Shore Shrimp

Palaemonetes species

Image by Robert Aguilar, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0

Physical: Shore Shrimp are very common in the Barnegat Bay.  They are transparent, and reach a length of 5 cm at maturity.  They are easily identified by their larger second set of paired appendages.

Habitat: P. species live in shallow waters along the East Coast, up to 45 ft. in depth.  They are usually found among submerged seaweeds, and blend in well because of their transparency.

Feeding: P. species are scavengers, and eat anything easily accessible that is near them in the water.  They are commonly located around decaying invertebrates and fish.

Breeding: Shore shrimp breed similar sand shrimp; fertilization of eggs is internal, and live young are birthed at hatching.  Juveniles are planktonic for approximately three weeks after birth.

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