Differance Between Shrimp and Prawn

[Gerty_92]

hey im always hearing people call prawns shrimp, or shrimp prawns...is there actually a differance and if so what is it??

[Feral]

Shrimp - fresh water beastie

Prawn - salt water beastie

[Gerty_92]

cheers

[Angus]

Not to be a smart ass Andrew but not exactly.

There are Salt Water shrimps.

Gerty its just subtle differences that make it a different species.

Its the same as asking the difference between say one type of a fish and another.

While being very similar that are just classified slightly scientically.

For me though

Shrimps go in fried rice.

Prawns go in a curry.

Angus

[AFO]

Definitive answer by the Museum of Victoria

http://www.museum.vic.gov.au/Infosheets/10295.pdf

[Feral]

Angus wrote:

Not to be a smart ass Andrew but not exactly.

There are Salt Water shrimps.

Yeah, and there are freshwater prawns, Cherabins (Machrobrachium rosenbergii) are certainly called giant freshwater prawns, (and are the best bait for yella's and Cod). They are usually blacker, larger and have bigger claws than your normal freshwater shrimp. They are farmed extensively overseas, but not here.

But easiest (for me) is if it comes from fresh I call it shrimp, if it comes from salt I call it a prawn.

[Angus]

Fasir enough Andrew

That link was veryu helpful by the way.

Difference is simply once you know it.

Angus

[blue_mako]

All though it's not 100% correct, my mind thinks the same as Feral's. I usually call any Prawn/Shrimp like animal from the Salt Water a Prawn and a Shrimp from the Fresh. Good question anyway Gerty.

Troy

[Angus]

You call a Mantis Shrimp a mantis shrimp Troy

[Brian D]

Prawns go on bread, make nice curry and are nice in prawn coctails - shrimp go on hooks and get thrown over the side of the boat or off the wharf.

[jeff f]

shrinps are short arses or what dopy yanks call prawns:P

[Yuffie]

Interesting read from the Museum of Victoria. I always thought the difference between Shrimp and Prawns are freshwater and saltwater