What Are Shrimp Classified As? A Complete Guide to Understanding These Sea Creatures

Shrimp or prawns?

While in biological terms prawns are of a separate biological suborder of Decapoda, there is much confusion between prawns and shrimp, especially among non-specialists, and many shrimp are called “prawns” and many prawns are called “shrimp.” Prawns belong to the sub-order Dendrobranchiata, while shrimp are placed in the suborder Pleocyemata (Burkenroad 1963). Prawns are distinguished from the superficially similar shrimp by the gill structure ,which is branching in prawns (hence the name, dendro meaning “tree,” and branchia meaning “gill”), but is lamellar in shrimp. Pleocyemata is the sister taxon to Dendrobranchiata and contains all the true shrimp, crabs, and lobsters.

Confusion is particularly widespread in culinary contexts. In commercial farming and fishery the terms shrimp and prawn are often used interchangeably. In European countries, particularly the United Kingdom, the word “prawns” is more commonly on menus than the term “shrimp,” which is used more often in North America. The term “prawn” is also loosely used to describe any large shrimp, especially those that come 15 (or fewer) to the pound (also called “jumbo shrimp”). Australia and other Commonwealth countries follow this European/British use to an even greater extent, using the word “prawn” almost exclusively. In Southeast Asia, the difference between shrimp and prawns also is based on size, with larger shrimp being called prawns (Solomon 1998).

In various forms of English, the name “prawn” is often applied to shrimp as well, generally the larger species, such as Leander serratus. In the United States, according to the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica, the word “prawn” usually indicates a freshwater shrimp or prawn.

Shrimp as food A steamed tail-on shrimp

Shrimp is one of the most popular shellfish, called by Herbst (2001) “Americas favorite shellfish.” Recipes using shrimp form part of the cuisine of many cultures—examples include shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. Theres pineapple shrimp and lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich, shrimp fajitas. Strictly speaking, dishes containing scampi should be made from the Norway lobster, a shrimp-like crustacean more closely related to the lobster than shrimp, but in some places it is quite common for large shrimp to be used instead.

As with other seafood, shrimp is high in calcium and protein but low in food energy. A shrimp-based meal is also a significant source of cholesterol, from seven mg to 251 mg per 100 g of shrimp, depending on the method of preparation (DFF 2006). (However, dietary intake of cholesterol itself is not the key factor influencing levels of cholesterol in the blood, due to regulatory mechanisms, but rather consumption of saturated dietary fats.)

Dried shrimp is commonly used as a flavoring and as a soup base in Asian cuisines, while fried shrimp is popular in North America. In Europe, shrimp is very popular, forming a necessary ingredient in Spanish paella de marisco, French bouillabaisse, Italian cacciucco, Portuguese caldeirada and many other seafood dishes.

Shrimp are marketed according to size (albeit with regional variance), with general categories commonly including colossal (ten or less per pound), jumbo (11 to 15 per pound), extra large (16 to 20 per pound), large (21 to 30 per pound), medium (31 to 35 per pound), small (36 to 45 per pound), and miniature (about 100) (Herbst 2001). Colossal shrimp and jumbo shrimp are commonly called prawns in the United States, despite being of different taxa (Herbst 2001).

Shrimp and other shellfish are among the most common food allergens (FAAN 2007).

Preparing shrimp for consumption usually involves removing the shell, tail, and “sand vein.” To deshell a shrimp, the tail is held while gently removing the shell around the body. The tail can be detached completely at this point, or left attached for presentation purposes. Removing the “vein” (a euphemism for the digestive tract) can be referred to as “deveining,” though in fact shrimp do not have any real veins; they have an open circulatory system. The “vein” can be removed by making a shallow cut lengthwise down the outer curve of the shrimps body, allowing the dark ribbon-like digestive tract to be removed with a pointed utensil. Alternatively, if the tail has been detached, the vein can be pinched at the tail end and pulled out completely with the fingers. The shrimp is then rinsed under cold running water.

Shrimp vs. Prawns: What’s the Difference?

FAQ

What is shrimp considered as?

Shrimp are swimming crustaceans with long narrow muscular abdomens and long antennae. Unlike crabs and lobsters, shrimp have well-developed pleopods (swimmerets) and slender walking legs; they are more adapted for swimming than walking.

What classification is shrimp?

What category is shrimp under?

Crustacean Shellfish. The group of crustacean shellfish comprises a range of members of which shrimps, prawns, crabs and lobsters are most relevant to human diet.