Breeding of the marine prawn Metapenaeus dobsoni in brackishwater ponds

Abstract

Female Metapeinaeus dobsoni have attained full ovarian maturation in the ponds of the Marine Prawn Hatchery Laboratory of the CMFRI at Narakkal during the summer months when the salinity was 28.0-29.0 ppt. These females were made to spawn in the pond water kept in 50 litre plastic basins and the resulting nauplii were successfully reared upto the late postlarval stage in the same medium. The possibility of M. dobsoni breeding and completing its life cycle in the brackishwater areas during the high salinity months is discussed.