Penaeus monodon

The tiger prawn is a big shrimp.

It has red and white stripes. These shrimp live in the sea. Many people eat them for food. They grow very fast.

They like to hide in the sand during the day. At night, they come out to find food. They eat tiny worms and small sea bugs. They also eat green plants from the water.

These shrimp live in many warm places. They live in the ocean near Africa and Asia. Some even live near the United States. People farm them in big groups to grow more food.

Farmers must be careful with them. These shrimp can get sick from tiny germs. Some people also work to make them stronger. This helps them stay healthy on the farm.

It is amazing how these striped shrimp live in the sea!

The giant tiger prawn is a large sea animal.

It has red and white stripes on its body.

Females can grow very long. They often weigh more than males. These shrimp live in the Indo-Pacific oceans. This includes places near Africa, Asia, and Australia. Some have even moved to the U.S. coast.

These prawns are nocturnal. This means they are active at night. During the day, they hide in the ground. At night, they come out to eat. They eat worms, small bugs, and algae. Young prawns live in sandy areas. Adult prawns move to deeper, rocky water.

Many people farm these shrimp for food. In 2009, people grew 770,000 tonnes of them. They grow very fast. This helps farmers. However, they can get sick from germs. Some diseases can hurt the shrimp farms. Scientists study how they fix their DNA. DNA is the code inside their bodies. This study helps us learn how they stay healthy.

The giant tiger prawn is a very important sea creature.

Many people call it the black tiger shrimp or the Asian tiger shrimp. These animals are widely raised on farms to provide food for people. They are the second most farmed shrimp in the whole world. In 2009, farmers produced 770,000 tonnes of them. This harvest was worth about 3.65 billion U.S. dollars.

These prawns have a very interesting way they live. They are nocturnal, which means they are active during the night. During the day, they burrow into the ground to hide. At night, they come out to find food. They eat things like worms, mollusks, and small crustaceans. They also eat algae to stay healthy.

Scientists have studied these shrimp for a long time. A man named Johan Christian Fabricius first described them in 1798. Later, in 1949, a scientist named Lipke Holthuis helped clarify their name. He showed they were the main type for their group. In the late 1960s, Liao I-chiu helped people learn to farm them. Because of his work, he is called the "Father of Shrimp Farming."

Tiger prawns can live in many different places. They are naturally found in the Indo-Pacific area. This includes the coast of Africa and parts of Australia. Some have even moved to the U.S. near Texas and North Carolina.

They like water that is between 28 and 33 degrees Celsius. They can also live in water with different levels of salt. Young prawns like sandy areas, but adults like deep, rocky bottoms.

Farming these shrimp can be a hard job for people. They grow very fast, which is great for farmers. However, they can get sick from many different germs. Diseases like white spot disease can hurt the shrimp industry. Some shrimp even catch diseases from other animals like crayfish. Scientists are now trying to breed shrimp that can fight these germs better.

The giant tiger prawn, known scientifically as *Penaeus monodon*, is a major marine crustacean.

It is widely recognized by several common names, including the Asian tiger shrimp and the black tiger shrimp. This species is extremely important for global food supplies. It is currently the second-most widely cultured prawn species in the entire world. Only the whiteleg shrimp, *Litopenaeus vannamei*, is farmed more extensively. Because of its high demand, *P. monodon* accounts for nearly 50% of all cultured shrimp production.

Physically, these prawns have very distinct markings and sizes. The carapace, which is the hard upper shell, and the abdomen feature alternating red and white transverse bands. Their antennae are a grayish-brown color. The legs, known as pereiopods, and the swimming legs, called pleopods, are brown with red fringing setae. Size differences exist between the sexes. Females can reach lengths of about 33 centimeters and weigh 130 grams. Males are slightly smaller, reaching about 28 centimeters and weighing 90 grams.

These prawns follow a specific life cycle and habitat pattern. Juveniles typically live in shallower areas like mangroves and sandy estuaries. As they reach adulthood, they migrate to deeper waters ranging from 0 to 110 meters deep. They prefer to live on muddy or rocky bottoms. *P. monodon* is also a nocturnal species. This means they are active at night and burrow into the substrate during the day. They emerge at night to feed and to begin mating. During mating periods, a single female can produce approximately 800,000 eggs.

Their diet is quite varied and nutrient-rich. They primarily consume detritus, which is organic matter, along with polychaete worms, mollusks, and small crustaceans. They also eat algae. Interestingly, their feeding appendages prevent them from eating living phytoplankton. However, they are capable of consuming senescent phytoplankton, which refers to aging or dying cells. In aquaculture settings, farmers often provide a compound diet made of dried pellets. Research shows that mixing these pellets with fresh feed improves their reproductive performance.

The history of studying and farming this species is well-documented. Johan Christian Fabricius first described the species in 1798. However, the name was overlooked for a long time. In 1949, Lipke Holthuis clarified the classification. He identified *P. monodon* as the type species for the genus *Penaeus*. In the late 1960s, a man named Liao I-chiu developed new methods for farming these shrimp. His contributions were so significant that he is often called the "Father of Shrimp Farming."

While farming is profitable, it presents many biological challenges. In 2009, global production reached 770,000 tonnes, valued at US$3,650,000,000. Farmers like the quick growth rate and salinity tolerance of *P. monodon*. The species can thrive in various salt levels, though the optimal salinity is 15–25 g/L. However, they are highly vulnerable to viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. Diseases like white spot disease and yellowhead disease cause massive economic losses. In Thailand, the Australian red claw crayfish can even transmit yellowhead disease to these prawns. To solve this, scientists are working to selectively breed lines that are resistant to these pathogens.

Finally, the impact of *P. monodon* extends to ecology and genetics. The species is native to the Indo-Pacific, from Africa to Australia. However, it has become an invasive species in parts of the U.S., specifically from Texas to North Carolina. In 2010, Greenpeace added the species to its seafood red list. They cited concerns regarding the destruction of mangroves, overfishing of juveniles, and human-rights abuses. On a microscopic level, scientists also study their DNA. Research has shown that *P. monodon* uses homologous recombinational repair to fix DNA double-strand breaks. They also use a process called microhomology-mediated end joining to repair their genetic material.