Shrimp are widespread and abundant. There are thousands of species adapted to a wide range of habitats. They can be found feeding near the seafloor on most coasts and estuaries, as well as in rivers and lakes. To escape predators, some species flip off the seafloor and dive into the sediment. They usually live from one to seven years. Shrimp are often solitary, though they can form large schools during the spawning season.
They play important roles in the food chain and are an important food source for larger animals ranging from fish to whales. The muscular tails of many shrimp are edible to humans, and they are widely caught and farmed for human consumption. Commercial shrimp species support an industry worth 50 billion dollars a year, and in 2010 the total commercial production of shrimp was nearly 7 million tonnes. Shrimp farming became more prevalent during the 1980s, particularly in China, and by 2007 the harvest from shrimp farms exceeded the capture of wild shrimp. There are significant issues with excessive bycatch when shrimp are captured in the wild, and with pollution damage done to estuaries when they are used to support shrimp farming. Many shrimp species are small as the term shrimp suggests, about 0.79 inches long, but some shrimp exceed 9.8 inches. Larger shrimp are more likely to be targeted commercially and are often referred to as prawns, particularly in the Commonwealth of Nations and former British colonies.
The following description refers mainly to the external anatomy of the common European shrimp, Crangon crangon, as a typical example of a decapod shrimp. The body of the shrimp is divided into two main parts: the head and thorax which are fused together to form the cephalothorax, and a long narrow abdomen. The shell which protects the cephalothorax is harder and thicker than the shell elsewhere on the shrimp and is called the carapace. The carapace typically surrounds the gills, through which water is pumped by the action of the mouthparts. The rostrum, eyes, whiskers and legs also issue from the carapace. The rostrum, from the Latin rōstrum meaning beak, looks like a beak or pointed nose at the front of the shrimp's head. It is a rigid forward extension of the carapace and can be used for attack or defense. It may also stabilize the shrimp when it swims backward. Two bulbous eyes on stalks sit either side of the rostrum. These are compound eyes which have panoramic vision and are very good at detecting movement. Two pairs of whiskers (antennae) also issue from the head. One of these pairs is very long and can be twice the length of the shrimp, while the other pair is quite short. The antennae have sensors on them which allow the shrimp to feel where they touch, and also allow them to "smell" or "taste" things by sampling the chemicals in the water. The long antennae help the shrimp orient itself with regard to its immediate surroundings, while the short antennae help assess the suitability of prey.
Habitat
Shrimp are widespread, and can be found near the seafloor of most coasts and estuaries, as well as in rivers and lakes. There are numerous species, and usually there is a species adapted to any particular habitat. Most shrimp species are marine, although about a quarter of the described species are found in fresh water. Marine species are found at depths of up to 16,000 ft), and from the tropics to the polar regions. Although shrimp are almost entirely fully aquatic, the two species of Merguia are semi-terrestrial and spend a significant part of their life on land in mangrove.
If you want to read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shrimp
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 frozen baby shrimp, thawed
- Paprika for sprinkling
- Place eggs in a large saucepan with enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, then remove saucepan from heat, cover, and let sit 17 minutes. Drain hot water, then run cold water over eggs. Add ice cubes to water and let eggs cool 5 minutes.
- Peel eggs, slice in half lengthwise, and remove yolks to a small bowl. To the small bowl, add yogurt, sour cream, horseradish, mustard, and salt; mix well. Fill egg white halves with yolk mixture using a piping bag or spoon. Top each egg with a shrimp and sprinkle lightly with paprika. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to serve.
***Don’t have a piping bag? No worries! Just use a resealable plastic bag with one of the bottom corners snipped off.
1922 – Nancy Walker, American actress (d. 1992)
- Seafood Gumbo: A stew or soup that probably originated in southern Louisiana during the 18th century. Seafood gumbo typically consists of a strongly flavored stock, shrimp and crab meat (sometimes oysters), a thickener, and seasoning vegetables. Gumbo is often categorized by the type of thickener used: okra, the Choctaw spice, file powder (dried and ground sassafras leaves), or roux, the French base made of flour and fat.
- Shrimp Cocktail: The Golden Gate was the first to serve this .50 cent shrimp cocktail in 1959. It is now a Las Vegas cliché. Called the “Original Shrimp Cocktail” on the menu, it is a favorite among tourists as well as the locals. The original Shrimp Cocktail consists of a regular-sized sundae glass filled with small salad shrimp and topped with a dollop of cocktail sauce.
- Shrimp DeJonghe: A specialty of Chicago, it is a casserole of whole, peeled shrimp blanketed in soft, garlic, sherry-laced bread crumbs. It is served as an appetizer or a main course. It originated in the late 19th or early 20th century at the DeJonghe’s Hotel and Restaurant.
- Shrimp Scampi: This dish has its own day on April 29 and is cooked in butter, garlic, lemon juice and white wine.
- Use an old towel bar on your potting bench and hang S hooks to store your tools.
- Broken dresser drawers become bookshelves or under-bed storage.
- How many ways can you re-purpose an unused wine rack?
- storage for towels in the bathroom
- take it to the craft area for all the small tools, glue and yarn
- store water bottles and travel mugs
- Tissue boxes make terrific storage for plastic bags, but they also work well for used dryer sheets. Reuse the dryer sheets to wipe down the washer and dryer to keep it dust-free and clean out the lint trap.
- Use old magazine racks to store cutting boards, baking sheets, and other flat kitchen items.
