Short Communication Growth of hatchery raised banana shrimp Penaeus merguiensis (de Man) (Crustacea:Decapoda) juveniles under different salinity

In order to optimise the conditions for improved production of the banana shrimp Penaeus merguiensis in the farms, effect of salinity on growth and survival was studied for 4 weeks using hatchery reared juveniles. Survival was very poor in salinity <15 ppt. Weight progressively increased with increase in salinity to record a significantly high growth (P<0.05) in 40 ppt salinity (8.5 times the initial weight in 4 weeks). The results indicate that this species is suitable for cultivation in high saline waters. Biology of any aquatic organism is profoundly influenced by several abiotic factors and its distribution in any ecosystem is determined by the degree of influence exerted by any one of the factors either independently or in combination1. Salinity is one of the important abiotic factors that affects survival, growth and distribution of organisms in marine environment. The semi-catadromous life of penaeid shrimps involves both high and low saline ecosystems as spawning and early larval developmen