What is the difference between a shrimp and a Prawn?
Shrimp and prawns are closely related, but there are a few distinguishing features which divide the two. Unfortunately for most consumers, these features are usually obscured in the harvesting and cooking process, so unless you have captured the crustaceans yourself, you may never know whether you are eating shrimp or prawns. The primary difference is the gill structure. Shrimp have branching gills, while prawns have lameller gills with a platelike structure. There are a few other distinguishing features. The front pincers of shrimp are typically the largest, while prawns have bigger second pincers. Prawns also have longer legs than shrimp. These differences may seem subtle, but they indicate different steps along the evolutionary path of both creatures.
