Shrimp - AZ Animals

Shrimp are among the most widely recognized crustaceans in the world. They are prized both for their ecological role and their importance as seafood. These animals belong to a diverse group that includes hundreds of species living in oceans, rivers, and wetlands. Their flexible bodies, hard exoskeletons, and ten legs link them to other decapods such as crabs and lobsters, yet they have evolved unique behaviors and habitats of their own. Understanding shrimp — from their classification to their diet and life cycle — reveals just how varied and resilient these small creatures can be.

Shrimp vs. Prawn

While the terms “shrimp” and “prawn” are typically used interchangeably among different nations, the two types of crustaceans are very different. Both shrimp and prawns are decapods, which means that they both have ten legs. However, while shrimp are closely related to the lobster, crayfish, and crab, prawns are classed in their own suborder – Dendrobranchiata.

Prawns have longer legs, and they don’t bend in the same flexible way that the shrimp legs can. While the prawn will release eggs into water to eventually let them hatch and live alone, shrimp carry their eggs with them after fertilization.

A problem with this confusion of terms is that many prawns are named as shrimp. For example, the Atlantic white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), which has multiple other names all ending in “shrimp,” is actually a species of prawn found along the coast of North America and in the Gulf of Mexico. In fact, the first “shrimp” fishery in the United States was established for this prawn.

3 Incredible Shrimp Facts

• There are 57 species that date back to the Lower Jurassic and Cretaceous eras.
• Several ports on the coasts of the United States claim to be the “shrimp capital” of the world.
• Though “shrimp” is often used to refer to something small, there’s no indication of how that correlation began.

Classification and Scientific Name

Shrimp are members of the order Decapoda, primarily within the infraorder Caridea. There are over 3,000 species of shrimp in the Caridea infraorder.

All shrimp were once saltwater creatures, but they spread out and evolved into a freshwater existence as well. In addition, many shrimp species have developed a symbiotic relationship with other organisms such as corals, fish, tunicates, and sponges.

The word “shrimp” seems to be rooted in 14th-century Middle English. It comes from the German word “schrempen,” which means “to contract or wrinkle.” This may be a description of their curled bodies.

Species

In total, there are over 3,000 different species of shrimp in the world, often differentiated by their color. Some of the most common commercial species include:

• Whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei): A prawn found in the Pacific Ocean, it can grow up to 9.1 inches.
• Pink shrimp (Pandalus borealis): They live primarily in the northern areas of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
• Akiami paste shrimp (Acetes japonicus kishinouye): a shrimp species from the family Sergestidae, it is often sold dried or salted. This is the most commonly fished species in Japan.
• Red Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi): This species originated in eastern China but is now also in Taiwan, Japan, and Hawaii, and is popular for aquariums.
• Amano Shrimp (Caridina multidentata): Popular for aquariums, the Amano shrimp goes by many names, including the Yamato shrimp, Japanese shrimp, and algae shrimp. Native to Taiwan and Japan, they primarily feed on algae, hence their name.

Appearance

While alive, these animals are often found in white, gray, and light bluish hues, though the animal species will determine the color.

The shell of the animal is made from a material called chitin, which is a thin but rigid exoskeleton. However, since they have no inner skeleton, they are not part of the fish family. They have 10 legs (which is the definition of a decapod), and they are in the same family as crabs and lobsters. Many shrimp species are only a few centimeters long, but some wild species can grow much larger, reaching lengths of up to 25–30 cm.

Distribution, Population, and Habitat

The habitat varies from one species to another. Freshwater is preferred by approximately 23%, though most species will primarily rest at the bottom of the waters they live in. Shrimp are rather resilient, living in both warm and cold water throughout the world’s oceans in depths of up to 16,000 feet.

With the right care, shrimp can be kept in an aquarium. They require high-quality water, and any owner should check the particular type of water needed for the species. Appropriate plants and algae should be provided as natural sources of food in their aquarium.

With hundreds of species around the world, only 20 of these species have made their way into commercial use. However, shrimp are prey for a wide variety of marine animals in saltwater oceans.

As to freshwater shrimp, nearly 28% of the world’s species are threatened with extinction. This situation results from habitat degradation and destruction. For example, many species of shrimp prefer wetlands as a habitat, but wetlands are rapidly disappearing. Shrimp that live in caves are vulnerable to human actions such as groundwater extractions, water contamination, and excessive silt.

Predators and Prey

The diet of these animals is broad. Shrimp are not picky, and they’ll grab the food that they can survive on. Their typical food consists of both plants and sea animals that are typically smaller than they are, which is what makes them omnivorous.

What eats shrimp?

Shrimp are hunted by the majority of carnivores and omnivores in the ocean. Some of their natural predators include crabs, sea urchins, starfish, seabirds, whales, sharks, seahorses, and dolphins. Shrimp are also consumed by humans.

What do shrimp eat?

They will eat just about anything that they find, including dead or living plants, worms, fish, snails, and algae. If necessary, they’ll eat other dead shrimp as food, too.

Reproduction and Lifespan

As the female shrimp mates, she’ll store the sperm to use later. This means that one group of fertilized eggs may come from multiple males. Once the eggs are fertilized, the parent will carry them along on her belly until they are ready to hatch. The clutch size is typically 50,000 to 1 million. Shrimp can be stressed when laying eggs, if kept in an aquarium, and that may cause them to abandon their young.

If the animal is not captured before the end of its natural lifespan, it could live up to six years old.

Fishing and Cooking

These animals have been used in many seafood menus in restaurants across the United States. Cooking this shellfish at home is fairly versatile, since it can be grilled, baked, sauteed, and more. There are very few cooking websites online that don’t at least touch on a few shrimp recipes. Shrimp take on other flavors easily, though they can also be served cold with some cocktail sauce. Even consuming 3 ounces of shrimp is 18 grams of protein.

Like many shellfish, the color of the flesh brightens while cooking, going from a whitish-gray hue to a vibrant red or pink exterior with white inner flesh. While the majority of people prefer to remove the chitin (shell), deep-frying shrimp can be a delectable and crispy treat.

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