Difference between prawn and shrimp
Prawn vs shrimp :
Shrimps and prawns are most undoubtedly delectable dishes that set many a taste buds salivating. They both belong to the seafood category and once they are cooked and put on a plate, the difference between a shrimp and prawn is impossible to discern. They look quite alike and prawn and shrimp are two terms which are often seen to be used interchangeably which makes it extra hard to make a clear cut distinction between the two.
What is prawn?
Belonging to the order Decapoda and the suborder Dendrobranchiata, prawns possess a body that is divided in to three sections such as head, thorax and abdomen of which the head overlaps the thorax and the thorax overlaps the abdomen possessing lameller gills with a plate-like structure. They are mostly farmed in Asia and yet, the French langoustine, Spanish langostino and Caribbean lobsterette, as well as the Italian scampi all refer to various prawn types available in the world today. The different varieties of prawns which are more popularly available in the market are tiger prawns, deep water prawns, bay prawns and king prawns.
What is shrimp?
Shrimp can be categorized as crustaceans belonging to the Decapoda order and the suborder Pleocyemata of which more than 125 species exist in brackish water, freshwater, and saltwater except for in polar waters. Equipped with a head and thorax which are fused to form the cephalothorax that is covered with the carapace, shrimps are able to tolerate high levels of toxicity which definitely serves as an advantage to these rather fascinating creatures. A shrimp is quite capable of growing up to 15 centimeters although the average length of a shrimp may be around 10 centimeters in length. Shrimp is known for their high nutrient values of calcium, iodine and protein and they are consumed widely by human beings as well by zooplankton, ranging from fish to whales.
What is the difference between shrimp and prawn?
The difference between a prawn and a shrimp is rather hard to discern specially after being cooked. However, while they may be quite similar in terms of appearance, they belong to different species. While a shrimp belongs to the Decapoda order and the suborder Pleocyemata, shrimp belong to the order Decapoda and the suborder Dendrobranchiata.
Prawns are considered to be larger whereas shrimp are considered to be much smaller in size. The body structures of the two species also vary significantly. The body of both a shrimp and a prawn consists of three parts such as the head, the thorax and the abdomen. And yet, while the thorax overlaps the other two body segments of the shrimp, in the case of a prawn, it is the head that overlaps the thorax after which and the thorax overlaps the abdomen. The gills of a prawn and a shrimp are also very different. While a shrimp possesses branching gills, prawns are characteristic of their lameller gills which demonstrate a plate-like structure.
Shrimp is popularly harvested in coastal plantations with United States standing as a rather prominent figure in the industry. Prawns on the other hands are mostly farmed in Asian countries. Some common varieties of shrimps harvested for consumption include spot, pink, white, and brown and northern shrimp whereas some popular varieties of prawn include tiger, deep water, bay, and king prawns.