# difference between prawns and shrimps **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 1, 2005, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664 "2005-07-01T08:19:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/1 "2005-07-01T08:19:31Z")
tring to work out what a scampi was (variously described as a norwegian lobster, or dublin bay prawn amongst others on the web) got me thinking that I couldn’t tell the difference between a prawn or a shrimp in the supermarket. OK prawns tend to be bigger, but is there an obvious physical difference between say a small prawn and a large shrimp, or is it just marketing naming? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/2 "2005-07-01T08:22:44Z")
They are the same [creature.](http://www.theepicentre.com/tip/shrimp.html) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/3 "2005-07-01T09:49:20Z")
There are any number of different species of crustacean sold and served as shrimps/prawns; the terminology is rather varied depending on where you live, but ‘prawns’ are typically not just one thing, neither are ‘shrimps’ - they tend to be _categories_, not _items_. In the UK, ‘shrimps’ are very small (less than half an inch long) and are not often seen any more, ‘prawns’ are bigger (say, between half an inch and one-and-a-half) and ‘king prawns’ are larger still - typically served whole and peeled eaten with the fingers. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/4 "2005-07-01T11:37:50Z")
If it talks, it’s a [king prawn](http://www.upsu.net/uploadImages/25/pepe_collage2.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/5 "2005-07-01T18:01:19Z")
Difference between shrimp and prawns is roughly three bucks a pound. “Prawns” just sounds fancier than “shrimp” so it’s largely a marketing ploy. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/6 "2005-07-01T18:04:40Z")
I’ve heard tell that Sir Gerald Nabardo has a pet prawn called Simon. ---
**Author:** ![scm1001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@scm1001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scm1001)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/7 "2005-07-01T21:10:30Z")
I guessed as much. Tx for the replies ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/8 "2005-07-01T21:42:40Z")
Hold on ! To put it correctly, all prawns are shrimp but not all shrimp are prawns. From the [Pacific Fishery Regulations, 1993 of Canada](http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/F-14/SOR-93-54/text.html) > [@](#): > > 1. > > Shrimp > > (1) Coonstripe (1) Pandalus danae > > (2) Humpback (2) Pandalus hypsinotus > > (3) Northern pink(3) Pandalus borealis > > (4) Pink (4) Pandalus jordani > > (5) Prawn (5) Pandalus platyceros > > (6) Sidestripe (6) Pandalopsis dispar ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2005, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-prawns-and-shrimps/310664/9 "2005-07-01T22:40:06Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > …typically served whole and peeled eaten with the fingers. Like the chili at Wendy’s?