Facts about shrimp

% Shrimp are tiny creatures that play an important role in the ecology of the sea. They vary in size and can be found all over the world. %

Some shrimp can make a loud snapping noise, which helps them communicate with each other. Shrimp are omnivorous and eat microscopic plant and animal matter. They are an important part of their ecosystem and help to feed many other creatures in the sea.

Top 8 Interesting Facts About Shrimp...

Among the bounty of creatures living in the world’s oceans, shrimp are perhaps the most

widely known marine crustacea. Shrimp exist in a dazzling array of shapes, sizes, and colors. They comprise 2,000 species and are found in deep ocean waters, shallow tidal waters, and freshwater, in every region of every continent but Antarctica. They are tiny,intriguing creatures living on the bottom of the oceans and play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance of the sea.

1. There are thousands of shrimp species around the world.Shrimp are primarily swimmers, not crawlers.

2. Size varies considerably by species.Shrimp aren’t always so, well, ‘shrimpy’. While small shrimp are usually around ½ an inch in length (from head to tail), some varieties can grow to be 12 inches or longer. The tiger shrimp, an invasive species in the Gulf, can grow to be roughly the length of an adult’s forearm and has more tail meat than the average lobster.

3. Shrimp are excellent swimmers.One of the fun facts about shrimp that you might not know is that these arthropods are actually quite good at swimming. They can propel themselves backwards quickly by flexing the muscles of their abdomen and tail, or swim forward more slowly using the appendages on the underside of their tail.

4. Some shrimp can loudly snap their pincers.The ocean may look peaceful, but it can get pretty noisy below the surface when there are snapping shrimp around. Certain shrimp species are able to make a snapping sound that is louder than any other marine noise by hitting their large and small pincers together.It’s believed they do this to communicate with other shrimp or temporarily stun their prey.

5. Shrimp are omnivorous.Shrimp typically consume microscopic plant and animal matter by filtering the water around them or sifting through the ocean floor. Certain types of shrimp also catch and eat small fish.

6. Shrimp are an important part of their ecosystem.Shrimp are an important source of food for many crabs, fish, sea urchins, whales, dolphins,and seabirds. Some species of shrimp also have a symbiotic relationship with fish and clean parasites, bacteria, and fungi off their host.

7. Shrimp contain a cancer-fighting mineral. You’ll want to keep this shrimp information in mind: if the small crustacean is a part of your diet, it may reduce your risk of developing cancer. That’s because shrimp contain selenium,an antioxidant mineral that activates enzymes to fight the growth of cancer-causing free radicals.

8. Shrimp exist in a dazzling array of shapes, sizes, and colors. They comprise 2,000 species and are found in deep ocean waters,shallow tidal waters, and freshwater, in every region of every continent but Antarctica.

9. They are arthropods—the shelled, segmented phylum that includes all insects, arachnids,and crustaceans. More specifically, shrimp are part of the order Decapoda. All decapods have ten legs, a trait shrimps share with their cousins—crabs and lobsters.

10. Large shrimp are often called prawns, and vice versa. While they look very much alike, shrimp are more closely related to crabs and lobsters than they are to prawns.Prawns differ in that they have three pairs of pincers rather than a shrimp’s two, they don’t have a pronounced abdomen bend, and they don’t “brood” their eggs—females release them right into the water.