Shrimp — Microsoft Oceans

Shrimp

Tiny ocean cleaners that come in 2,000 wild shapes and sizes!

KindSea life Zone Coast & tide pools Coral reef Open ocean Rivers & estuaries Found in Worldwide

When you think of shrimp, you may think only of deep-fried shrimp or shrimp cocktail. But these little crustaceans come in an astounding variety of sizes and colors, and live in many different environments. These two enterprising shrimp have set up a "cleaning station," where fish can stop by and let them eat parasites from their skin. The fish appreciate this cleaning service so much, they courteously refrain from eating the shrimp.

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Scrumptious shrimp

Many animals find shrimp to be delicious, including humans! Biggest eater Of all animals, humans are perhaps the greatest consumers of shrimp. By dragging pouch-shaped nets called trawls, boats can harvest tons of shrimp from the open seas or from river mouths. The shrimp catch is frozen or canned quickly to prevent spoilage. China leads the world in shrimp harvesting, followed by the United States, Thailand, and Indonesia, but wild shrimp populations are declining in many parts of the world.

ShrimpfestFew marine animals would say no to a tasty mouthful of shrimp. A moray eel definitely finds them "d'eel-icious"!

Shrimp of all kinds

Members of at least 2,000 species of shrimp are found throughout the world's oceans. Some have adopted unique lifestyles in order to stay alive. Life with anemones Anemone shrimp choose to live among the stinging tentacles of sea anemones. It's an odd lifestyle, but one that offers the shrimp protection from predators. Don't call me a shrimp! This beautiful crustacean is not actually a shrimp, but a prawn, which is a very close, but slightly bigger, relative. Camouflage expert Some shrimp are experts at hiding in plain sight!

Camouflage expertSome shrimp are experts at hiding in plain sight!

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Can you hear me? — Pistol shrimp use sound to stun their prey. When one of these shrimp snap their one large claw shut, it produces a powerful underwater shock wave that causes some aquarium owners to think that the glass has shattered! But most shrimp live less noisy lives, and just pounce on their prey when they find it.

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Source: Microsoft Oceans (1995) CD-ROM. Text liberated from original screen art; images, audio & clips restored from disc. Original media is Microsoft/supplier copyright — non-commercial educational preservation. Credits & Acknowledgements