Occurrence of the exotic freshwater shrimp Palaemon sinensis in central Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan

Abstract

The exotic freshwater shrimp Palaemon sinensis was recently confirmed in rivers around the city of Higashihiroshima, central Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan. To identify the potential introduction vector of P. sinensis, its occurrence was researched in bait shops and irrigation ponds in this area. Shrimp bait was sold in fishing bait shops as a product called “Shirasa ebi,” which was composed of Palaemon sinensis from January to May and in November and December, and Palaemon paucidens from May to December. P. sinensis was also confirmed in an irrigation pond located in Higashihiroshima. The body length frequency of P. sinensis showed a bimodal distribution in November, indicating that the shrimp reproduced in the pond.