Prawn

A prawn is a common name for small aquatic creatures called crustaceans. These creatures have a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton and ten legs. They belong to a group known as decapods.

The word prawn is especially used in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Commonwealth nations to talk about large swimming shrimp that are important in the fishing industry. These shrimp often belong to a group called Dendrobranchiata. In North America, the word prawn is used less often, usually for freshwater shrimp. The words shrimp and prawn do not have a scientific meaning, and over time their use has changed. Today, the two terms are almost the same.

Regional distinctions

The words shrimp and prawn began in Britain. In everyday use, shrimp are smaller sea creatures that are flat and have a short nose-like part on their heads. Shrimp is the only name used for creatures in the family Crangonidae, like the common shrimp or brown shrimp, Crangon crangon.

Prawn is used for bigger sea creatures that are deeper and have a long nose-like part. However, these names are not always used the same way. For example, some people call Pandalus montagui an Aesop shrimp, while others call it an Aesop prawn.

Countries like Commonwealth nations and Ireland usually follow British usage. In Australia, some people call small creatures from the Palaemonidae family prawns and call Alpheidae creatures pistol shrimp.

In New Zealand, shrimp are usually small, about three inches or less, caught in nets from shallow water. Prawns are larger, up to 12 inches long, caught by traps or nets dragged along the sea floor. In Canada, the terms are often used interchangeably, but there are regional differences. South Africa and former British colonies in Asia also generally follow British usage.

In the United States, shrimp is the more general term. The word prawn is used less often and mainly refers to larger shrimp, especially those living in freshwater.