Palaemon serratus

This shrimp lives in the deep sea. It is pink and brown. It can be quite long.

It lives in rocky cracks. It stays in groups. Many fish like to eat it.

This shrimp can hear sounds. It hears well in the water. It can hear many tones.

A small part of its shell curves up. It has tiny teeth on the edge. These teeth are on the top and bottom.

People catch these shrimp to eat. Some people catch too many. We must be careful with them.

The common prawn is a type of shrimp. It lives in the Atlantic Ocean. It also lives in the Mediterranean and Black Seas.

These shrimp are pinkish brown. They have reddish patterns on them. They are often very long. They are the largest shrimp near the British Isles. You can tell them apart by their rostrum. A rostrum is a part that curves up from the head. It has teeth on the top and bottom edges. The top edge has 6 to 7 teeth. The bottom edge has 4 to 5 teeth.

Most prawns live in rocky cracks. They live in groups for 3 to 5 years. Many fish like to eat them. Some tiny bugs can even live on them. These bugs are called isopods. They can make a bulge in the shrimp's shell.

These shrimp can hear well. They can hear sounds in the water. All of them can hear a 500 Hz tone. People catch these shrimp to eat. Some people fish in Wales and Ireland. In 1999, people caught 548 t in Ireland. We must be careful not to catch too many.

The common prawn is a special kind of shrimp. It is found in the Atlantic Ocean. This shrimp lives from Denmark down to Mauritania. It also lives in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. These small creatures are very important to the ocean. They are the largest native shrimp near the British Isles. Most of them are pinkish brown with reddish patterns. They can live for 3 to 5 years. They often live in groups inside rocky cracks.

You can identify them by looking at their rostrum. A rostrum is a part that curves up from the head. This rostrum is split at the very tip. It has 6 to 7 teeth on the upper edge. The lower edge has 4 to 5 teeth. Other shrimp might have a curved rostrum too. However, their teeth usually go further down the tip.

Scientists have studied how these shrimp hear sounds. They are sensitive to sounds between 100 Hz and 3 kHz. This is called acuity, or how well they hear. Their hearing is similar to many types of fish. As a prawn grows, its hearing range changes. Even so, all of them can hear a 500 Hz tone.

People catch these prawns for food in several places. There is a small fishery on the west coast of Great Britain. This includes West Wales and parts of Scotland. In Ireland, fishing began at Baltimore in County Cork. This fishing grew during the 1970s. In 1999, Ireland had a peak catch of 548 t. Four counties provide over 90% of that catch.

Four Irish counties catch most of the prawns. These places are Galway, Kerry, Cork, and Waterford. We must watch how many we catch. Some people worry about overfishing these shrimp. This means catching too many at once. Leaders may use a minimum landing size to help. This rule helps keep the prawn population healthy.

The common prawn, scientifically known as *Palaemon serratus*, is a significant species of shrimp. It is found throughout the Atlantic Ocean, ranging from Denmark to Mauritania. These crustaceans also inhabit the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. As the largest native shrimp and prawns near the British Isles, they play a vital role in marine ecosystems. Understanding their biology and habitat helps scientists monitor ocean health.

Physically, *Palaemon serratus* has very specific features. They possess a pinkish brown color with reddish patterns. One primary way to identify them is by their rostrum. A rostrum is a pointed part of the shell extending from the head. In this species, the rostrum curves upward and is bifurcated, meaning it is split at the tip. The upper edge of the rostrum has 6 to 7 teeth. The lower edge features 4 to 5 teeth. While other shrimp have curved rostrums, their teeth usually continue further toward the tip.

These prawns have unique biological traits and behaviors. They typically live in groups within rocky crevices. They can survive at depths of up to 50 meters. Most individuals live for a lifespan of 3 to 5 years. Within a population, females grow faster than males. The population is also highly seasonal. There is a very pronounced peak in their numbers during the autumn months.

Scientists have also studied the sensory abilities of this invertebrate. *Palaemon serratus* is one of the few invertebrates studied for its hearing. They are sensitive to sound frequencies between 100 Hz and 3 kHz. This level of auditory acuity is similar to that of many generalist fish. A prawn's specific hearing range will change as it grows larger. However, every individual is capable of hearing tones at 500 Hz.

In the wild, these prawns face many natural pressures. They are preyed upon by various fish species. These include members of the Mullidae, Moronidae, Sparidae, and Batrachoididae families. Some prawns may also carry parasites. An isopod parasite, such as *Bopyrus squillarum*, can infect them. This parasite causes a prominent bulge in the carapace, which is the hard upper shell, over the gills.

Human activity has created a commercial interest in these shrimp. A small fishery exists on the west coast of Great Britain. This includes West Wales, from Cemaes Head to the Llŷn Peninsula. The fishery is also moving north into parts of Scotland. In Ireland, the industry began at Baltimore in County Cork during the 1970s. This fishing activity eventually expanded across the country.

Data shows the scale of the Irish prawn industry. In 1999, a peak landing of 548 t was recorded. Most of this catch comes from just four counties. These are Galway, Kerry, Cork, and Waterford, which account for over 90% of the total. However, there is growing concern regarding overfishing. This means the prawns may be being caught faster than they can reproduce. To protect them, officials are considering limits like a minimum landing size.