized eggs kept in brood chamber (stuck to

the ovigerous setae); aerated by vigorous Female
movements of the swimmerets.
FERTILIZED EGGS

• Length of time in brood chamber: variable but not longer than 3 weeks.

• Fecundity: depends also on female size; usually 80T – 100T eggs during one spawning
when fully mature.
FERTILIZED EGGS

Ave. egg incubation time: 20 days at 28°C (range

18-23 days).

Ovaries frequently ripen again while females are

carrying eggs
FREE-SWIMMING ZOEA

- dispersed by rapid movements of the ♀

parent’s abdominal appendages

- planktonic and swim actively tail first, upside

down; phototactic

- need brackishwater for survival

LARVAE
- stages completed min. 16 days depending on water
temperature, other factors

- in nature, eat zooplankton (small crustaceans), very

small worms, larval stages of other aquatic
invertebrates
POSTLARVAE

- resemble mini adult prawns,

become mainly crawling rather
than free-swimming animals,
swim normally

- tolerant to a wide range of

salinities

- begin to migrate upstream

into FW w/in 1-2 weeks
postmetamorphosis
POSTLARVAE

- can now utilize larger pieces

of organic material, both of
animal and vegetable origin

- omnivorous; natural diet

includes aquatic insects and their
larvae, algae, nuts, grain, seeds,
fruits, small molluscs, crustaceans, fish
flesh, offal of fish and other animals

- cannibalistic
Thank you...