Scientific knowledge of the Cinnamon River prawn Macrobrachium acanthurus and future perspectives for aquaculture

The cinnamon river shrimp (Macrobrachium acanthurus) is distributed along the Atlantic Ocean, from the United States to Brazil. This species represents important resources for local communities of fishermen, but natural populations are facing a progressive decline. For several years, the aquaculture supplementation of this species has been suggested as an alternative to fisheries. M. acanthurus presents several characteristics that make it a suitable species for aquaculture, such as resistance to changes in environmental conditions, reproduction all year round, high fecundity, low aggressivity, and disease resistance. Despite this, the development of culture is, at best, at the stage of research and has been related to the difficulty of the larval stage rearing. Considering this, the review presents the actual knowledge regarding the environmental and biological conditions of M. acanthurus that might help to advance its culture. The information is presented in several parts, which include the species description, environmental conditions, reproduction, larvae and juvenile stages, culture experience, and diseases. Finally, some considerations are given to cover the gaps in the knowledge that are required to be researched.