Dendrobranchiata

Dendrobranchiata is a group of animals called prawns. They are part of a big family called decapods. There are about 540 different kinds of prawns! They have been around since the Devonian period, which was a long time ago.

What makes prawns special is the shape of their gills. Their gills look like tiny branches, which gives them their scientific name, Dendrobranchiata. Unlike some sea animals, prawns do not keep their eggs close to their bodies. They release the eggs right into the water.

Prawns can grow very big! Some can be more than 330 millimetres long, which is about 13 inches. Many people catch prawns to eat. They come from the wild or are grown on farms all around the world.

In places like the United Kingdom, Australia, and some other countries, people call them "prawn". But in North America, they are usually called "shrimp". Sometimes, the word "prawn" is used for bigger shrimp, like "king prawns".

Prawns have strong bodies that can be split into a head and thorax part and a belly part. Their heads have two sets of antennae, with the second set often being very long. They also have eyes on stalks. The body is often a little flat on the sides. Many prawns are caught to eat, and they are important for many countries.

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