Prawn is acommon name for small aquaticcrustaceans with anexoskeleton and ten legs (members of the order ofdecapods), some of which are edible.[1]
The termprawn[2] is used particularly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, andCommonwealth nations, for large swimming crustaceans orshrimp, especially those with commercial significance in thefishing industry. Shrimp in this category often belong to the suborderDendrobranchiata. In North America, the term is used less frequently, typically for freshwater shrimp. The termsshrimp andprawn themselves lack scientific standing. Over the years, the way they are used has changed, and in contemporary usage, the terms are almost interchangeable.
From Raymond Bauer inRemarkable Shrimps:[3]
- Shrimp is characteristically used to refer to those crustaceans with long antennae, slender legs, and a laterally compressed, muscular abdomen that is highly adapted for both forward swimming and a backward (retrograde) escape response.
- Prawn is often used as a synonym ofshrimp forpenaeoidean andcaridean shrimp, especially those of large size.
From the English Oxford Dictionaries:
The termsshrimp andprawn arecommon names, notscientific names. They arevernacular orcolloquial terms, which lack the formal definition ofscientific terms. They are nottaxa, but are terms of convenience with littlecircumscriptional significance. There is no reason to avoid using the termsshrimp orprawn when convenient, but it is important not to confuse them with the names or relationships of actual taxa.[2]
According to the crustacean taxonomist Tin-Yam Chan, "The termsshrimp andprawn have no definite reference to any known taxonomic groups. Although the termshrimp is sometimes applied to smaller species, whileprawn is more often used for larger forms, there is no clear distinction between both terms and their usage is often confused or even reverse in different countries or regions."[6] Writing in 1980,L. B. Holthuis noted that the termsprawn andshrimp were used inconsistently "even within a single region", generalising that larger species fished commercially were generally calledshrimp in the United States, andprawns in otherEnglish-speaking countries, although not without exceptions.[7]
Much confusion surrounds the scope of the termshrimp. Part of the confusion originates with the word'sassociation with smallness; many shrimp species are small, about 2 cm (0.79 in) long, but some shrimp exceed 25 cm (9.8 in), such asPenaeus monodon. The expression "jumbo shrimp" can be viewed as an oxymoron, a problem that does not exist with the commercial designation "jumbo prawns".[8] Larger shrimp are more likely to betargeted commercially and are often referred to asprawns, particularly in theCommonwealth of Nations.
The termshrimp originated around the 14th century with theMiddle Englishshrimpe, akin to theMiddle Low Germanschrempen, and meaning 'to contract or wrinkle'; and theOld Norseskorpna, meaning 'to shrivel up', orskreppa, meaning 'a thin person'.[9][10] It is not clear where the termprawn originated, but early forms of the word surfaced in England in the early 15th century asprayne, praine andprane.[11][12][13] According to the linguistAnatoly Liberman it is unclear howshrimp, in English, came to be associated withsmall, since no other language with Germanic origins associates shrimp with how large they are. "The same holds for Romance... it remains unclear in what circumstances the name was applied to the crustacean."[14]
Taxonomic studies in Europe on shrimp and prawns were shaped by thecommon shrimp and thecommon prawn, both found in huge numbers along the European coastlines. The common shrimp,Crangon crangon, was categorised in 1758 byCarl Linnaeus, and the common prawn,Palaemon serratus, was categorised in 1777 byThomas Pennant. The common shrimp is a small burrowing species aligned with the notion of a shrimp as being something small, whereas the common prawn is much larger. The termstrue shrimp ortrue prawn are sometimes used to mean what a particular person thinks is a shrimp or prawn.[2] This varies with the person using the terms. But such terms are not normally used in the scientific literature, because the termsshrimp andprawn themselves lack scientific standing. Over the years the wayshrimp andprawn are used has changed, and nowadays the terms are almost interchangeable. Although from time to time some biologists declare that certain common names should be confined to specific taxa, the popular use of these names seems to continue unchanged.[2][15]
The terms shrimp and prawn originated in Britain. In the use of common names for species, shrimp is applied to smaller species, particularly species that aredorsoventrally depressed (wider than deep) with a shorterrostrum. It is the only term used for species in the familyCrangonidae, such as the common shrimp or brown shrimp,Crangon crangon. Prawn is never applied to very small species. It is applied to most of the larger forms, particularly species that arelaterally compressed (deeper than wide) and have a long rostrum. However, the terms are not used consistently. For example, some authors refer toPandalus montagui as an Aesop shrimp, while others refer to it as an Aesop prawn.[2][7]
Commonwealth countries, and Ireland, tend to follow British usage. Some exceptions occur in Australia, where some authors refer to small species of thePalaemonidae as prawns and call theAlpheidae pistol shrimp. Other Australian authors have given the namebanded coral shrimp to the prawn-likeStenopus hispidus and listed "theProcessidae andAtyidae as shrimps, theHippolytidae,Alpheidae,Pandalidae andCampylonotoidea as prawns".[7] New Zealand broadly follows British usage. A rule of thumb given by some New Zealand authors states: "In common usage, shrimp are small, some three inches or less in length, taken for food by netting, usually from shallow water. Prawn are larger, up to 12 inches long, taken by trapping and trawling."[16] In Canada, the terms are often used interchangeably as in New Zealand (larger species are prawns, and smaller are often shrimp), but regional variations exist. South Africa and the former British colonies in Asia also seem to follow British usage generally.[7]
Shrimp is the more general term in the United States.[7] The term prawn is less commonly used in the United States, being applied mainly to larger shrimp and those living in freshwater.[17]
Shrimp versus prawns – YouTube| Decapoda |  | |
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