Shrimp Tips and Glossary

Need a hint, or forget what a certain term means when you're buying or serving shrimp?  Check through this alphabetical listing of shrimp tips and glossary to clear up your doubts.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I
J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R
S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

B

benthic

Term use do describe shrimp which are animals living primarily on the sea bottom.

Barbie

Australian slang for "barbecue," as in the phrase "slip a shrimp on the barbie."

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C

crustacean

The crustaceans (Crustacea) are a large group of arthropods, comprising almost 52,000 described species of which shrimp are a part.

cup

US kitchen measurement equivalent to 236 ml.  Often rounded to 250 ml.

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D

decapod

decapods or Decapoda means "ten footed". Shrimp are included in the decapoda order of Malacostraca.

Devein

Removal of the dark colored strip found on the back of shrimp.

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F

Freshness

To test shrimp for freshness, look for shrimp which are dry and firm.

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G

Galveston hatcheries

Large-scale, industrial shrimp hatcheries using a closed and tightly controlled environment, named after Galveston, Texas, where they were developed.

Giant tiger prawn

(P. monodon, also known as "black tiger shrimp") occurs in the wild in the Indian Ocean and in the Pacific Ocean from Japan to Australia. The largest of all the cultivated shrimp, it can grow to a length of 36 cm and is farmed in Asia.

Green

Uncooked shrimp still in its shell.

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H

HOSO

The commercial designation for complete shrimps short for "head-on, shell-on."

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M

Malacostraca

Greek for "soft shell" is the name of the largest class of crustaceans to which shrimp belong.

myses

The third stage in the life cycle of a newly hatched shrimp.

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N

nauplii

The first stage in the life cycle and development of a new shrimp.

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P

P&D

Commercial designation for shrimps which are peeled and deveined.

Pacific white shrimp

(Litopenaeus vannamei, also called "whiteleg shrimp") is the main species cultivated in western countries. Native to the Pacific coast from Mexico to Peru, it grows to a size of 23 cm.

Peel

To remove the shell from shrimp, also known as "shucking."

postlarvae

The fourth and last stage in the development of a new shrimp.

Pound

US measurement of weight equal to  454 grams or approximately 1/2 a kilogram.

Prawn

Shrimp of the family Penaeidae representing the majority of all cultivated shrimp.

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S

scampi

1. plural of "scampo" the Italian word for Norwegian Lobster, but commonly used to mean shrimp in North America.

2. Typical shrimp recipe served in Italian restaurants in North America.

Serving

A typical single serving of shrimp uses 1/3 pound or 150 grams of shrimp in the shell.

shuck

to remove the peel or shell from shrimp

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T

teaspoon

US equivalent of 5 ml or milliliters.

Tablespoon

US equivalent of 15 ml or milliliters.

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Z

zest

Usually "lemon zest", the colored outer layer of the fresh fruit used as a spice.

zoeae

The second stage in the life cycle of a newly hatched shrimp.

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