Interaction of host gene-gut microbiota in male grading of Macrobrachium rosenbergii

The giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii), a crustacean of high nutritional and economic value, is crucial for aquaculture. During the same growth cycle, males GFPs develop into three distinct forms: small males , orange claw males , and blue claw males . These morphotypes display varying social behaviors, which severely constrain their industrial development. To address this, this study collected male GFP samples at critical developmental time points for phenotypic trait measurement and analysis to obtain external morphological data. Transcriptomic analysis revealed host KEGG pathways and key genes associated with morphotype differentiation.