Cold Water (Northern) Shrimp

Tropical Shrimp

• Gulf pink shrimp (P. duorarum): This species, caught from the southeastern U.S. coast to the Gulf of Mexico, is commercially important to the U.S. and Mexico. They have a relatively mild sweet flavor and are firm-fleshed and pink when cooked.
• Gulf white shrimp (P. setiferus): These shrimp are found from the Carolinas south through the Gulf of Mexico. Often confused with brown shrimp, white shrimp have variations in shell color. However, brown shrimp have a groove in the last tail segment that can be felt easily, whereas Gulf white shrimp do not have this groove.
• Brown shrimp (P. aztecus): These shrimp are caught from North Carolina to the Gulf of Mexico and are the most abundant and important species for Mexico and the U.S. It reaches relatively large sizes and has a firm texture. Depending on their habitat, they may have an iodine flavor which leads many people to use them for battering. They tend to be cheaper than white  or pink shrimp.
• Mexican brown shrimp (P. californiensis): This species is the most common shrimp caught off Mexico's West Coast and is an important export.
• Southern white shrimp (P. schmitei): This species is virtually identical to Gulf whites and are caught in the Caribbean off the northeast coast of South America.
• Southern pink shrimp (P notialis): Sometimes called Brazil pink shrimp, this species is very similar to Gulf pinks. They are found from the Caribbean to southern Brazil and off West Africa.
• Rock Shrimp (Sicyonia brevirostris): This species of shrimp is relatively small in size. They have heavy shells with sharp spines and the sand-filled intestine that is very card to remove. The flavor is very good when fresh, but other shrimp are usually preferred. Rock shrimp are usually sold after thawing and the cost can be as low as $2.00 a pound. Shell-less rock shrimp are also available at a little higher cost, but they are relatively tasteless. These are usually the shrimp used for making tostados by the local stands and palapas that sell mariscos.
• Blue shrimp (P. stylirostris): This bluish shrimp has a firm texture and good flavor.  They are found wild on the west coast of Mexico, but are also used in aquaculture. This species is also referred to as  Mexican whites or West Coast whites.
• Redspotted shrimp (P. brasiliensis): These shrimp are very similar to Gulf pinks, but they have a larger range.
• Banana prawns (Penaeus merguiensis): These shrimp are similar to Indian white shrimp (P. indisus), except it's carapace is more yellow in color. They have firm texture and are said to have a good flavor. In Thailand, they are an important species in aquaculture, but they are harvested naturally in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia.
• Black tiger shrimp (P. monodon): This species of shrimp is farmed intensively in Thailand and Taiwan, but they also are harvested naturally throughout southern Asia. Their is growth is quite rapid when cultured with lengths reaching 13 inches! They are generally jumbo or extra large, turning orange when cooked.
• Central American white shrimp (P. occidentalis): These shrimp are medium-sized with good flavor and firm texture. They are caught on the west side of Central and South America.
• Chinese white shrimp (P. chinensis and P. orientalis): This species of shrimp is an important export for China, where they are used in aquaculture and harvested naturally. The highest quality Chinese White Shrimp are labeled "Seaswallow" and the second best are labeled, "Billow."
• Indian brown shrimp (Metapenaeus affinis): This species is found Pakistan, India, Malaysia and Hong Kong and has recently become important in world shrimp trade.
• Indian white shrimp (P. indisus): These shrimp are one of the most important commercial species in the world shrimp industry. They are found from eastern Africa to India, Indonesia, and northern Australia.
• West Coast white shrimp (P. vannamei): Sometimes referred to as the white-leg shrimp, this species is found on the Pacific side of Central and South America, but are intensively farmed in Ecuador and Central America. This species accounts for a large volume of the white shrimp in the U.S. marketplace.

Freshwater

• Giant river prawns (Macrobrachium rosenbergii): These shrimp (prawns) are harvested naturally from north Australia to India and are farmed in several other countries. These prawns are easily identifiable by their large size, long claws, and dark-blue shell. They can grow to more than 12 inches in length in brackish rivers of Australia. Their meat is generally very mild and best baked or broiled.