Spawning and Larval Rearing of the Monkey River Prawn: Macrobrachium lar in the Fiji Islands

The Monkey River Prawn Macrobrachium lar (Fabricius, 1798) is a large palaemonid prawn indigenous to a number of Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs). Because of its size, relatively fast growth rates and a number of other favourable characteristics, it appears to have good potential for aquaculture except for one major constraint; the availability of seed stock for grow-out is severely limited by difficulties involved in rearing the larvae from hatch until metamorphosis into post-larvae (PL). This study examined rearing the larvae of this species from egg to PL and the culture condition requirements for larviculture. Larvae were successfully reared to PL, and the complete larval development of this species is described here for possibly the first time in the world. Culture condition requirements have also been elucidated, and conclusions drawn about the feasibility of larviculture of this species.