Reproductive behavioural differences between wild-caught and pond-reared Penaeus monodon prawn broodstock

•We recorded observations of mating behaviour in wild-caught and domesticated Penaeus monodon.•Mating success of the domesticated prawns was low relative to wild-caught.•Both genders contributed to the low mating rate of domesticated prawns.•Domesticated males showed a lack of vigour in their pursuit of moulted (receptive) females.•Domesticated females had a reduced ability to stimulate males.

Ongoing problems exist with the commercial scale domestication of Penaeus monodon. One of the major issues, in terms of reproductive performance, is the low egg hatch rate of eggs from these captive bred prawns. The current study investigated the related issue of mating success. Time lapse video observations were conducted to compare the mating behaviour of pond-reared (domesticated) and wild-caught prawn P. monodon broodstock.Mating success of the pond-reared prawns was found to be low relative to wild-caught. It was determined that both male and female prawns contributed to this low mating rate suggesting both genders were impacted negatively by the domestication process. The causative factors for the low mating success are yet to be determined, however external physical abnormalities and lack of sexual maturity did not appear to play a role. The most notable behavioural difference between wild-caught and domesticated prawns was a reduced level of pursuit behaviour by domesticated males. This and other behavioural differences are discussed in relation to an increasing body of evidence that male prawns respond to sex pheromones produced by receptive females and that males detect these chemical signals in part, via their second antennal flagella. Accordingly we hypothesise that pond-reared (domesticated) females may have a reduced ability to produce or release sex pheromones and males, a reduced ability to detect them when compared to their wild-caught counterparts.