VII Genus Macrobrachium Bate 1868

Abstract

While distributed in most of the Indo-Pacific region the species belonging to this genus mostly inhabit freshwaters. Species like Macrobrachium rosenbergii, M. malcolmsonii, M. idae, M. mirabile, M. rude etc. however, are distributed in brackishwaters also. According to Tiwari (1955) there are alto- gether 34 species of this genus recorded from India. Among these, 14 are coastal species, several of which are known are to migrate to brackishwaters of the various river systems. Included in the first group are a few species which are commercially important, the most important of which are dealt with in detail below with reference to the existing knowledge about their biology and fishery.