Shrimp Vs. Prawn Mating Behavior

Who would have thought these two closely-looking crustaceans are genetically varied from each other? While we already knew that shrimps are marine creatures, prawns live strictly in freshwater. Aside from the main anatomical difference of the two, which is body form, shrimp and prawn also differ when it comes to the way they reproduce. 

Shrimp’s (P. vannamei) mating behavior is divided into four phases: (1) approach, (2) crawling, (3) chasing, (4) mating. 1The glutinous spermatophore emitted from the male can be transferred onto the female open thelycum during the ventral-to-ventral position in mating in P. vannamei. 2It takes the shrimp about 3-5 months to begin breeding, with the female most susceptible to the male's advances just after molting.  Here is how you will know that your male and female shrimp are about to mate. When it comes to mating if there are few male shrimps then you may find some world war going in the tank. She then hides and releases pheromones into the water that call males to her. The male somehow marks its territory and lets the other male shrimps know that it is going to inseminate her. Though male P. vannamei often chase males or immature females with undeveloped ovaries, no males were ever mated and mating only occurred in females with ripe ovaries.

Unlike most fish, shrimp carry their eggs on the underside of their body. Did you know that a shrimp carrying egg is called “berried shrimp”? The term was coined as the eggs from the saddle will pass down to the bottom, making the shrimp look like it’s holding a small clutch of berries underneath it. The eggs should hatch within 24 hours and the ones that don’t usually means the eggs probably did not develop properly. After releasing their eggs, female shrimps molt within a day or two, and eggs that didn’t hatch will be left with the old exoskeleton. 

Meanwhile, mating in prawns require the female to be soft shelled (newly molted). The male inserts a sperm capsule (spermatophore) into the female. This remains inside the female reproductive organ until the prawn is ready to release her eggs (spawn) at which time the eggs are fertilized. 5In two such species studied, Sicyonia dorsalis (a penaeoid) and Palaemonetes pugio (a caridean), males do not recognize nor guard females that will soon molt and be ready to mate. Rather, their "strategy" is simply be "socially active," increasing the chances of encountering a just-molted, sexually receptive female. When one is encountered, recognition and mating occurs within seconds, and the mating partners separate quickly.