Macrobrachium spinipes (Australasian Giant River Prawn)
Species Account
A large euryhaline species closely related to the Asian Giant River Prawn, M. rosenbergii, but showing a predominantly insular distribution in the West Pacific eastward of Huxley's Line, viz. eastern Indonesia, Taiwan, the Philippines (including Palawan), Palau, New Guinea and Australia. Occurs throughout the Wet-Dry Tropics in northern Australia from the Kimberley region, Western Australia to the McIvor River north of Cooktown, northeast Queensland. Prefers larger, low gradient river systems with seasonal flow. Australian populations appear to be amphidromous. Adults have a distinctive setal pubescence on the proximal half to three-quarters of the movable finger of the second chelae. Body length up to 320 mm. — John W. Short, 2026
Image
Young undeveloped male from the McIvor River, northeast Queensland, Australia, John W. Short, P. Graham, 18 June 1997. Photographed by John W. Short.