Western King Prawn

The Western King Prawn, scientifically known as Penaeus latisulcatus, is a tropical species found commonly in benthic environments at depths ranging from 1 to 80 meters (3 to 262 feet). It thrives in warm waters, with a preferred temperature around 25°C (77°F). The species exhibits sexual dimorphism, with males and individuals of unspecified sex reaching up to 20 centimeters (about 7.9 inches) in total length, while females can grow slightly larger, up to 22 centimeters (about 8.7 inches). The heaviest recorded specimen weighs 60 grams (approximately 2.1 ounces).

Identified by its distinctive dark-brown rostrum and blue-tipped tail, the Western King Prawn is primarily active at night. Its life cycle begins as pelagic larvae undergoing four developmental stages: nauplii, zoea, mysis, and post-larvae. As they mature, they transition from inshore juveniles to offshore adults. Their mating behavior involves a precopulatory courtship ritual characterized by the use of smell and touch, followed by the male transferring a spermatophore to the female's thelycum, usually through indirect sperm transfer.

The species is significant to commercial fisheries, with its distribution spanning the Indo-West Pacific region—from 🇲🇿 Mozambique to Western Australia, including the 🌊 Persian Gulf, 🌊 Red Sea, and Arabian Sea, and extending from North Korea down to the Gulf of St. Vincent in South 🇦🇺 Australia.