Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Maturation in the female eastern king prawn Penaeus plebejus from coastal waters of eastern Australia, and considerations for quantifying egg production in penaeid prawns

  • Published:
Marine Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The trawl fishery for eastern king prawns, Penaeus plebejus, is of major commercial significance on the cast coast of Australia. This paper describes the reproductive biology of female P. plebejus and presents new information relevant to quantifying egg production in penacid prawn populations. The study concluded that the gonosomatic index (GSI) covaried with prawn size and was, therefore, likely to be a poor indicator of reproductive activity for penaeid prawn populations. GSI was also found to be not independent of ovary histological stage, moult stage, insemination status and parasitisation by bopyrid isopods. An histological description of ovarian development and the incidence of each stage of development is provided. This includes a description of the ovulation stage, which has not been previously recorded in naturallyoccurring populations. Fifty percent of female P. plebejus were classed as mature at 42 mm CL. The relationships between GSI, percent mature, and percent inseminated with size suggest that there is a decline in the capacity of large (>60 mm CL) females to produce and fertilise eggs. The declines in both GSI and percent mature is indicative of ovarian senescence in large(old) females, which has not been recorded previously in penaeid prawns. An index which considers the relationships between the percent mature, fecundity and the percent inseminated with size, as well as the influence of mortality on the population, is put forward to determine the relative contribution of different size classes of females to egg production. The index suggests that females >50 mm CL contribute little to egg production, and that the bulk of eggs are produced by 35 to 48 mm CL females.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abu-Hakima R (1984) Preliminary observations on the effects of Epipenaeon elegans Chopra (Isopoda; Bopyridae) on reproduction of Penaeus semisulcatus de Haan (Decapoda; Penaeidae). Int J Invert Reprod Dev 7: 51–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Adiyodi RG (1985) Chapter 3. Reproduction and its control. In: Bliss DE, Mantel LH (eds) The biology of Crustacea. Vol. 9. Integument, pigments and hormonal processes. Academic Press, Inc., London, pp 147–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson SL, Chang ES, Clark WH (1984) Timing of postvitellogenic ovarian changes in the ridgeback prawn Sicyonia ingentis (Penaeidae) determined by ovarian biopsy. Aquaculture, Amsterdam 42: 257–271

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson SL, Clark WH, Chang ES (1985) Multiple spawning and molt synchrony in a free spawning shrimp (Sicyonia ingentis: Penaeidae). Biol Bull mar biol Lab, Woods Hole 168: 377–394

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark WH, Pillai MC (1991) Egg production, release and activation in the marine shrimp, Sicyonia ingentis. In: Wenner A, Kuris A (eds) Crustacean egg production. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, pp 3–8 (Crustacean Issues Vol. 7)

    Google Scholar 

  • Courtney AJ, Dredge MCL (1988) Female reproductive biology and spawning periodicity of two species of king prawns, Penaeus longistylus Kubo and Penaeus latisulcatus Kishinouye, from Queensland's east coast fishery. Aust J mar Freshwat Res 39: 729–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Courtney AJ, Masel JM, Die DJ (1991) An assessment of recently introduced seasonal prawn trawl closures in Moreton Bay, Queensland. Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Deception Bay, Qd (Inf Ser No. QI91037)

    Google Scholar 

  • Crocos PJ (1987 a) Reproductive dynamics of the grooved tiger prawn, Penaeus semisulcatus, in the north-western Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Aust J mar Freshwat Res 38: 79–90

    Google Scholar 

  • Crocos PJ (1987 b) Reproductive dynamics of the tiger prawn, Penaeus esculentus, and a comparison with P. semisulcatus, in the north-western Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Aust J mar Freshwat Res 38: 91–102

    Google Scholar 

  • Crocos PJ, Kerr JD (1983) Maturation and spawning in the banana prawn Penaeus merguiensis de Man (Crustacea: Penaeidae) in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. J exp mar Biol Ecol 69: 37–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Dakin WJ (1938) The habits and life-history of a penaeid prawn (Penaeus plebejus Hesse). Proc zool Soc Lond 108A: 163–183

    Google Scholar 

  • Dall W (1985) Areview of prawn biological research in Australia. In: Rothlisberg PC, Hill BJ, Staples DJ (eds) Second Australian National Prawn Seminar. NPS2 Cleveland, Queensland, Australia, pp 11–21

  • Dall W, Hill BJ, Rothlisberg PC, Staples DJ (1990) Chapter 7. Reproduction. In: Dall W, Hill BJ, Rothlisberg PC, Staples DJ (eds) The biology of the Penaeidae. Academic Press, London, pp 251–275 (Adv mar Biol 27)

    Google Scholar 

  • ElHady HA, Abdel Razek FA, Ezzat A (1990) Reproduction of Penaeus semisulcatus de Haan in Dammam Water (Arabia Gulf), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Arch Hydrobiol 118: 241–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Emmerson WD (1980) Induced maturation of prawn Penaeus indicus. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 2: 121–131

    Google Scholar 

  • Gab-Alla A A-FA, Hartnoll RG, Ghobashy A-F, Mohammed SZ (1990) Biology of penaeid prawns in the Suez Canal lakes. Mar Biol 107: 417–426

