﻿THE PHILIPPINE 



Journal of Science 



D. General Biology, Ethnology, 

 and Anthropology 



Vol. IX AUGUST, 1914 No. 4 



PALAEMONS OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS 



By R. P. COWLES 



(From the Department of Zoology, College of Liberal Arts, 



University of the Philippines) 



Three plates and 1 text figure 



The palaemons are widely distributed over the world, but 

 are usually confined to the fresh-water lakes and rivers of trop- 

 ical and subtropical countries. A few species, however, inhabit 

 the temperate regions and some live in the sea and in brackish 

 water. In the Philippine Islands this genus is well represented, 

 and especially is this the case in the lakes and rivers near Manila 

 where several species are very abundant. The palaemons, com- 

 monly but incorrectly spoken of as "shrimps" or "lobsters," 

 appear occasionally in our markets, and are considered an 

 excellent food, being even more highly esteemed than the so- 

 called "salt water shrimps" belonging to the genus Penaeus. 

 They form an important article of food for the Filipinos who 

 live inland; consequently, most of them are purchased before 

 they reach the markets of such coast cities as Manila. 



A glance at a map of the Philippines shows how rich the 

 Islands are in rivers and streams which flow to the sea. It 

 is safe to say that all of them contain palaemons and that these 

 are used by the Filipinos for food. I have collected these crus- 

 taceans from streams near Port Galera on Mindoro Island, from 

 streams at Taytay on Palawan Island, from a small river at 

 Sisiman on Luzon Island, and from Mariquina, San Juan, and 

 Pasig Rivers near Manila. In addition to specimens from the 



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