A check list on freshwater prawns with special reference to genus macrobrachium bate, 1868 (decapoda: palaemonidae) in Tamil Nadu, India

Species of the freshwater prawn genus Macrobrachium are distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical zones of the world. Many species are of regional or local fishey important however only half a dozen species of genus Macrobrachium are of major economic value in India. A detailed analysis on the availability of information pertaining to the knowledge on freshwater prawns (Macrobrachium spp.) of Tamil Nadu are found in most inland freshwater areas such as lakes, rivers, swamps, irrigation channels, canals, ponds as well as estuarine areas. The present paper concludes that there are 24 species of freshwater prawns in Tamil Nadu, India.