Investigations of the 'Nursery Areas' and Habitat Preferences of Juvenile Penaeid Prawns in Mozambique

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Abstract
The juveniles of 5 spp. of penaeid prawn were found during this investigation of the East African coast between latitudes 12 and 26[degree] C. They were generally associated with mangroves but 2 spp. were also found on intertidal sandflats, far removed from mangroves, where their numbers were often extremely high. Other qualitative and quantitative differences in their distribution within these nursery areas were noted. An explanation for some of the differences emerged from several laboratory observations and experiments. The burrowing capabilities of each species apparently affects its distribution in so far as only those species capable of burrowing rapidly and totally were found on the intertidal sandflats where they would be subjected to extremes of temperature and the possibility of being stranded on recession of the tide. A response to increase in water level was found in only 1 sp., which buries itself incompletely and possibly relies for protection from predators by maintaining itself in the shallow fringes of channels. The 2 spp. of penaeid that were tested showed no response to seepage of fresh water into a tank of sea water, but the palaemonid Palaemon concinnus resonded very markedly by rapidly taking up positions where the effect of the seepage was greatest. From the point of view of ease of collection, abundance and hardiness, Penaeus semisulcatus appeared to be the most suitable species for rearing in ponds.

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