Abstract
This contribution reports, for the first time, the presence of the giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon Fabricius, 1798 on the northern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. This closed-thelycum penaeid species is originally from the Indo-West Pacific, and it has been reported from other regions of the Western Central Atlantic; however, the reproductive biology of this species has not been examined in its non-native range. Adult females and adult males were captured by local fishermen near the Colorado River mouth during September and October 2014; animals were preserved in ethanol for further identification, and an evaluation of reproductive condition was conducted based on visual and histological staging of ovaries. Terminal ampoules of males were analyzed histologically to document spermatogenic activity. The specimens examined exhibited ovarian maturation, spermatophore production, and evidence of successful mating. The presence of this species can affect food chains and disturb ecosystem function and structure and locations where it is not native, which can, in turn, threaten ecosystem services to people dependent on this ecosystem for their livelihood.
Highlights
Six species of the family Penaeidae occur along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica: Farfantepenaeus subtilis Pérez-Farfante, 1967, Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis Latreille, 1817, Metapenaeopsis smithi Schmitt, 1924, Metapenaeopsis martinella PérezFarfante, 1971, Litopenaeus schmitti Burkenroad, 1936 and Xiphopenaeus kroyeri Heller, 1862 (Vargas and Cortés 1999; Wehrtmann and Cortés 2009)
There is no information on basic biology, including reproduction, of the species in these newly invaded regions. This contribution reports the detection of P. monodon in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, and provides preliminary information on selected aspects of the biology of the species
Specimens of Penaeus monodon were captured during September and October 2014 by artisanal fishermen trawling for shrimp in water 12–14 m deep off the mouth of Colorado River (Figure 1; 10°79 ́ N; 83°59 ́ W)
Summary
Six species of the family Penaeidae occur along the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica: Farfantepenaeus subtilis Pérez-Farfante, 1967, Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis Latreille, 1817, Metapenaeopsis smithi Schmitt, 1924, Metapenaeopsis martinella PérezFarfante, 1971, Litopenaeus schmitti Burkenroad, 1936 and Xiphopenaeus kroyeri Heller, 1862 (Vargas and Cortés 1999; Wehrtmann and Cortés 2009). Sampling site of Penaeus monodon in the Caribbean Sea of Costa Rica. This contribution reports the detection of P. monodon in the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, and provides preliminary information on selected aspects of the biology of the species.
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