    Google Scholar 

  • Garcia S (1983) The stock-recruitment relationship in shrimps: reality or artefacts and misinterpretations? Océanogr trop 18: 25–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaister JP, Lau T, McDonall VC (1987) Growth and migration of tagged eastern Australian king prawns, Penaeus plebejus Hess. Aust J mar Freshwat Res 38: 225–242

    Google Scholar 

  • Glaister JP, Montgomery SS, McDonall VC (1990) Yield-per-recruit analysis of eastern king prawns, Penaeus plebejus Hess, in eastern Australia. Aust J mar Freshwat Res 41: 175–197

    Google Scholar 

  • Gracia A (1991) Spawning stock-recruitment relationships of white shrimp in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. Trans Am Fish Soc 120: 519–527

    Google Scholar 

  • Grey DL, Dall W, Baker A (1983) A guide to the Australian penaeid prawns. Department of Primary Production of the Northern Territory, Darwin. Australia

    Google Scholar 

  • Gulland JA (1984) Introductory guidelines to shrimp management: some further thoughts. In: Gulland JA, Rothschild BJ (eds) Penaeid shrimps-their biology and management. Fishing News Books Limited, Surrey, England, pp 290–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Kelemec JA, Smith IR (1984) Effects of low temperature storage and eyestalk enucleation of gravid eastern king prawns, Penaeus plebejus, on spawning, egg fertilisation and hatching. Aquaculture, Amsterdam 40: 67–76

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas C (1974) Preliminary estimates of stocks of the king prawn, Penaeus plebejus, in south-east Queensland. Aust J mar Freshwat Res 25: 35–47

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathews CP, El-Musa M, Al-Hossaini M, Samuel M, Abdul Ghaffar AR (1988) Infestations of Epipenaeon elegans on Penaeus semisulcatus and their use as biological tags. J Crustacean Biol 8: 53–62

    Google Scholar 

  • Montgomery SS (1990) Movements of juvenile eastern king prawns, Penaeus plebejus, and identification of stocks along the east coast of Australia. Fish Res 9: 189–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Neal RA (1975) The Gulf of Mexico research and fishery on penaeid prawns. In: Young PC (ed) First Australian National Prawn Seminar. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, pp 2–7

    Google Scholar 

  • Nearhos SP, Lester RJG (1984) New records of Bopyridae (Crustacea: Isopoda: Epicaridea) from Queensland waters. Mem Qd Mus 21: 257–259

    Google Scholar 

  • O'Connor C (1979) Reproductive periodicity of a Penaeus esculentus population near Low Islets, Queensland, Australia. Aquaculture, Amsterdam 16: 153–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Owens L and Glazebrook JS (1985) The biology of bopyrid isopods parasitic on commercial penaeid prawns in northern Australia. In: Rothlisberg PC, Hill BJ, Staples DJ (eds) Second Australian National Prawn Seminar. NPS2, Cleveland, Queensland, Australia, pp 105–113

  • Penn JW, Caputi N (1986) Spawning stock-recruitment relationships and environmental nfluences on the tiger prawn (Penaeus esculentus) fishery in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia. Aust J mar Freshwat Res 37: 491–505

    Google Scholar 

  • Potter IC, Baronie FM, Manning RJG, Loneragan NR (1989) Reproductive biology and growth of the western school prawn, Metapenaeus dalli, in a large Western Australian estuary. Aust J mar Freshwat Res 40: 327–40

    Google Scholar 

  • Potter MA (1975) Movements of the eastern king prawn (Penaeus plebejus) in southern Queensland waters. In: Young PC (ed) First Australian National Prawn Seminar. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra, pp 10–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Racek AA (1959) Prawn investigations in eastern Australia. Res Bull St Fish NSW 6: 1–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruello NV (1975) Geographical distribution, growth and breeding migration of the eastern Australian king prawn Penaeus plebejus Hess. Aus J mar Freshwater Res 26: 343–354

    Google Scholar 

  • Shlagman A, Lewinsohn C, Tom M (1986) Aspects of the reproductive activity of Penaeus semisulcatus de Haan along the southeastern coast of the Mediterranean. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 7: 15–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Tuma DJ (1967) A description of the development of primary and secondary sexual characteristics in the banana prawn, Penaeus merguiensis de Man (Crustacea: Decapoda: Penaeinae). Aust J mar Freshwat Res 18: 73–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Yano I (1988) Oocyte development in the kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus. Mar Biol 99: 547–553

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland Department of Primary Industries, Southern Fisheries Centre, P.O. Box 76, 4508, Deception Bay, Queensland, Australia

    A. J. Courtney, D. J. Die & M. G. Cosgrove

  2. New South Wales Fisheries, Fisheries Research Institute, P.O. Box 21, 2230, Cronulla, New South Wales, Australia

    S. S. Montgomery, N. L. Andrew & C. Blount

Authors
  1. A. J. Courtney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. S. Montgomery
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. J. Die
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. N. L. Andrew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. M. G. Cosgrove
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. C. Blount
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Communicated by G.F. Humphrey, Sydney

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Courtney, A.J., Montgomery, S.S., Die, D.J. et al. Maturation in the female eastern king prawn Penaeus plebejus from coastal waters of eastern Australia, and considerations for quantifying egg production in penaeid prawns. Marine Biology 122, 547–556 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350677

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00350677

Keywords

Search

Navigation