Family : Pandalidae Genus : HeterocarpusA. Milne Edwards, 1881 Heterocarpus woodmasoniAlcock,1901 Common Name: Indian nylon shrimp,mulaku chemmeenSynonymy :Heterocarpus wood-masoni Alcock, 1901 Distribution:East African coast, Indian seas, Kei Islands. In India in Andamans, and Arabiansea off Kerala coast.Environment:Marine, depths of 220 to 640 m on soft sand and mud, abundant between 300 to400m depth.
Size:Average total length 125mm-133mmCollection site : Sakthikulangara,Neendakara, Munambam,Kalamukku, Azheekkal, PonnaniSpecimens examined : 32females and 5 males of average total length 125mm-133mm Description :Rostral measurements varying from more than twice as long ascarapace in juveniles to slightly longer than carapace in adults, no lateral carina, dorsal teeth with 7-12, usually 10 or 11,teeth extending upto anterior end of rostrum and including 1 or, usually, 2 oncarapace above or posterior to level of orbital margin, and ventrally with 4-9,usually 7 or 8, teeth; carapace somewhat with complete carinae on antennal and lateral, branchiostegal spine doesnot overreach antennal spine; abdomen with dorsally rounded 2 anterior somites, 3rd , 4th, and 5th mesially carinate,6th with paired longitudinalcarinae, 3rd somite havingnear midlength with median tooth, nosomites with posteromesial teeth; antennal scale decreasing in relative lengthfrom about 2/s or more of carapace length in juveniles to little more than ½as long as carapace in adults, distally convex blade and reaching beyond distolateral spine; 2nd pair of pereopods with longer member having 20-26, 22- 26, articles in carpus,shorter one with 9-12, most commonly 10, articles, carpus of 3rd pair armedwith0-7, usually 4 or 5, spines, of 4th pair with 1-7,usually 2-5, and of 5th pair, 0-7, merus of 3rd pair armed with 8-18, usually 10-14, spines, of 4thpair with 6-18, usually 12-15, and of 5th pair, 3-12, usually 9-11, ischium of 3rd pair armedwith 1-4, usually 2, spines, of 4th pair with 2 or 3, usually 2, and of 5thpair, invariably unarmed; maximum length of carapace about 35 mm. Remarks: Potential commercial importance, in deepsea trawling this was a predominant species obtained from Sakthikulangara,caught in otter trawlers. Usually caught along with Heterocarpus chaini.Original description : Alcock, A.
, 1901. A descriptive catalogue of theIndian deep-sea Crustacea Decapoda Macrura and Anomala, in the Indian Museum.Being a revised account of the deep-sea species collected by the Royal indianmarine survey ship Investigator: 1-286, i-iv.,Plates.
1-3.Indian Museum,Calcutta.
