Macrobrachium carcinus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Arthropoda |
Class: | Malacostraca |
Order: | Decapoda |
Suborder: | Pleocyemata |
Infraorder: | Caridea |
Family: | Palaemonidae |
Genus: | Macrobrachium |
Species: | M. carcinus
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Binomial name | |
Macrobrachium carcinus | |
Synonyms [2] | |
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Macrobrachium carcinus is a species of fresh water shrimp known as the big claw river shrimp. It is native to streams, rivers and creeks from Florida to southern Brazil. [1] [3] It is the largest known species of Neotropical freshwater prawn, growing up to 30 centimetres (12 in) long and weighing as much as 850 grams (30 oz), [4] although even larger specimens have been reported. [5] It is an important species for commercial fishing in the Sao Francisco River basin, where it is known by the local name of pitu. [6] M. carcinus is omnivorous, with a diet consisting of molluscs, small fish, algae, leaf litter and insects. [7]
Macrobrachium carcinus has a tan or yellow body with dark brown stripes. Its chelae are unusually long and thin, to facilitate foraging for food in small crevices, [7] and may be blue or green in color. [8]