Shrimp or Prawn?
Is it a Shrimp or a Prawn? What is the difference? Well, it all depends upon where you live. In the United States, the word Shrimp is used for both Shrimp and Prawns while in the United Kingdom and Australia, its just the opposite The word Prawns is used to describe both creatures! So, what is the difference? Both belong to the crustacean family, and they are both Arthropods.
The Phylum Arthropoda is the largest division of animals, and includes insects, arachnids, crustaceans, and many more. The word Arthropod has Greek origins and means jointed feet (arthro = jointed or articulated and pod = foot). All Arthropods have segmented bodies, and, often a pair of feet or legs for each segment. Other Arthropods include Wasps, Spiders, Scorpions and Centipedes. In fact, the common Woodlouse is also a crustacean!
The picture you see at the top of this page is of the Tiger Prawn (Penaeus monodon).Why are Shrimp important to us? Quite simply we like to eat them. Shrimp and Prawns are captured in the wild, using trawl nets, and also by small-scale fishers using traps and artisanal equipment.
