Common Names:
Australia: Banana prawn; Indian banana prawn; Red-legged banana prawn
Germany: Hauptmannsgarnele
India: Jinga; Naran; Chapda chingri; Vella chemeen
Japan: Indo-ebi
Pakistan: Jaira; Jiaro
Iran: Banana Shrimp
U.S.A.: Indian white shrimp
 
Size: Grows to 228 mm (nearly 9 inches).

Distribution: This important species is found in the Indo-West Pacific from East and Southeast Africa, through Malaysia and Indonesia to South China and Northern Australia. It is a marine shrimp (with estuarine juveniles) which likes mud or sandy mud at depths of 2 to 90 meters (6 to 300 feet).

 
Comments: This is one of the major commercial species of the world. It is the most important shrimp caught off the East African coast, and is probably also the most important Indian commercial species, especially for the inshore fisheries and for rice field culture in Kerala. It is important in Iran, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. A large population was discovered fairly recently in Northwest Australia.
Similar to P. merguensis, the banana prawn, and P. penicillatus, the red-tail prawn, the Indian white varies in color from almost transparently colorless to bright yellow .It is a good quality, good flavored shrimp, popular with importers in Japan, Western Europe and the U.S.A.
Unfortunately recent heavy fishing in India and western indo pacific areas has reduced the average size caught,
Recently growing cultivated shrimp in Iran are using this species as local adopted species for farmed shrimp, while in other part of Asian countries like China are using P. Venami and in Far Eastern countries are using P. Monodon as the base of farmed shrimp