Appearance
- Brown to gray in color, with yellow or orange tinge; occasionally reddish or greenish
- Tips of tail blue-green to olive-green
- Carapace and base of tail smooth with broad, deep grooves along midline
- Decapod crustaceans with five pairs of legs; first three sets are walking legs with claws
- Well-developed, toothed rostrum that extends to or beyond outer edge of the eyes
- Large, well-developed eyes; large swimmerets; antennae slightly longer than body
Similar Species
Pink shrimp Farfantepenaeus duorarum (dark-colored spot usually present on each side between third and fourth abdominal segments); white shrimp Litopenaeus setiferus (lacks grooves on carapace; longer antennae than brown or pink shrimp)
Size
Maximum size about 7 to 9 inches in body length.
Habitat
Inshore and offshore habitats in areas of higher salinities over organic-rich, mud bottoms. Juveniles usually inhabit seagrass beds and algal mats within estuaries.
Behavior
Larvae feed on plankton (tiny floating plants and animals); juvenile and adult shrimp feed at the bottom at night on worms, algae, microscopic animals, and various types of detritus.
Reproduction
Brown shrimp can spawn year-round with peak spawning occurring in February and March. Spawning occurs in relatively deep water. Females typically release about 500,000 to 1 million eggs near the ocean floor.
Additional Information
Short life span, usually less than 2 years.
Also known as: Penaeus aztecus