| Xiphopenaeus kroyeri | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Malacostraca |
| Order: | Decapoda |
| Suborder: | Dendrobranchiata |
| Family: | Penaeidae |
| Genus: | Xiphopenaeus |
| Species: | X. kroyeri |
| Binomial name | |
| Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Heller, 1862) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Xiphopenaeus kroyeri, commonly called theAtlantic seabob, is a commercially importantprawn. It is up to 140 mm (5.5 in) long and is the most intensely fished prawn species inthe Guianas and along much of theGulf Coast of the United States.
Adults grow to 70–140 mm (2.8–5.5 in) long, with males only reaching 115 mm (4.5 in).[1] Therostrum has five teeth near the base, but is smooth along the tip, which is greatly elongated and often curves upwards to varying degrees.[2]
X. kroyeri lives in the westernAtlantic Ocean fromNorth Carolina toSanta Catarina state,Brazil.[1] It is the most important commercial prawn in parts of theUnited States fromPensacola (in theFlorida Panhandle) toTexas, and inthe Guianas. In other areas, such asMexico,Nicaragua,Honduras, andTrinidad, the fishing effort is only locally intensive.[1] In 2000–2007, the annual catch was greater than 40,000 t (88,000,000 lb).[1]
Xiphopenaeus kroyeri wasfirst described byCamill Heller in 1862, under the namePenaeus kroyeri.[1] It was transferred to the genusXiphopenaeus in 1869 bySidney Irving Smith.X. kroyeri has been considered conspecific with thePacific speciesX. riveti, but recentgenetic analysis indicates that the two are separate species, and thatX. kroyeri (sensu stricto) may even constitute twocryptic species.[3]